Global Cooling

[TheBigYinJames]

Yes, that's it.
Time for your meds.

I seem to be one of the few sane people around, since every uneducated lout in the street thinks they understand climate these days. Climate changes, it has for billions of years. Perhaps it's those of use who grew up in the 70s/80s who were all told we were entering the next ice age, we have a certain inbuilt scepticism about pronouncements from above.

I am trained in science, I understand enough about science and the scientific method to know when the evidence is compelling or shaky. I studied statistics, I understand when a sample range is not large enough to make any certain predictions.

Especially if they are accompanied by tax squeeses which obviously will do nothing to relieve any real problem if it exists. How is paying double road tax, or reusing a Sainsbug's carrier bag going to impinge on China's powerstations?

[Churchill]

I seem to be one of the few sane people around, since every uneducated lout in the street thinks they understand climate these days. Climate changes, it has for billions of years. Perhaps it's those of use who grew up in the 70s/80s who were all told we were entering the next ice age, we have a certain inbuilt scepticism about pronouncements from above.

I am trained in science, I understand enough about science and the scientific method to know when the evidence is compelling or shaky. I studied statistics, I understand when a sample range is not large enough to make any certain predictions.

Especially if they are accompanied by tax squeeses which obviously will do nothing to relieve any real problem if it exists. How is paying double road tax, or reusing a Sainsbug's carrier bag going to impinge on China's powerstations?

WHS.

[Bagpuss]

So the consensus from a computer contractor's forum is the climate scientists have it wrong?

Next week, my bin man explains monetarism

[TheBigYinJames]

So the consensus from a computer contractor's forum is the climate scientists have it wrong?
Next week, my bin man explains monetarism

I have three science degrees and spent several years working at a research lab, not all of us went through the College-Computing Science-Contracting route.

Of course it's far easier to poke fun at the messenger than argue the logic of the message....

[sasguru]

I seem to be one of the few sane people around, since every uneducated lout in the street thinks they understand climate these days. Climate changes, it has for billions of years. Perhaps it's those of use who grew up in the 70s/80s who were all told we were entering the next ice age, we have a certain inbuilt scepticism about pronouncements from above.

I am trained in science, I understand enough about science and the scientific method to know when the evidence is compelling or shaky. I studied statistics, I understand when a sample range is not large enough to make any certain predictions.

Especially if they are accompanied by tax squeeses which obviously will do nothing to relieve any real problem if it exists. How is paying double road tax, or reusing a Sainsbug's carrier bag going to impinge on China's powerstations?

Not the point we are talking about. But it illustrates why some people are hysterically against the idea of AGW, just as some are hysterically for it.
No one seems to be able to separate the science from the political agenda on both sides. The right are against and the left are for, each to support their own political agendas.
While I am not an expert, my reading makes me believe the balance of scientific opinion by reputable scientists tends to support the idea of AGW to some extent.
What we do about it is another issue and the subject of another thread.

[ace00]

It's clear that neither of you have any understanding of statistics. You seem to be making my point for me.





Both are correct. Having a graph showing 20 years, like DP originally posted is like spinning a coin just 20 times. It's perfectly possible that you will get 20 heads in a row. Can you then infer that the coin will always be heads? No.
Similarly all such temperature graphs should show a period of time where we can judge the the overall trend, say a few hundred years.
And every graph in this thread shows an upward trend just as a graph of a coin tossed a hundred times would show the direction of bias (or not) of the coin.

You can infer an increased possibility that the data set (the coin) is corrupt (weighted).

[sasguru]

I have three science degrees ...

Otherwise known as the Lucy fallacy. Anyone can have the degrees (I have 3 too - 2 in hard science subjects and 1 in business) , but that doesn't mean you understand the scientific method.

[TheBigYinJames]

While I am not an expert, my reading makes me believe the balance of scientific opinion by reputable scientists tends to support the idea of AGW to some extent.

And I believe that it is not proven. While we are waiting for compelling evidence, I think it is still wise to conserve energy, cut down on pollution, etc etc. These are all worthy goals. Unfortunately the govt are using the issue as a way to squeeze us for more tax which will be ineffectual at combattnig the problem if it does exist.

[TheBigYinJames]

Otherwise known as the Lucy fallacy. Anyone can have the degrees (I have 3 too - 2 in hard science subjects and 1 in business) , but that doesn't mean you understand the scientific method.

Of cousre not, but it also doesn't mean Baggy can compare my knowledge of science to that of a binman to financial issues, which is what i was replying to.

[oracleslave]

How is paying double road tax, or reusing a Sainsbug's carrier bag going to impinge on China's powerstations?

Indeed.