Global warming is just a media scam, right Chuck?

Your joking, right? The "scientists" haven't shown anything. The "scientists" are all political scientists. Which is why 20K+ meteorologist types have signed the counter document that says there is no evidence for global warming as a man-made phenomen. Further, are you going to say the man is the cause of global warming on the other planets and moons in our solar system which are experiencing the same warming? Are you going to advocate hydrogen powered vehicles, whose by product is water, which happens to be the #1 green house gas to the tune of 75+% of the total? Get serious and do some homework before you jump on the political machine fear mongering. Also, there are no such thing as "fossil fuels" Nasa proved that with the Casini probe on Titan which proved that hydrocarbon production is a natural geological process. Besides since when did anyone at the time of dinosaurs go around digging miles deep graves for these creatures? Or how else do you explain where these hydrocarbons are found, not on the surface, but didn't dinosaurs die on the surface and just lay there and get picked apart by carrions? Let's start doing some real thinking

Kevin Rhodes - you talk disparagingly of the "Frontline/NOVA axis of information", but then you point us to read an article by Prof. Michael Economides, who is professor of chemical engineering, but also is a the managing partner of a petroleum engineering and strategy consulting firm. Way to present a non-biased information source to counter the "mis-information" of Frontline/NOVA.

Regarding Global Warming and using the Democrats alternative energy, today in the New York Times, the very liberal and big government Paul Krugman is commenting on food shortages mainly caused by the subsidies of ethanol and what a disaster it is turning out to be for the poor all over the world and causing food riots. His commentary parrots this weeks Time Magazine article on ethanol. Its amazing that two of the biggest liberal organizations do not mention the democrats huge push of ethanol and bio-fuels the left''s only answer to oil,coal, nuclear and natural gas. My solution for the "alternative" is to spend billions on making proven and tested energy sources like the above safer! Also on "Meet the Press" yesterday the Governor on Pennsylvania, a Hillary supporter accused Obama of receiving "nuclear" lobby money. The attack on tested energy sources never ends...Pat

More on the Democrats non energy policy. Robert Redford recently made a movie which convinced Texas Democrats to cancel many new coal fired gas plants in Texas. Also today the Governor of Wyoming endorsed Obama if he would promise to prevent drilling in western Wyoming. When the Democrats promise to pull out of Iraq and the mid-east leaving the area under control of Islam radicals, our "only energy source-"oil"- will be subject to extreme uncertainty. 1929 could look mild. What is missing in this concern??...Pat

Great input from some very smart people. My concern is that the Democrats are against drilling, nuclear, gas pipe lines, coal production and refineries. Their alternatives are ethanol which is causing food riots all over the world and today Senator Cantwell is hoping to pass a credits of 6 billion so 20 billion of alternative energy proposals do not collapse. In today''s Wall street Kansas Governor, a democrat, stopped a third coal fired plant from being build even though the plant met all environmental permits. Like in 1973 49 democrats voted against the North Slope prude hole bay because of Caribou herds which are today setting records. Also in 1973 global warming wasn''t a concept. Their is no magic fuel cell. ..Pat

Either way, on the whole, the scientific community doesn't deny that the globe is warming. I don’t' see the harm in trying to make the planet better regardless. And the media could care less about Global warming, honestly.

I question even the warming data. There are scientists who believe we are entering a cooling period as we speak. Human caused global warming is FALSE! www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/comment/story.html?id=597d0677-2a05-47b4-b34f-b84068db11f4&p=4 From that article "Climate stability has never been a feature of planet Earth. The only constant about climate is change

The big question: is it man or nature??

I agree that this global warming is the biggest scam in the world and the trouble is we need all the scientists who can prove this with facts to confont the greedy greens who are only after the stealth taxes and levies that they will impose on all of us forever!Scientists in australia have just discovered through dna that the great barrier reef claims are not only false but arenot even close to the truth

John!! Hello, John? Knock, knock. I think John ran away. Maybe he is out reviewing his position on Global Warming. Brian Page

John, Just another thought on global warming: The Aztecs would sacrifice people to be graced with the conditions to assure good crops. They too thought they affected the weather by some of their actions. I think it is prevalent for mankind to have these feelings of blame. From my understanding of ancient civilizations, almost all thought they had influence upon the weather and sought relief by essentially brutalizing themselves. Somehow, I relate this to what we're doing to ourselves today. Bill Moorey

John, I would like to answer in part, the question that you wrote “who cares?” in volume 62 of Design News. Just check out the greenhouse gas spewing monstrosity of a home that Al Gore has and compare that to the energy efficient eco-friendly home of President George W. Bush. We probably don’t need to look into John Kerry’s 5 mansions or the ferocious opposition by Ted Kennedy to wind generators going up where he might see them. In my book, words mean very little from someone who doesn’t walk the talk. The jury is indeed still out on whether man is a major contributing factor to any long range global warming that may be happening. Remember, unintended consequences are a real world phenomenon. Best regards, Rod Cain

Mr. Dodge, I've recently been given your article "Get over It: Global Warming is Real" from the April 30, 2007 issue of the magazine "design news". This subject has definitely intrigued me more and more as I've listened to and read many arguements along both sides of the fence. I am a Test and Validation Engineer for a company that specializes in System Design and Integration for Automotive / Commercial Vehicle Emissions. I've been in the Automotive Industry as a whole for close to 9 years now. As a whole, from what I've seen, there is a LOT that can be done within the Automotive Industry, as well as many other industries, to make our products both better through manufacturing as well as application. The unfortunate truth is that it costs money to make the necessary changes and/or you sacrifice performance. For example, while I myself have thought about purchasing a smaller more fuel efficient car, I still drive a Cadillac DeVille. Recently, I convinced myself that purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle, such as the Toyota Prius, would be sacrificing the safety of myself and my family to save a few dollars at the pump. I have something like a 5 star crash rating on front and the side of my Cadillac, whereas many of the smaller vehicles struggle to obtain a 2 or 3 rating. One day a teenage girl in a Honda Civic pulled out in front of me while I was cruising down the highway at about 60 mph...if I wasn't able to react quick enough, I'm sure she would have been critically wounded. I also struggle with the arguement that we know enough from the 1-200 years we've been gathering data about the earth's climate. History has shown us that there have been multiple ice ages and that there have been changes in temperature to warm the Earth up enough to melt the ice...is it premature of us to extrapolate data from 1-200 years and claim the world's coming to an end if we don't do something immediately? Don't get me wrong, I believe that it's our responsibility to keep our planet as clean as possible. However, has anyone taken into consideration that the Earth's axis doesn't spin perfectly...and that as our rotation slightly changes I'm sure the angles in which the sun's energy reaches the planet's surfaces constantly change? While one place on the planet shows record highs...another shows record lows? And exactly how is the planet's overall surface temperature measured and recorded...have we taken into consideration cloud coverage...or is this data again extrapolated because we may not have enough weather stations in place? Do we rely upon data from countries with suspect technologies used to relay this type of information? I just think that there are a lot of variables here that tend to be over looked. Again, I strongly believe in finding ways to clean up the planet. However, maybe one way we should is to have our government force any company incorporated in the United States require ALL of their non-US facilities to at minimum conform to US emissions and manufacturing regulations...and any company that imports to the United States should conform to that minimum requirement as well. Then the lobbyists need to focus on increasing those regulations, but not at the rate in which the average person's life would be greatly affected...because in reality, if you propose something that threatens a person's way of life now...it'll be very difficult to get support for that proposal...even if it does mean saving their lives or those of their childrens. That's just my 2 cents...I'm interested in hearing your thoughts, thanks and have a good day! Nicholas T. Zeser

One comment for Doug Marsh. Doug Says *** None of the "noers" say where they get their data. *** Doug, please try www.oism.org 19,700 scientists have signed this petition. thanks, Tony

Dear John, Three points: (1) Politics, Politics, Politics. "the discussion is over" blah blah blah. When science enters the Media discussion, please let me know. (2) Warming of the Earth is GOOD. We are too cold now, just coming out of the well documented "little-ice age" www.oism.org/pproject/presentation/sld002.htm (3) The CO2 increase is LAGGING the temperature increase over primary measurement data regions. www.oism.org/pproject/review.pdf Tony Schmitz Cypress Semiconductor

To believe in Global Warming crisis, and the proposed solutions, you have to believe 4 things. 1) The earth is warming. 2) Man is causing this warming. 3) CO2 is a pollutant. 4) Warming is a bad thing. 1) Seems to be demonstatably true (Maybe), probably why the Chicken Little crowd switched from ice age hysteria when I was a kid to warming hysteria today. 2) I seriously doubt warming is man caused. The ''evidence'' just isn''t convincing. The earth''s climate is always changing, why not now? 3) CO2 is a pollutant. As a drill sergeant I do everything in my power to encourage (or force) large groups of people to increase their ''pollution'' (CO2) levels. The only demonstratable facts I''ve seen with increased CO2 are: A) it makes plants grow faster and be more productive. And, B) signifigantly increasing your personal CO2 emissions increases muscle mass, reduces fat, and makes you healthier. Both VERY GOOD things. Greenhouse theory is just that theory. Basing our life decisions on theory, not fact, is the height of stupidity. 4) To get excited about global warming means you have to believe warming would be a bad thing. I can think of nothing better that could happen to the planet. The reality is the majority of the world''s populations live in warm climates. Warm climates promote life. 30 years ago I could get excited about glaciers covering my house, but today''s ''crisis''??? Personally, I anticipate with great happiness shorter winters and warmer temperatures. Please let me know how to help bring this about. For now I''ll just exercise more, though that hardly seems enough. How many years will it speed things up if I take up smoking? Pave my yard? Drive a bus?...

When in the 4Th. grade I was lucky enough to have a great teacher that presented us with a simple rule of thumb. She said before you believe what a book has stated check the credentials of the author. Nova presented a program titled "Portrait of a genius", which was a program about a scientist named Feinstein. This gentleman shared a Nobel prize in science for his work on quarks. In the program Dr. Feinstein spoke about how people with opinions were writing books and were being treated as experts without any proof to back up their opinions. Two very intelligent people offered me a path to follow. Have you been offered fact or opinion lately before you wrote your article?

All, is it not obvious that this GW effort is all about garnering and consolidating power. To achieve their goals, environmentalists such as Gore need to force their point of view on the general population. After all they do know best, don''''t they?

Now, lets get on to something more fun. If the 1500 year trend is correct, we have a few more years of general-global-warming, before we head for another mini ice age. With all the extra solar, wind, and other energy available, we should really do something with it. We will need to save the oil for the ice age. Lets make use of the heat differential between the attic of houses, and the ground under the houses, to create electricity, that can be added to the "grid". This would be less of an environmental impact than solar cellsand batteries. Hmmm?

John: You have been very quiet on this subject. This is not scientific; but I suspect you are short on words, due to your shortage of real facts? Or you ran out of names to call people (favorite tactic of someone failing a debate). What say ye, to the allegations that you can only use your journalistic education, to promote fuzzy science? Brian Page, Research Engineer, Boeing Airplane Company.

Dear John, You raise a good point, however, I think you are presenting the question in a misleading way. Sure, the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that earth's temperature has risen over the past century. But that is not news. It has gone up and down many times in recorded history. To me, the other side of the coin is more important... the "overwhelming majority of scientists DO NOT agree that it is due to man's use of fossil fuel". I would like to see a balanced discussion on this as well. But, I have not seen one. Since Al Gore, the self-appointed climate expert, has been getting carte blanche treatment in the mainstream press, they have been doing all they can to suppress logical debate. I don't like it when a politician shoves his opinion down my and everyone else's throat, and calls the matter "closed". If they were truly concerned, they would be doing all they can to promote nuclear energy with zero emissions, and not thwarting wind turbine energy programs in their own back yard. I don't buy into their apocalyptic predictions. The so-called debate has become more political than scientific. Steve Sullivan Engineering Specialist

John, Many people who read your magazine make their decisions based upon numbers. This is about power and money. The numbers no longer matter. Carl

It’s obvious with the large amount of climate data that exists that in fact global temperature has increased recently; HOWEVER this is a natural process and has occurred many times before humans had anything to do with influencing global temperatures. We may be living during a time of global warming but our impact is minimal at best. The most important thing that the educated people in this country like ourselves can to is to stop all the kooks who keep telling everyone that mankind is responsible and we need to change everything no matter the cost!

Before readin these blogs, I assumed the 55% "no" was in reaction to the question "is life threatened." Its not life, per se, its the quality of life as we know it in the developed world. Let me respond to just a few of the "noers". (1) 10% of the glaciers are growing, most of the other 90% world wide are shrinking. But it is the rate of change that is scary. (2) The growing glacers are growing because they are getting more snow due to warming (Antarctica is the dryest continent on earth as measured by its annuak h2o fall. (3) If the leading edge of the Antarctic ice pack is falling off because of more glacier behind it, this would also lead to the leading edge being somewhat further out to sea, but the ice pack over the ocean is shrinking. (4) Sea level changes seem to go up in some places and down in others. If Venice is going under water, maybe thats due to the water rising or the land falling. Same arguement for places that are farther from the sea, in reverse. The data that I've read says the worldwide ahnge is too small for either case except for some Pacific Ocean islands. But net, the ocean is rising. (5) Natural changes can cause cooling and warming. That is the way it is. BUT it is the rate of change, unprecidented except when major meteor hits have occurred, that is most likely human induced. I am an engineer; I read the data and study the science of technical reports I read. If it makes sense, I add it to my knowledge base. Same here. The data supporting global warming vastly outweighs the converse. I believe. As for sources of data. None of the "noers" say where they get their data. I get mine from National Geographic Society (maps, graphs, interviews, photos), Time Magazine, New York Times nespaper, my local regional newspaper, National Parks and Conservation Society magazine, and others. I even occassionally read more consevative publications, although I find them almost universaly lacking in what an engineer would call hard data. Bottom line is that this is a problem which addressing means pain to us in the USA and other developed countries. Not addressing it means even more pain, deferred. Most of us will be long dead before things get devistating; our grandchildren and great granschildren will suffer.

John, Yup. Worked here at Moog for over 38 years, now, Hi Rel Electronics Design, largely space stuff. I co-developed our Brushless DC product lines about 35 years ago, and have several such widgets around the solar system, now. Yes, we do make a lot of actuators for 787, Airbus, JSF, etc., but not the legacy hydraulics any more - we now use Brushless DC drives with pumps to push the pistons back and forth. Electro-Hydrostatic Drives, we call them. Why not just a ball Screw? Welllll.... Remember that Alaska Airlines MD-80 that went down of f the Cal coast a few ago? That horizontal stabilizer was actuated by a ball screw that was not properly maintained, lost its balls and failed, killing all aboard. Then what if a gear toot hbreaks and jams the actuator? We developed the Electro-hydrostatic Drive to remove breakable, failure prone parts from the path. Hi Reliability Designs are just plain REQUIRED for things that carry People. We are also now a Systems Integrator - we do the whole thing from stick to rudder (Glass to Ass as they like to say...) I dont do much with the aircraft division except to help out once in a while. My wife gets over to Vidlers once and a while - the old guys are still there and well, too. Regarding CO2 emissions, perhaps Al Gore should just hold his breath? I'm no tree hugger, either. Spent over 20 years on the Allegany State Park Task Force for Forest Management, so I KNOW how to properly manage one, and letting it get old and ROT *AINT* the way! As a Ham Radio Operator, I was involved with a pretty significant Wind Powered 100W output repeater in Cherry Creek, NY, about 40 miles south of buffalo. We now also now have several of the BIG ones on the old Lackawanna Bethlehem Steel site. Gotta run - the guys are waiting on me for lunch... Thanx for the reply. Jerry Neuhauser Electrical Design Engineer

Mr. Dodge As soon as I read your article commenting on global warming and the Kyoto agreement, I immediately put the magazine in my paper recycle bin. I feel that neither a technical magazine nor the editor of that magazine should not promote any liberal far left political agendas. I believe most engineers want to reduce pollution in the air we breathe, but on the other hand, do not have the "chicken little" mentality about global warming. Sincerely, Richard Thompson. PE

My vote on the global warming movement is 'scam'. A number of years ago (OK, 16 years ago), I was assigned to seriously research GW and present the findings for review. The data sets since then have grown by about 10%, but nothing statistically significant has been added that wasn't there already. In 2006-2007, I did a lesser analysis for some dealings with an energy company. The net result of the analyses was that man-made global warming was statiscally neither proveable nor disproveable ("Statistically inconclusive"), and that depending on the surface data sets and measurement methods used, it was difficult to even prove the earth is warming with any statistical confidence level. This was almost a disappointing result, being that I'm a tree-hugging conservationist. As with many topics, folks can, and do, skew the analysis results by omitting, creatively weighting, and 're-calibrating' the available climate data sets. I tried to do as little fiddling with the data sets as possible, so reality could speak for itself. At least the atmospheric gas composition data was pretty self-consistent, so no fiddling was needed there. As an avowed tree-hugger, I would encourage everyone to do what they can to conserve and to not pollute. But as an applied scientist I also have to ask people I come in contact with to keep the global warming hysteria in the right perspective. I'd much rather people focus on conservation of biodiversity and arable land, where mankind has had a huge demonstrable impact. Have we and do we influence climate? If we do, it's borderline 'down in the noise'. Single events in the geologic record were followed by climate changes that dwarf whatever damage we might aspire to. Should we be responsible? Yes. Hysterical? No.

I would appreciate it if your publication would refrain from using the editorial column for what is clearly a personal environmental/political agenda and stick to topics related the world of design and process engineering as a whole. If I had wanted to be preached at about environmentalism, politics or senarios of doom and gloom I would watch the news or go to church. Thank You.

Mr. Dodge. In response to your call on the 4/30/07 issue of Design News (p 9) Is Global warming real, or is it just a power play? (Perhaps by a group to gain control of a lifestyle that they do not like?) A serious look at global warming must answer 4 questions. 1. Is the earth getting significantly warmer? 2. Is human activity the cause of the warming? 3. Can we change the impact by changing human activity? 4. Can humans adapt to a warmer climate? It was warmer in the Middle Ages than it is now. Is the temperature that we are measuring just an upswing on a long cycle, or is it just part of a cycle? When it rains for 4 days, we don’t start collecting pairs of animals, because we understand that 4 days of rain is part of a cycle. The sun has a 7 year sunspot cycle. In 1883 Krakatau erupted, and the cloud of ash dropped the temperature 1.2 C for up to 5 years. Was it something that the people did that caused the volcanic explosion? Has there been any current study on volcanic activity and their effect? Is Mars getting any warmer? What about the moon? If their temperatures have risen, then how can human activity cause their warming? There are theories that we can change the environment by changing human activities. Some of them have been not been as challenging to implement, such as elimination of a pesticide, or the change in aerosol propellants. One of the fears is that a few degrees may wipe out human life as we know it. What are the consequences of temperature fluctuations? We adapt quite well seasonally. If the oceans rise and the crop areas of the world shift, will this end human life, or will it just bring about change? We need to be responsible with our environment. Water should not be wasted. We should not live in mansions that have $1500/month electric bills. But we should not give up camping so that we can drive a small compact car. We should not stop barbecuing for fear of something that MAY happen. Carl Tarum

****My comments got cut off in my first attempt so I'm re-posting them**** What would happen if tomorrow we were told that, after all, the Earth is flat? It would probably be the most important piece of news in the media and would generate a lot of debate. So why is it that when scientists who have studied the Global Warming phenomenon for years say that humans are not the cause nobody listens? Why does no one acknowledge that the Emperor has no clothes on? Believe it or not, Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This in fact is the greatest deception in the history of science. We are wasting time, energy and trillions of dollars while creating unnecessary fear and consternation over an issue with no scientific justification. For example, Environment Canada brags about spending $3.7 billion in the last five years dealing with climate change almost all on propaganda trying to defend an indefensible scientific position while at the same time closing weather stations and failing to meet legislated pollution targets. No sensible person seeks conflict, especially with governments, but if we don't pursue the truth, we are lost as individuals and as a society. That is why I insist on saying that there is no evidence that we are, or could ever cause global climate change. And, recently, Yuri A. Izrael, Vice President of the United Nations sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed this statement. So how has the world come to believe that something is wrong? Maybe for the same reason we believed, 30 years ago, that global cooling was the biggest threat: a matter of faith. "It is a cold fact: the Global Cooling presents humankind with the most important social, political, and adaptive challenge we have had to deal with for ten thousand years. Your stake in the decisions we make concerning it is of ultimate importance; the survival of ourselves, our children, our species," wrote Lowell Ponte in 1976. I was as opposed to the threats of impending doom global cooling engendered as I am to the threats made about Global Warming. Let me stress I am not denying the phenomenon has occurred. The world has warmed since 1680, the nadir of a cool period called the Little Ice Age (LIA) that has generally continued to the present. These climate changes are well within natural variability and explained quite easily by changes in the sun. But there is nothing unusual going on. No doubt passive acceptance yields less stress, fewer personal attacks and makes career progress easier. What I have experienced in my personal life during the last years makes me understand why most people choose not to speak out; job security and fear of reprisals. Even in University, where free speech and challenge to prevailing wisdoms are supposedly encouraged, academics remain silent. I am not alone in this journey against the prevalent myth. Several well-known names have also raised their voices. Michael Crichton, the scientist, writer and filmmaker is one of them. In his latest book, "State of Fear" he takes time to explain, often in surprising detail, the flawed science behind Global Warming and other imagined environmental crises. Another cry in the wildenerness is Richard Lindzen's. He is an atmospheric physicist and a professor of meteorology at MIT, renowned for his research in dynamic meteorology - especially atmospheric waves. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has held positions at the University of Chicago, Harvard University and MIT. Linzen frequently speaks out against the notion that significant Global Warming is caused by humans. Yet nobody seems to listen. I think it may be because most people don't understand the scientific method which Thomas Kuhn so skilfully and briefly set out in his book "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." A scientist makes certain assumptions and then produces a theory which is only as valid as the assumptions. The theory of Global Warming assumes that CO2 is an atmospheric greenhouse gas and as it increases temperatures rise. It was then theorized that since humans were producing more CO2 than before, the temperature would inevitably rise. The theory was accepted before testing had started, and effectively became a law. As Lindzen said many years ago: "the consensus was reached before the research had even begun." Now, any scientist who dares to question the prevailing wisdom is marginalized and called a sceptic, when in fact they are simply being good scientists. This has reached frightening levels with these scientists now being called climate change denier with all the holocaust connotations of that word. The normal scientific method is effectively being thwarted. Meanwhile, politicians are being listened to, even though most of them have no knowledge or understanding of science, especially the science of climate and climate change. Hence, they are in no position to question a policy on climate change when it threatens the entire planet. Moreover, using fear and creating hysteria makes it very difficult to make calm rational decisions about issues needing attention. Until you have challenged the prevailing wisdom you have no idea how nasty people can be. Until you have re-examined any issue in an attempt to find out all the information, you cannot know how much misinformation exists in the supposed age of information.

What would happen if tomorrow we were told that, after all, the Earth is flat? It would probably be the most important piece of news in the media and would generate a lot of debate. So why is it that when scientists who have studied the Global Warming phenomenon for years say that humans are not the cause nobody listens? Why does no one acknowledge that the Emperor has no clothes on? Believe it or not, Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This in fact is the greatest deception in the history of science. We are wasting time, energy and trillions of dollars while creating unnecessary fear and consternation over an issue with no scientific justification. For example, Environment Canada brags about spending $3.7 billion in the last five years dealing with climate change almost all on propaganda trying to defend an indefensible scientific position while at the same time closing weather stations and failing to meet legislated pollution targets. No sensible person seeks conflict, especially with governments, but if we don''t pursue the truth, we are lost as individuals and as a society. That is why I insist on saying that there is no evidence that we are, or could ever cause global climate change. And, recently, Yuri A. Izrael, Vice President of the United Nations sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed this statement. So how has the world come to believe that something is wrong? Maybe for the same reason we believed, 30 years ago, that global cooling was the biggest threat: a matter of faith. "It is a cold fact: the Global Cooling presents humankind with the most important social, political, and adaptive challenge we have had to deal with for ten thousand years. Your stake in the decisions we make concerning it is of ultimate importance

John, you indicated in your reply posted at 4/26/2007 11:52:06 AM that there have been 4 ice ages in the past 2.3 billion years. A quick Google search would seem to indicate your assertion to be inaccurate. One site indicates there have been at least 60 glacial advances and retreats in the last 2 million years. I know information on the internet shouldn''t be trusted, and I intend to research this further for my own edification. I would hope you as a journalist, would do the same and with integrity either confirm your source or offer a retraction or clarification on this specific assertion.

John, I don't think any of us can demonstrate with 100% accuracy what is really happening with the environment. I take exception with your editorial, only from the standpoint that you totally neglect past climatological changes and the cause/effect of these instances. Yes, industrial/automotive pollution needs to be addressed, but do we really need all the finger pointing? Who was around the last time we got a little too warm??? (Too many Neanderthal camp fires?) I'm also concerned that "dire consequences" is an often overused phrase that does more harm than good. (Crying Wolf) If we could get the news media to just 'report' the news and not sensationalize it, maybe the 'thinking class' could make informed decisions and not have to be swayed by the left and right fringes that only want their agendas to be on the table. If you want another suggestion for 'scare tactics' why don't you address the decreasing honeybee population. They are desperately needed to pollinate our crops! We won't care how hot it gets if we can't get any food to grow... Thanks for making us think! Jay Kephart Software Engineer WattMaster Controls, Inc.

I dont normally write letters tot he editor, but this one REQUIRES some input! Yes, Global Warming is real. NO! It is NOT being caused by us ants crawling around on this rock called 'Earth'. Fact: NASA has detected Global Warming on Mars - WHAT are we DOING THERE??!! NOTHING! Two little solar powered rovers? Hardly! Fact: There is an Ice Age Cycle. We are approaching the 'Summer peak' of this cycle. In a couple of thousand years, when we pass the peak, there will be GLOBAL COOLING - right into the NEXT ICE AGE! Then the Gore Chicken Littles can run around and screem " The sky is falling. The sky is FALLING!!!" Yup. Called SNOW. And it will STAY AROUND for several more thousand years, again. Just like the last times. Hope we still have Fleece and Thermax then... Fact: The Sun does NOT have a 'constant output'. Being large, its time constants are long (years), and has several cycles, the 11 year sunspot cycle being most notable, but we are discovering longer cycles with contunued observations, core samples, etc. Forrier Analyses of what we know about these cycles reveals some interesting phenomenum, with peaks and valleys in the sun's output. Back about 200 years ago, there was the 'Maunder Minimum" where there were very few sunspots for several of the 11 year cycles - which resulted in a Mini-Ice Age. Did the Chicken Littles go runniing around screeming "Global Cooling!! Lite more camp fires!!" Nope. Fact: As the Sun (a Main Sequence Star) burns off its hydrogen, it will expand - eventually into a Red Giant - larger than the earth's orbit, in about 4 - 5 Billion years. Could we be at the beginning of this Final Expansion - NOW? Possibly. There IS an increased output being measured at Mars, Jupitor and Saturn. We can HOPE that this is just one of the Forrier Peaks - 'cause ONCE THIS FINAL SOLAR EXPANSION STARTS, it will only take a few hundred million years to finally boil the oceans dry! Not to worry, tho - neither WE, nor our Great Grand Children will still be here, then. And we can HOPE that mankind doesnt blow itself up, and finds a way to other, younger solar systems ot survive. There IS time - IF we can just survive NOW! Fact: Mt St. Hellens, Pinitubo and other recent volcanoes each put more crud into the earth's atmosphere than all the fires and smoke of WW's 1 and 2 combined, and did so in less than a WEEK each! Gobs and Gobs of Carbon Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide and who knows what else! Did they cause a 'Nuclear Winter'? Did they cause a sudden Global shift of ANY kind? Nope. Only a few months of Pink Sunsets till the dust settled out of the atmosphere. That's ALL! Our enemies cant defeat us militarily, so how to defeat us? Perhaps with this environmental crap - get us to shoot ourselves in the foot, so to speak. WHO is complaining about all those Soot Spewing Stacks in China? Listen CLOSELY. Do you hear ANYONE? Hmmm... Me Neither... Enemies? Today? ABSOLUTELY! MOST foreign Governments - but NOT their PEOPLE - who are trying to GET INTO AMERICA to ESCAPE thier own governments Tyranny, any way they CAN! Buy Gas lately? I rest my case, on this issue! It appears Al Gore is just prostituting himself again for Political Gain with his 'Inconvenient Truth'. Will he become the new Coresh for the Enviro-Branch Dividians? Hmmm... Well, when they all commit mass suicide, maybe we can get back to REAL business. On RoSH, I send THIS little E-mail to each of my Vendors when the call me to tell me the GRATE NOOZ that THEY are NOW RoHS COMPLIANT! RoHS is the most STUPID, STUPID!, STUPID!! THING I have ever heard of!!!! Tin Whiskers will short out your car computer and leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. In a storm. Or the Desert at 120+. Tin Whiskers will short out your cell fone in the middle of the 911 call. But it wont matter. Tin Whiskers will short out your Pace Maker and you will DIE. ( The RoHS Lemmings are rushing headlong to the cliff... ! ) Do a Google search for "Tin Whiskers". Horror Stories ABOUND already! 270,000 hits! The Enviro freaks are USING this Anti Lead BIG LIE to STOP America, and western civilization in general! Where DO they think Lead comes from? Pluto? The EARTH is FULL of it! Show me ONE of them who has taken the LEAD-acid Battery out of their car and installed a crank to start it! Which battery, by the way, winds up in the SAME land fill as your old TV or computer... How many does it take to equal ONE lead-acid battery? I rest my case. Solder has been made WITH Tin - Lead for OVER a HUNDRED YEARS! There ARE Very Good Reasons for this! Thanks. Jerry Neuhauser Electrical Design Engineer Moog

Dear Mr. Dodge, a recent article has been clsimed to say that both Mercury and Mars have warmed due to the Sun's increased emissions, which would alternatively explain the Earth's warming, in whole or in part. I and lots of others would appreciate a reply or clarification, based on numbers, not platitudes. Thank you, H. Shamir Engineering

Hello John, I suppose you've gotten an earful by now but I wanted to make you aware of a couple of points. 1. The USA has not signed the Kyoto protocol but we are still meeting the guidelines while in Europe, countries which are signatory, have not. China and India are exempt and China creates more pollution and CO2 than the USA. 2. The amount of warming is very small. Only about 1 degree F. The hockey stick curve in Al Gore's movie has been discredited and even the authors have confessed that they had to fudge the figures so grossly that even stable data shows an upward trend. But Al keeps using it anyway for political purposes. 3. The computer models they use to prove global warming are so primitive that they can't accurately predict known trends from the past. They give the wrong answers. So we know now that based on the computer models that if they predict gross climate change then that's what won't happen. 4. Global temperatures track the solar output and cosmic particle flux. We are currently in a low part of the 11year sunspot cycle which means more energy from the sun. 5. CFLs have a small amount of mercury but environmentalists have totally banned mercury in batteries saying that no amount is safe. But for their own causes then I guess a little is OK after all. 6. Yesterdays NY Times article quotes UN scientists as finally deciding that the Gulf stream will not be significantly interrupted by even worse case scenarios of melting polar ice. A few years ago global warming critics were told that the current would shut down and ultimately cause an new ice age. Al Gore insisted that we all go see the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" to show what was going to happen. Critics were called "deniers" but now I guess they were right. 7. Some glaciers are growing. I was at the Mendenhal glacier in Juneau AK last summer and they have a nice model laid out showing the local mountains and the glaciers with markings of their status over the years. Sure enough at the main tourist spot the glacier has retreated recently but has move forward and backward over the years but what got my attention was that on other parts of the mountains the glaciers are surging The ice fields go back a hundred miles or so and a retreats and surges have only been a few miles. The glacier on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa has receded because someone cut down the trees at the base which cause humidity to condense as snow at the top. It has nothing to do with global warming. 8. The increase of malaria in Africa is due to the banning of DDT not Global Warming. 9. The ice cap in Antarctica is thickening. Despite concerns of the ice sheets breaking off, one reason is they are being pushed by more ice coming from inland. 10. Scientist who dispute the popular myths of global warming are threatened with there jobs. See the documentary " The Great Global Warming Swindle". The money is in proving global warming and the more the outrageous the hysteria that can created then the more money they can get. 11. It is not possible to deduce temperature data from tree rings and other secondary measurements to the precision needed, a fraction of a degree, to study global warming. Data going back more than a hundred years is simply not precise enough. 12. The temperature rise in the 20 century occurred mostly in the first part when CO2 was arguably lower than today. We are still recovering from the little ice age of the 1600s. 13. The global temperature leads the CO2 levels which means the high CO2 is effect not cause. 14. The major greenhouse gas is water vapor not CO2. And man made CO2 is a tiny fraction of the total in the environment. Cutting back man made CO2 by a small amount will reduce the green house effect a fraction of a tiny fraction. 15. I like incandescent bulbs. But they want to ban them. That's ignorance because even though the CFL is more efficient and the incandescent bulb is a better heat source than a light source, I need the heat in my house anyway. People with electric heat are no greener by using CFLs. Disposal of incandescent bulbs is trivial and they're cheap to make requiring almost no resources. Incandescent bulbs also make good electrical loads with unity power factor and no EMI. They will draw current down to zero volts. CFLs are nonlinear and create EMI (electrical pollution). 16. The polar bears are not dieing off because of global warming. Only one of many groups are in decline and in fact the Canadians still have a polar bear hunt to keep the populations down. Even if there was a significant loss of the Arctic ice the polar bears would not die off they survived other climate changes when it was even warmer than today. 17. Ardent environmentalist and Arctic explorer Ann Bancroft led an expedition to the north pole last spring to document the destruction from global warming. They had to turn back because it was too cold. About 100 below some nights. You didn't hear about that on public radio did you. Will Steger also left this spring to do the same thing, he apparently was disappointed as well. That's enough for now. Regards, J. Arthur Smith Iron River, Wisc.

Bob, here is a scientist's response to the 'Mars is warming too' argument: www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2005/10/global-warming-on-mars

John This is in response to your editorial on Global Warming. I’ll try to be brief. I guess you missed the story out of NASA about Mars temperatures also rising. It turns out there is an apparent large hotspot (?) on the Sun that is more likely the culprit of our rising temperatures. The article I recall posed the following multiple choice question (I paraphrase): The temperature on Mars and Earth are rising. The cause is: A. Large SUVs B. Coal burning factories C. Our SUN Let’s see, what is there in common, dah? Don’t buy into the stampede to think that we mere mortals could do anything of significance to change the weather. With extreme measures – sure to cause economic hardship or even collapse – we would only reduce the greenhouse gases by a very small percentage. Heck, grazing cows emit much more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs combined. Maybe we should get rid of all those polluting cows! [Note – I don’t own an SUV or truck]. Can we reduce polluted air, yes. Stop melting glaciers, forget it. It appears to be the same scare tactics that government likes to use to control every aspect of our lives (think 9/11 and the Patriot Act) – if we let them. Remember back in the 70’s when the scare was that the temperatures were dropping and we were headed for another Ice Age? We’ve gone through periodic climate changes long before we humans existed / started polluting. You believe what you want to believe, but I for one refuse to accept a politician’s movie venture (with holes big enough to drive a large SUV through it) as being credible science. Exaggerations about the oceans rising 10 feet have been withdrawn revised to be maybe a couple of feet at most. Unfortunately that doesn’t make front page news though. Well you were right about one thing – you did manage to set me off. Bob Kazmaier L-3 Communications

John: Your Report on global warming in the 4/30/07 issue of design news was very interesting. The part about the Toyota Prius producing 1,875 kg less carbon dioxide than other cars seemed a bit high, though. I hope it was just a typographical error by the good folks at Hybridblog.org and not an Al Gore-type exaggeration. If 169 gallons of gasoline is burned completely to carbon dioxide and water, it would produce about 1,479 kg of carbon dioxide, based on a molar ratio of 1mole of octane to 8 moles of carbon dioxide. The average specific gravity of gasoline is 0.72 to 0.76, so 169 gallons represents about 480 kg of fuel. Marvin Darling

John: I am surprised you would write a column in a magazine geared towards engineers without giving even a link to webpages that cite scientific papers. As engineers, we are much more likely to be swayed by solid research papers than by journalists and politicians debating endlessly. I would like to recommend your readers visit www.realclimate.org where they can read comments by scientists for scientists about climate research. The occasional engineer manages to get a word in as well. The scientific rigor is much better than at sites such as those you mention in the column or your readers have mentioned above. Among the topics covered are: 1. Mistakes and truths in Al Gore''''s film "An Inconvenient Truth". 2. Why the majority of climate scientists believe global warming is occuring. 3. Why they believe it is caused by man (antroprogenic). 4. How ice cores are examined for the source of CO2 in the atmosphere up to 700,000 years ago (using isotopic analyses) 5. Why correlation does not imply causation, and what factors are "forcing" versus "feedback" in climate science.

Dear Mr. Dodge: I read your editorial in Design News (vol 62 no.6) re global warming. I challenge you to get a copy of the Glenn Beck's (CNN Headline News)show that gave the other side of the global warming issues. It doesn't deny the fact that the globe may be warming but it shows the statistics that were "used" in Gore propaganda movie to convince little schoolchildren (My grandchildren included) that we are murdering polar bears. He went into some detail about the "scientific community's" scare tactics some 30 years ago that we are headed for an ice age. After you see the program with an unbiased view it might make another topic for your editorials. Sincerely, Thomas Stacey

Hi John, Very good article! Keep it up! The one issue I'm hoping you can research is this: How much CO2 is created from the energy used to manufacture an item, versus how much CO2 is created from creating the energy that is used to use an item. I'll explain. A lit candle gives off carbon dioxide, so how much co2 created by a lit candle in comparison to the CO2 created to generate the electricity for a 40-watt bulb for an hour? A candle is made of color, fragrance, and paraffin-a by-product of petroleum. And how much CO2 is created to generate the energy to create a candle made of paraffin, compared to the CO2 created to generate energy to manufacture an incandescent, compared to making a compact fluorescent? If you can provide any feedback to these questions, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks and best regards, Phil

John, You made the Great Leap from acknowledging that global warming exists to accepting that carbon dioxide emissions will have any effect on it. Science does not prove that conclusion. The state of the earth in recent human history is no more correct than one in which the glaciers are melted. It is better to accept change and adapt to it than to blindly attempt to maintain the status quo. -- Jeff Leith

Your lack of engineering skeptism is what is drawing the comments. I would be more than willing to look at a fair reiew of CF, but the post I saw was hardly convincing of even the monthly savings. I agree their will be some though. Any analysis needs to compare the same month and address ownership costs. And then you can throw in other factors like inconvenience, mercury, etc. We now hear how frequently the rich liberals are more than willing to spend their money purchasing "convenience credits" through these scam carbon credit programs. Recently I helped a friend remove a smog pump (and the dual cats) on an old car as fixing it would be very expensive (when the rest of the car is great). Then I read the main purpose of the smog pump mostly just pumps fresh air into the exhaust to delute the HC emitted (not reduce) so it appears to be cleaner based on volume, but its not and any burning done from it outside of the chamber is a waste of energy. Engineers simply did whatever it took to pass the regs at the time. We did actually research using the carbon credit places to offset this, and concluded it was a joke. The car runs much better, getting 4 mpg better (it has a computer on-board). I have no green guilt from doing this.

GW is big business: Thats a fact GW is real: Hardly a fact. Using a 100 year's worth of trend data, compared to over a billion years of data that contains shows many, much more dramatic climate variations have occurred on the planet due to natural causes makes GW a scientific joke. Prius: The new EPA standards now factor in 70mph highway speeds with AC and some accessories on. This turns these into tinker toys. You dispute that all these batteries being used are "green" (and are affordable to replace in few years)? There will be a large enviromental charge in addition to purchasing/installing new batteries. CF: They are much less functional (turn on time, can't use dimmers) and they are expensive. You will be more prone to leaven them on all time, defeating your power savings. They contain a very hazardous element mercury that must be disposed of if broken and they are installed by morons who will break them often. Some say the coal plants produce more mercury, but a good nuke plant is much better and cleaner than any coal plant will ever be. Bottom line, invest in companies that market this BS. But don't buy any of it!

John, Yes, global warming is real. But it is also normal. The earth has been going through cyclic temperature changes since its beginning. This is far more widely accepted than the theory that man is creating permanent climatic changes. Global warming reminds me of the Y2K bug that had so many of us alarmed eight years ago…and that had much more logic behind it than this does. Does my 1996 car permanently raise the temperature of planet Earth, by even .000000000000000000000000000000000000001 degree? No. (prove me wrong! J ) Do a billion new cars, many of whom exhaust cleaner air than they ingest, by the way, raise the temperature of the planet Earth? Maybe. By how much? No one knows…it’s all just speculation. Most logical persons aren’t really worried about it. After all, a thousand years from now, when the average yearly Earthly temps are =/- .5 degrees of what they are now, it won’t make much difference to our progeny. Just remember: about twenty years ago, we were all running around like Chicken Little over the Global Cooling that was supposedly occurring… Keep up the good writing!! Larry E. Fry Senior Engineering Technician GKN Aerospace Chem-tronics, Inc

Mr Dodge: I am one of the 'many' that is set off by your column. Thank you for giving us your thoughts. Perhaps the climate is changing. WHO CARES? That's what it does. The Prius emits less CO2. WHO CARES? It is always a good thing that industries reduce the emissions of anything in their waste stream. I congratulate them. But to think that this will make any difference in the temperature variation of our planet, or the level of the oceans, or any other factor is the height of human arrogance! Of all the CO2 in the atmosphere, human endeavor only counts for 4%; is Ma Nature going to step up to the plate and reduce HER emissions? Not likely. A point that I have never seen adequately addressed by any of the Global Warming hype is this: What magic thermometers were in existance 150 years ago that never needed calibration (or re-calibration) and were never moved or changed? And were accurate within +/-2.0 degrees F. These are providing the "data" that is used to con us into believing this stuff. The climate models that Gore quotes in his cartoon are just that - models. Not much better than video games. Talk to some of the climatologists and ask them how often their models predict another ice age in the coming century. That happens more often than they like to discuss. Global warming has a checkered history of poor science, political manipulation, and hysterical attention-grabbing. It also has a lot of sincerely passionate people who are trying to do a good thing. Too many are too interested in getting their "pet theory" in the limelight, however.

The subject topic was mentioned only in passing in your global warming editorial. It is irksome how the overly-literal-minded American often misses other considerations. In this case it is not the great prose style of an author over the what-happens, but the thinking that lighting is solely about intensity and cost (and now global warming). Of course, beam spreads and like photometrics matter too, but on to the topic of fluorescent lights. Fluorescent light is irritating, not relaxing. Studies have shown that, even in business, performance was better when fluorescent light irritation was mitigated by filters. In one's home especially, the warmth (as in color temperature) of incandescent lighting brings a peaceful feeling that would be banished by fluorescents. The American overly literal mindset never deigns to consider anything beyond the most obvious and overt -- even when it is one's own peace that lies beyond the literal-minded pale. Incidentaly, I am a natural-born American. I put orangey filters over the fluorescent lights in my office and in my lab. I have my custom pink/gray/UV "fluorescent light glasses" when I go to a retail establishment with fluorescents brighter than an operating room -- and this is literal; I have had outpatient surgery with less illumination than used by some video stores and supermarkets that have five times the fluorescent flux they should have. My main point though is that "substitution" of fluorescent for incandescent is a mistaken notion. One is not a substitute for the other, even though they are both "light". When one becomes overly literal, then light intensity and cost-effectiveness become the totality of what there is to consider. But that's a wrong-headed notion. See how relaxed you are at home with fluorescent lights like the typical retail store.

John, No one questions that temperatures have been rising over the last century but what is the cause? Is this warming trend a natural cycle or is it caused by human activity? I've listened to both sides, I've looked at the data and I've come to the conclusion that the temperature rise is not man made. It is a natural cycle that the earth goes through and right now the cycle is going up. Human activity is not the cause nor can man stop it from happening. Let me explain how I came to that conclusion. First of all, I'm sure that you'll agree with me that for CO2 increases to result in increased temperatures, the CO2 level would have to start increasing prior to the temperature increase. Are we together so far? Let's start with the very impressive graph that Al Gore shows in his global warming presentation showing how temperature and CO2 have moved together for a very long time. This data was obtained from the study of ice cores. I know of at least 3 studies that indictated that the temperature increase started between 600 and 1000 years before the CO2 increase. If temperature goes up before CO2, explain to me how CO2 caused the temperature increase. If these studies are correct, the whole cause and effect arguement goes out the window. If you assume that those studies are somehow flawed and you throw them out, what about the more recent data? Look at the temperature patturn for the last century. Most of the temperature increase happened between the turn of the century and the 1940's. Human production of CO2 would have been very small by current standards the temperatures were rising at least as fast then as they are today. Temperatures were going down from the 1940's to the 1970's which were a time of rapidly increasing CO2 production. In fact, during those times, the concern was global cooling. Anyone who tries to claim that human CO2 production caused this will have to do a lot of hand waving to prove their point. The arguement that human CO2 production is causing the current warming trend is striking in its lack of data and proof that does not come from someone's computer model. You can "prove" anything you want with a computer model if you make the right assumptions. That doesn't make it real. As for the arguement that the majority of scientists believe it doesn't prove anything. The majority of scientists believed (or at least publicly stated) that the sun revolved around the earth back when that was the politically necessary thing to say. Where's the proof? There is a reason why Al Gore does not take any questions when he gives his presentations. Real questions about real data (not computer models) is not consistent with his arguement. If there is no real proof that CO2 produced by humans is causing this and there is significant data that says it is not, is it really wise to build a public policy on that flawed theory? This is especially true when you look at the implications of what that policy could look like. I've given you an arguement based on data, not computer models and opinion. Is there something that I've missed in your position on global warming? Is there proof that you can show me to demonstrate that the theory is real that does not rely on polls of scientists or computer models? If there is, I'd love to see it. Mitch

I have to agree that the globe is getting warmer and man's activities (not just CO2) have an effect. Now the impact of our activities in not certian. We should take common sense steps to reduce our carbon output, but we should not do foolish things that allow others to put CO2 into the atmosphere while we pay the price. About 300 Nukes are needed along with conservation, wind, water, solar, etc. to generate enough electricity to power our economy with a reduction of burning fossil fuel. Barry Alexander Jackson Tennessee Barry Alexander

HELLO, JOHN: You seem VERY defensive on your position. Why? I have tried to remain neutral on whether or not we have a problem or not in this area. So far, I have not seen any FACTS to support either position -- warming or cooling -- or for that matter remaining stationary. But would like to see some FACTS. I have asked folks who are supposedly controlled by scientific FACTS, but have not had any reasonable reply from NASA folks or anyone else. I have heard and read -- hundreds of times now -- that the earth's temperature has increased 1/2 to 1 degree (sometimes in degrees C, but usually not even stated!) in a century. I immediately began to question just how one takes the earth's temperature -- to within 0.01 C. [As someone who has performed heat treatments in highly controlled heat treat furnaces for 30 years in the Aerospace Industry, I know just how accurate furnaces are within the well-insulated and controlled furnaces.] Some of the best furnaces can control interior temperatures to no closer than +/- 3 degrees C. Hmmmm, interesting, no? [Humanoid body temperatures vary over a range of about 10 deg F, depending on where measurements are made, no?] So why are readings of 0.01 deg C necessary anyway? Well, as anyone knowledgeable of significant figures is aware, when you subtract one number from another number that is very close in value (e.g. 1/2 to 1.0 degree C in this instance), one loses virtually all the significant figures unless extremely accurate readings are taken! So the 1/2 to 1.0 deg C could be off SIGNIFICANTLY if measurements are not accurate in the extreme! [Temperatures in the Denver area can vary by up to 20 deg F on a given day. Ever wonder where the 'official' temperature was taken 100 years ago before the airport existed?] So then I see pix of glaciers calving off while someone off camera is warning that global warming is occurring, and we should start running for the mountains or stop smoking or eat organic foods or ???????? By the way, some folks don't know that SOME glaciers have been calving this way for several thousands of years. But most of the others have never calved off and aren't doing so now! So those pix are just eyewash -- akin to hogwash! NOT scientific, huh? And even if Hollywood stars or ex-politicians scream, 'The sky is falling', I am not convinced. Sorry. [By the way just where did these folks matriculate -- the church of Scientology?] Now, I am NOT saying that we aren't getting warmer (in spite of the above). I am also NOT saying that we aren't getting cooler. Or remaining constant. I prefer to talk after an investigation presents FACTS. That way I won't be in danger of being called a fool when FACTS reveal what is really happening. I just would like to have some SCIENTIFIC FACTS presented rather than all this blather. Thanks. Darrel Lemon P.S. I know, all the research monies are given to support warming theories. No wonder the 'cooling' folks are being drowned out. But TRUE science isn't a voting proposition

Hi John, Whether you think the earth's average temperature is rising (it's really a bit early to tell), it wouldn't be the first time that has happened. Mastodons have been found frozen in Siberia with tropical vegetation in their stomachs. According to ice core data from the polar ice caps, the earth has been going through cycles of warming and cooling, with about 1500-year periods, for at least 10,000 years. The last time the earth was relatively warm, in the 10th and 11th centuries, when the Vikings were farming on Greenland (which is why it is called "Greenland"), cities on the sea shore (e.g., London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Venice, etc.) didn't flood. We don't have to "slash our wrists" to save the planet. The hysteria about "climate change" is based on a short-term look at specific data, like choosing to look at one week's stock market data for selected stocks, and extrapolating that to support the story you want to "pitch." It is manipulating the numbers to play "politics." That isn't how "science" is supposed to be practiced. All the data should be considered, before trying to draw conclusions. (It's like applying the Second Law.) If you look at a few thousand years of temperature history, what is happening now is not unusual, and the conclusion MUST be that man's "industrial activity" has little or nothing to do with the earth's average temperature. Certainly, the previous half dozen "peak" temperature periods were not caused by "industrial activity" or resulting CO2 levels. Higher CO2 levels cause more vigorous growth of vegetation, which absorbs more CO2. The system tends to be self-balancing. Again, referring to the ice core data, there have been periods of high CO2 levels before. The oceans contain about 3000 times more CO2 than the atmosphere, so even a fraction of a degree rise in temperature could result in more atmospheric CO2. There is a lot we don't know about the heat balance equation for the earth. One thing we do know, though, is that our heat input is from the sun, and that input varies with sunspot activity. Sunspot activity influences or controls cosmic ray levels, which cause more or less atmospheric ionization, creating more or less carbon-14, which influences formation of cloud condensation nuclei. An increase in cloud condensation nuclei is related to the number of low level clouds, which tend to cool the earth. In other words, low levels of sunspot activity are associated with "global warming," and vice-versa. The work of Svensmark and Marsh, on the statistical relationship between sunspot activity and the earth's temperature, covers more than 1000 years and looks a good deal more rational to me than "hype." Check it out and let me know what you find. Best wishes, Pete Malone St. Charles, IL

Living here in Santa Cruz, CA, where cell phone radiation is tied in to road rage, and 9-11 was an "inside job", I see more politico-religious pontifications on global warming than rational debate. In fact, the last thing desired is a dialog, not just on climate change but most issues. This is normal, since most people are insulted if they are disagreed with. Yes, humans have environmental impact and should strive towards cleaner approaches to energy and technology. But let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Let's admit that what is called clean, like solar, takes highly toxic processes to produce the new era of photoelectric thin films to make it work. The earth was volatile before the ascension of humans. We will need to figure out how to balance these effects as best we can, and not panic into a situation where science and reason is replaced by slogans and hypocrisy.

John: What you wanted to do was to get people going so to that end you were successful with your article. However, science fiction is defined as "fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science upon society or individuals" or "literary fantasy including a scientific factor as an essential orienting component". At this stage of the scientific analysis these science fiction definitions get very close to describing global warming. The bottom line is it's relatively difficult to run scientific experiments on the earth to prove or disprove a global fact. It's just hard to get a few billion people to all jump at the same time to see if we can change the earth's orientation. It's also difficult to go back and review the pre-historic figuring books and detailed core temperature measurements of the CroMagnon for comparitive data. Is conservation a good idea? Yes, since it decreases peak generator requirements for the utilities. Is elimination of coal mines in favor of nuclear power a good idea? Certainly for the long term health of the miners it is, but not in the short term if the miners are out of work. Is it a good idea to increase fuel economy? Certainly, since it will help reduce our dependency on unstable foreign governments. But, you see, these answers are actually based on facts that can be measured. Utilities really do have to supply the peak power requirements of their customers. Miners really do get black lung disease and die in underground accidents. We don't need to discuss Iran. There is just a major difference in the approach an engineer uses to evaluate and solve a problem as compared a journalist. The engineer tries to never let his "feelings" enter into the analysis. As Jack Webb would say, "just the facts, ma'am, just the facts". Ken Shuey

Let''''s move this from he said she said - What about designs to deal with higher temp, less rain, high energy cost. Magazine is Design news so what about some designs. Two major areas. One, close to home, personal solar electricity and hot water. Energy efficiency of our homes. Two, poor nations, low cost non polluting electicity etc. How can they develop and be self sufficient with a reasonable standard of living. We need some innovatie designs!

Mr. Dodge, Naysayers, Bring it on! Huh? What is your definition of a naysayer when it comes to global warming? Is it someone who says the planet is not getting warmer? Or is it someone who believes the planet is getting warmer, but also believes that the warming is natural and not because of human activity? Or is it someone who believes the planet is getting warmer, but also believes that the warming is not threatening to life on earth? Is it all of the above? I believe global warming is real. I believe that the planet has warmed about 1° F over the past 100-150 years. I do not believe that global warming is man-made, and I do not believe that global warming is necessarily threatening to our existence. So where do I fit in? Am I to be labeled a “naysayer” or a “denier” simply because I feel that there is enough science out there to support my position? Do you really believe that the threat from global warming is more real simply because Dell has started a plant-a-tree campaign and Al Gore’s movie has made $45 million? Global warming is becoming big business because it is in the headlines and because right-or-wrong, people are passionate about it. That passion is not evidence that global warming is dangerous or man-made. (I like Dell’s plant-a-tree campaign, but I like it because we should be reforesting regardless of any perceived threat from global warming.) You state that the threat of global warming is real. How do you know? What evidence is there to state that everything must get worse if the planet warms? Is the climate optimum now? Was it optimum 100 years ago when it was one degree cooler? Was it optimum 400 years ago during the little ice age? Was it optimum in the 1970’s when the media was scaring everyone with news that the next ice age was upon us? (Check out Newsweek-April 1975 and Time-June 1974) There are scientists that state that temperatures during the medieval warm period and the roman warm period were warmer than they are now? Were they worse off because of it? I think everyone can agree that our planet has warmed and cooled many times during its long history. We know that it is possible for the Earth to warm and cool without any input from humans. That is why it cannot be stated that human-generated carbon dioxide is the definitive cause of this warming. There is no way to know if this warming would have occurred anyway. It can be stated that human-generated carbon dioxide may be the cause, or may be a contributor. We cannot know for sure. There are too many factors. The climate is far to complex. There is plenty of evidence to support the claim that the Sun is the major contributor to global warming and cooling: The NASA Laboratory for Solar and Space Physics states “There is evidence for a relationship between the solar activity cycle and global climate. The best known case is the correlation of a long period of solar inactivity called the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715) with the lowest temperatures recorded during the "Little Ice Age" that occurred from 1500 to 1850. Almost no spots were observed on the Sun during this period.” A report prepared by the American Geophysical Union states “Contemporary solar activity has reached historically high levels as measured by sunspot number and cosmogenic isotope concentrations. The rise (in solar activity) since the Maunder Minimum period 300 years ago has roughly paralleled the climb in global temperatures from the depths of the Little Ice Age.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has plots of globally averaged temperature, sunspot number, and solar cycle length for the past 150 years. Sunspot number and solar cycle length are both indicators for the amount of solar energy the earth receives. The similarity of the curves is evidence that variation in solar activity has a dramatic influence on the Earth’s climate. Sun spot activity has reached 1,000-year high, said scientists affiliated with the Max Planck Institute in Gottingen, Germany, and the Institute for Astronomy in Zurich, Switzerland, in a 2004 report. More sun spots mean Earth will grow warmer; fewer mean it will turn colder. Solar radiation has increased by 0.05 percent per decade since the 1970s, concluded a NASA-funded study in 2003. There are scientists who say that the historically high solar activity is helping to shield the Earth from cosmic rays, which in turn is reducing cloud cover, which in turn is allowing more solar radiation to reach the surface. It has recently been reported that Mars is experiencing global warming. Man-made Global warming activists claim this is a coincidence. Of course it must be, otherwise they would have to admit they are wrong. Others say it is more evidence that the sun is to blame. There are scientists that question whether more CO2 in the atmosphere is a cause of global warming or an effect of global warming. There is plenty information out there on the “opposition” side other than Junkscience.com. Was that the full extent of your search? Have you watched the British documentary “The Great Global Warming Swindle?” Have you read the book “Unstoppable Global Warming Every 1500 Years” by Dennis T. Avery and S. Fred Singer? The debate is not over. Your article tells me that you believe the planet is warming, and you believe that the warming is threatening us. You did not seem to state whether or not you thought global warming is man-made. Do you think it is? Raymond Arkwright

Hello John, Reducing greenhouse gasses is only part of the solution. The "man is the cause" brigade refuses to add in one major player in global warming: the Sun. The atmospheric temperature of teh planet Mars is increasing. And, it sure is not being caused by greenhouse gases, or man. It is a function of the solar output in the heat side of the spectrum. Global warming is actually a normal cycle, part of the solar changes. It is usually folled by a solar minimum - cooling. There may be a few decades of "high" temperatures, then everything will reverse and we may well see an ice age. One good large volcanic blast could drive us into a mini ice age. there is historical evidence of this factor during the middle ages, and the early years of this republic. The year without summer. Stan Gray Chief Technology Officer GraSen Technology, LLC.

Your diatribe is common with all the other yuppies and their prodigy. "If we can just force people to buy the "right" car, then the world will stabilize forever at its current wonderful configuration". "Oh, and by the way, humans are somehow above nature because of their intellectual superiority". Hello, the world has been changing for millions of years and will continue to do so with or without the actions of those large ants known as humans. Kansas used to be a seabed and Wyoming was a steaming jungle populated with dinosaurs. My home grounds used to be under about 600 ft of ice. Turns out that nature (which by the way, humans are a part of) does develop corrective mechanisms for every excess. A more likely scenario than beachfront property in Pennsylvania is the peaking of oil production followed by the economic collapse of oil dependent nations. This, in turn, will lead to rather nasty wars and famine which will correct the excess human problem. These things, my friend, will relegate worrying about global warming to the ridiculous yuppie phobia that it is. Stephen Phoenix Olympia, WA

There are facts being conveniently ignored making me skeptical of the global warming "consensus", and no apparent facts supporting it. Why is the polar ice cap on Mars dissipating at an "alarming rate"? Also, ice and snow in Antarctica is increasing. Why? I was watching a documentary about Mars and the commentary said that the temperatures there are so low because the atmosphere has an extremely high percentage of carbon dioxide. Assuming this comment is accurate how is it that on Earth carbon dioxide is responsible for an opposite result? Scientists who study the sun unanimously agree that our sun is in a 20 year period of having increased solar flares and activity which are attributable to weather. This period is about the length of our current "man-made global warming" cycle. Science is not determined by consensus, but rather only by facts. And you did not present any. Bill Moorey

John, I am still a skeptic. What is hard to swallow is Global "scientists" telling us our lifestyles are causing the global temperatures to rise 3-6 degrees in the next 50-100 years. However, the people most involved in weather predictions daily miss temperature predictions by 5 degrees despite massive computing power increases in the last 10 years dedicated to predicting weather. In the Midwest, we had one of the coldest Springs in recent memory; almost all of the high, daily temperature records are from 100 years ago. No one can argue that ice caps are melting. There have been global heating and cooling cycles forever. Who is to say this isn't another normal cycle and we can't do anything to avoid it. Then there is the Politics of Global Warming: the hypocrisy of Al Gore/ Hilary Clinton consuming vast amount of energy with housing and riding business jets around the country while telling the "American People" we need to consume less. The energy cost of a Hummer in its lifetime is less than a Prius if the true cost of battery raw materials and replacement is included, and the owner cost is about 2/3 for a Hummer vs a Prius in the projected lifetimes of the vehicles. One auto magazine stated if all the autos in the world were eliminated, the carbon dioxide worldwide would be reduced by 3% because natural processes account for most atmospheric CO2. One big volcano could pump orders of magnitude more emissions into the atmosphere than all the people in the world can generate. Global doom and gloom predictions may be right or wrong. No one will ever make an accurate prediction. I tend to think the end is NOT near. Bob Spofford

Of course there is Global warming. The earth has been warming up since the end of the last ice age, long before man industrialized. Man's miniscule impact on it is the question and your editorial dodges that point. If you really want to save the planet, go to an all electronic magazine and save a few trees. -- Timothy Dike Engineering Manager The Salvajor Company

Mr. Dodge, Design news supposedly serves the engineering profession. At least the cover says: "Accelerating Engineering Innovation". So presumably most editors and and authors have some engineering or scientific education. However the 4/30/07 Dodge Report clearly demonstrates that this education is not being used. You do a great disservice to your readers and the population at large by failing to apply your technical education to the subject of global warming. Start with the Scientific method. (I learned about it in grade school.) From Wikipedia: "Although procedures vary from one field of inquiry to another, there are identifiable features that distinguish scientific inquiry from other methods of developing knowledge. Scientific researchers propose specific hypotheses as explanations of natural phenomena, and design experimental studies that test these predictions for accuracy." You can find it in Wikipedia. In other words, the three basic steps are: 1. Observe a phenomenon. 2. Propose a theory to explain the phenomenon. 3. Devise an experiment to prove or disprove the the theory. If the experiment does not prove the theory, it is not science. Al Gore's movie does not change this simple fact. The global warmers have produced no science. The proponents of global warming are always citing a scientific consensus that global warming is occurring. Well, a consensus is just an opinion, and as we all know that without data all you have is an opinion and opinions are like a**h***s, we all have one. Opinions are not it science. Frontline and Nova are not scientific sources, but propaganda outlets for people who want to control how we live. Now for some simple science. The average temperature of the universe is 5 degrees Rankine (or Fahrenheit) above absolute zero. (A Nobel prize was awarded to the people who figured this one out - they followed the scientific method to com to their conclusion.) The earth is about 525 degrees Rankine (or Fahrenheit) warmer than the rest of the universe. Why is that? As we all learned in grade school, virtually all of the energy on earth derives from the sun. A tiny variation in the output of the sun results in an ice age or a desert age - no human intervention is required. A quick check on this theory is what is now happening to the ice caps on Mars, they are shrinking. How many man made CO2 sources are on Mars? Oh my god! It must be the Mars rover! Or maybe it really is a small variation in the output of the sun. More on the global warming propaganda: The ice shelves are breaking up. That is the nature of ice shelves. The ice cap over Antarctica is getting thicker - a fact conveniently ignored by the global warmers. The ice cap over Greenland is shrinking, but archaeologists found vineyards on Greenland, This indicates that Greenland was not always under a thick sheet of ice. Another thing conveniently ignored by the global warmers. Every summer, during every hot spell global warming is trotted out to explain the heat. During this past winter, cold snaps were blamed on global warming too. Well is the globe warming or cooling? When I was a kid, these same "experts" were predicting the next ice age because we had a few cold winters in a row. And what happens with CO2? When I was in grade school, I learned about photosynthesis. This is a process that occurs in all green plants that uses CO2 from the atmosphere to provide energy for the plants so they can live and food to grow. Selectively picking facts supporting your cause and selectively ignoring facts that disprove your cause is called propaganda. Propaganda is not science. Never was. Never will be. There are plenty of scientists who have debunked the global warming propaganda, but the news media has ignored them because they do not fit the media's political agenda. You don't need a PHD, a grade school education will do. We have enough BS as it is. Stop spreading more of it Mr, Dodge. Joe Grabauskas

I am astounded that people still believe that global warming is a myth or that its affects will not be significant. Every week someone is saying "it is just part of a cycle" or something along those lines and I guess it is more comfortable to believe everything is OK that face the reality. However, many of us must still remember the "smoking is good for you" campaigns Jim Baker Australia SCADA Engineer

I agree that global warming is happening and will continue. Did man contribute? Probably so but, I seriously doubt mans influence amounts to much. It is a good idea to work on greener solutions because localized pollution is a serious problem in many cities. Getting more green can only help. But, it is no emergency and I think those that try to make it appear so have their own agendas. Where are the Glaciers going? Same place they have been going science the end of the Ice Age. Thankfully so, I grew up in the Finger Lakes region that was formed by glaciers. .It would have been mighty hard living there if they had not receded. When I was in school the popular theory was that the ice caps would melt and flood the coast of all the continents. This was being taught as fact since when the ice melted it had to go somewhere. Then someone finally realized that if you fill a glass with ice and then water it does not overflow when the ice melted. But for years the myth was taught. The reality is that Mt. Saint Helens put more pollutants into the air in one eruption than mankind has since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Imagine how much went in the air from the fire that had to ravage many areas of the country before man came along to fight the fires. I always find it amusing when someone thinks they are saving trees by reducing the use of paper. Hello we farm trees to make paper. Most of the deforestation is caused by urban development, and the harvesting of exotic woods. I believe in trying to save our natural resources and reduce localized pollution, but lets make the goals realistic without all the scare tactics.

John, I don't think the debate is so much over the fact that we MAY be experiencing a short term warming trend, but the actual cause. To say that man has placed himself on such a large platform and by his very will, change the earths climate is a bit of a reach. If you think about it, we should all be glad that the earth has warmed up as much as it has, otherwise would all be sitting in igloos built on top of the glaciers that covered most of North America at one time. I can still hear the cave men crying about the disappearance of the glaciers, "what are we going to do now, the ice is all melting and we won't have any ice cubes for our drinks !" Richard Schmidt Electrical Engineer Thermo King Corp. 314 W. 90th St. Minneapolis, MN 55420

John, Just read your article about global warming in Design News. I don't know if it's a real threat or not but it sure gives people with a lot of time on their hands, something to do. I heard a commentary that stated, since they've keep track of the earths temperature, it's only warmed up one degree in the last one hundred (100) years. Now they blame the rise in consumption of fossil fuels. That might have something to do with it. However, let's look at all the construction that goes on. New houses, roads, factories. All that material holds heat. Go outside in the summer long after the sun goes down and feel the side of your house. It's still warm. Why do birds sit on the roof in the winter? Shingles absorb the suns heat and it's warm. I say, get off the global warming kick. Put the time into feeding the hungery, educate the masses, get jobs for the jobless and make a crime a crime with just punishment, and quit looking for an excuse. Your article accomplised what you wanted, it set me off. Mike

For those who want to know what global warming can do, just look at Venus. On paper, they should not be so much hotter than us - except for their much high concentration of greenhouse gases. As engineers, we know that negative feedback is not a given. If the earth settles down at a new steady state temperature a few degrees C higher than now, those red states will fry (as well as a few blue one). Then we're all left to wonder why the conservatives did their best to ruin, not conserve our property values.<