What many people just do not want to hear is this;
Though many scientists disagree as to the degree that industrial man has(can) effect the environment, the best scientists in the world know.
They know how the earth regulates it's temperature. They know that for us to effect it over the long term could be compared to trying to warm a living room by lighting a match in the exhaust of an air conditioner hanging on the window.

Although they know this, they also know if we continue this path, we will poison everything around us, wipe out inumerable species, run out of oil, clean water, healthy food, and basically end up in the same position. To say somthing to this effect could be unscientific, or postulation, one could argue.

The Earth is larger then most people can even comprehend in 3 dimensions. They think they can, but until it is explained and they learn, the vastness of our Earth is hugely underestimated.

The weather will go on, if we are in the way or not. By the way, we are more in the way then ever. If you do the math, it's actually better then before.

As for second hand smoke, what they wont tell you is walking outside on any ginev day in Los Angeles will give you double the carcinigenic particles exposure. Has anyone done a study on people in small smoking rooms? LOL.

Thad you are a funny guy. Us diehards should sit down for lunch and try to figure out how Haliburton has raised the Sun's temp.

Interestingly enough, the earth does as it does with little care if it inconveniences US... don't bother looking back to the last ice age, it's too far off for most to deal with. Look no farther than the early middle ages, when warmups and cooldowns shaped the cultures and fortunes of europe. In the 1800's there was a mini iceage [hans brinker?]. There are things that are part of the cycle of the earth, regardless of the cycle being this year, or this century.

That said, there is no reason for us to ignore our complicity in the changes at some level. We SHOULD try to do better, as a RULE rather than because it is the crisis of the week. Why does it NEED to be a crisis to get people in motion? Politicians are going to make political hay somehow and they have no care for anything but themselves. It is up to the individual to make things better, to demand products that make sense, to NOT buy that new escalade, just because the neighbor did. Use what you need and in moderation, and you will be healthy, wealthy and wise... to paraphrase some old smartguy. Make your OWN decidion, don't wait for the goevernment to be forced to. You know it will be ill-fitting and wasteful.

/soapbox

If you haven't seen An Incovenient Truth, I recommend it to every American. No, I'm not some flaked out, tree-hugging aging hippie. I'm a doctor with a more than healthy respect for Mother Nature. Global warming isn't a theory, it is an alarming fact and must be dealt with NOW. If we don't clean up this problem, Mother Nature will deal with us -- harshly. And yes, it is getting hotter -- at least here in Texas! It didn't use to be like this...

Dear Nedhead, Interesting that when a cool headed conservative speaks his mind, out come the labels, or cautions about a diatribe. Your daughter is possibly going to waste some of the best years of her life worrying about something that you admit knowing so little about, you say you were enlightened by Al Gores movie. That itself speaks volumes. This wholes thing wreaks of coffee. Coffee is bad, now it's good, now it's bad, now it's good. the only fact that is for sure about global warming, is that whole lot of people are willing to pay financially through the nose, expend tremendous amounts time and energy, and even restrusture there very living habits- based on a theory that begs you to believe the least qualified in the climatology science... because THEY CARE! Well of course, if you yell fire in a crowded movie theater- most everyone will run out. My stance is quite simple. The earth is way way too big for man to claim guilt for changes in the weather patterns or to claim his innocence from all the misery he causes trying to convince others that the sky is falling.
Well, time for another cup of coffee. JB

"The Cooling World": From Newsweek, April 28, 1975

Where Brian Williams sits and reports the news each day was under a mile thick slab of ice 20,000 years ago. Is it warming up? You bet it is. And has been for the past 20,000 years or so. And maybe for the last 1 percent of that time, humans may have contributed a bit to the warming. And maybe in my lifetime humans have contributed a bit additional heat. But the human species did nothing to melt that mile thick ice slab over the City of New York. Should we be concerned about greenhouse gases and the future of our planet? I think we should. But central heating, air conditioning, manned flight, and the automobile have only be around for the last one half of one percent of that 20,000 year warming trend. Has that trend ended, or are we just half way through the natural warming cycle? I don't know. And we may not know for another 5,000 years, if at all.

I just got back from a vacation in Europe and when we landed at Schiphol in the Netherlands it was 75-degrees and 80% humidity - at 7:30am. Our taxi driver (who had lived there all his life) sweared that hey had never seen anything like this before). Al Gore is the man - and we better listen and take action.

I honestly believe that no matter what steps we take in the next 10 or 20 years, we will reap what we have sown. The planet is experiencing unprecedented global weather changes. No matter how we pretend that its not the fault of the human race, it is.

The entire world should cocern themselves with Global warming. Yes it could be a part of a weather cycle, but we are just increasing the danger with fossil fuels.

Dear John Doe of Seattle, Washington: Before you get lost in your partisan diatribe, you might wish to see Al Gore's movie, "an Inconvenient Truth". I just did and was floored. My daughter copied down the website and went home to learn more. She is genuinely worried and with good reason. As Thad said, it doesn't matter if you are a democrat, republican, a member of a third party, or non-partisan, the result will be the same. We are destroying our planet at an alarming rate and need to stop now. At least Al Gore left us with a message of hope.

IN 1975 The New York Times, Time Magazine, Journal of Science, and many other publications were running headline articles proclaiming the ominious arrival of the next Ice Age. Scientist were predicting that the Polar Ice Caps were growing at such an alarming rate that they would soon overtake the world! My what a difference 30 years made, huh? Wonder what natural phenomena the alarmist will jump on next?

Response regarding global warming: Pick a glacier, any glacier. They're melting.

Ask your utility provider about green energy, and make the switch to wind power. For a few extra dollars per month we can make a difference. But that is just the beginning...

Brian Williams- Have not even heard even one person say "It never used to be like this" Not one... well except maybe a few years back when it was snowing in Georgia. People believe what they want to believe. If it serves someones purpose to get all hyped up about the global warming theory... they will. If we have 2 or 3 really cold winters in row in the next few years, as we have in the past... someone will surely blame that on global warming as well. If we have fewer than normal hurricanes than usuall this year, that will be the "oddity" instead of last years bumper crop. So go for it. I am sure there are millions and millions of people who need to reassured that global warming is here and now. Even though I am sure you think it is "serious business, lighten up, and have fun. I have never heard so much hysteria before in my life,.... it never was like this before, good grief! Who are you hanging out with Al Gore?

JB- Still Out Here in Flyover Country

We had all better get on the same page and take global warming serious because it is all our problem and something that I do not want to pass on to my kids, and grandkids! I am a diehard Republican, but I would vote for Al Gore if he ran after seeing his documentary.