Saturday, March 01, 2008

Inconvenient Weather: Welcome to the Ice Age

The ice is back.

Gilles Langis, a senior forecaster with the Canadian Ice Service in Ottawa, says the Arctic winter has been so severe the ice has not only recovered, it is actually 10 to 20 cm thicker in many places than at this time last year.

OK, so one winter does not a climate make. It would be premature to claim an Ice Age is looming just because we have had one of our most brutal winters in decades.

But if environmentalists and environment reporters can run around shrieking about the manmade destruction of the natural order every time a robin shows up on Georgian Bay two weeks early, then it is at least fair game to use this winter's weather stories to wonder whether the alarmist are being a tad premature.

From the article "Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age," in Toronto's National Post

5 Comments:

At 3/01/2008 8:05 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Man made global warming is bunk, in 20 years they will be claiming we are in a new ice age. Man has very little do with the climate but it make good headlines.

 
At 3/01/2008 8:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Also looks like the drought in Austrailia is over now that La Ninha has returned. Record crop harvests are predicted for this year in Oz.

With all due respect Anon. 8:05, man can change climate and has done so on many occasions through poor land management practices such as:

1. deep plowing fragile prairie soils leading to the great "dustbowl" of the 1930's
2. introducing non-specific feeders such as goats and sheep in combination with deforestation; such animals crop all plants including tree saplings to the ground so forests cannot recover
3. deforestation - many parts of Europe lost their forests to ship's masts;

Human beings need to take responsibility for their actions while ensuring that science (rather than the news media or politicians) study the phenominem of climate change. Let's face it empty cans make the most noise. We don't hear from scientists very often on this or any other issue.

 
At 3/01/2008 12:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I see the #@!%& is confusing weather with climate again.

Do you do this on purpose or because you're a moron?

 
At 3/01/2008 12:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is it any different from equating the failure of levees (mechanical failure) in New Orleans in the days after Hurricane Katrina with climate change or Al Gore claiming that thinning of snows on Mt. Kilamangaro as evidence of global warming despite extensive scientific data indicating that massive deforestation is the primary factor in dessicating the climate and reducing snow falls.

I agree there is a difference between weather and long term climate trends, however, it is hardly surprising that those who make exaggerated claims have the tables turned on them using the same methodology, cherry picking of facts and exaggeration.

To quote the late William F. Buckley:

"Why does baloney reject the grinder?"

 
At 3/04/2008 1:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I see the #@!%& is confusing weather with climate again.

Do you do this on purpose or because you're a moron?


Your argument is well-crafted and intelligent, Grasshopper. [/sarcasm]

skh.pcola

 

Post a Comment

<< Home