Topic: The Great Global Warming Swindle

[GillE]

After seeing last night's The Great Global Warming Swindle on C4, I'm interested in learning more about variations in the sun's activity, especially sunspots.  Can anyone point me to a site that explores this astronomical phenomenon in layman's terms?  I'd also be interested in learning more about how we measure the sun's activity and where data that scientists use can be found.

Gill

[Clive]

Damn I wish I had known that was on since I have been a long-time advocate of solar activity as the chief cause of global warming.  Our sun has long been known to be a variable star and it hardly takes rocket science to work out that it will have periods when it is hotter or cooler than usual.  Sunspot activity is always a good indicator of the Sun's temperature and NASA has quite a good website explaining a bit about their background.  HERE  It also provides links to the data records.  For today's sunspot activity, you can do no better than go to http://www.spaceweather.com/

Hopefully Ch4 will repeat the programme on E4, More4 or S4C in the very near future.

[GillE]

Those are good links, Clive - many thanks .

I recorded the programme on my computer so I could let you have a copy if you like.  Unfortunately, it's 949mb and I don't know how to get a file of that size to you .

Gill

[Sandra]

I recorded it but havent watched it all yet.

I saw a few bits and was pleased to see that it appears to confirm what I posted some time ago about volcanoes producing more CO2 each year than humans produce worldwide.
Also there was something about the amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere rising some 800 years after the earths temperature rises and falling 800 years after the temperature drops and it has been shown to do that regularly by analysing frozen core samples from the poles.

So it looks like Gordons tenner a flight tax just isnt go to change much at all, apart from to hit the poorer people harder and rake in a nice little extra bit of cash to fund MPs pay rises and pensions  

To Gill :

Convert it to DVD format and burn to a DVD and post it, or run it through something like DVD shrink to make it fit on a CD, it wont lose much quality as I assume its Mpeg2, then he can watch it on his pc.
You would have to connect your speakers though Clive 

[Sandra]

The program is being repeated on More 4 on Monday March 12th at 10 to 11-40 pm Clve 

[Clive]

Thanks very much Gill and Sandra.  I've made a note to watch it on More4 next Monday night at 10pm.  Good timing for me as that's the time I get home from my ballroom dancing!   

[Simon]

SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTARY: The Great Global Warming Swindle
On: more4 (13)   
Date: Monday 12th March 2007 (starting in 3 days)
Time: 22:00 to 23:40 (1 hour and 40 minutes long)

Polemical film challenging the consensus that man-made CO2 is heating up the earth. Featuring leading academics, the film questions the science behind the accepted reasons for global warming and argues other explanations for climate change are not being properly aired.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=35596

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.

[Sandra]

I watched it this evening, I always thought that man was way to insignificant to cause the climate change problems that we were being accused of, I have posted quite a few times in other threads saying that I thought it was cyclical.

This program seemed to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that I was right all along, did you ever doubt me folks 

Apparently Maggie Thatcher was initially to blame for causing the misconception that it was all our fault.
So thats another devastating blow that she has caused the ordinary people of the UK, by allowing the government to tax us on everything we do now, in the name of supposedly preventing global warming 

I wonder if there will be a similar type of programme made to try and dismiss the scientists claims in that programme ?

[Clive]

I watched it last night and have to say it was better than I dared hope.  Many of the scientists they interviewed are very well respected and their views just have to be taken seriously.  None of them were the "usual suspect" crackpots we often see on our screens.  I thought that the programme dug quite deeply into the politics to show how this movement has world governments by the short and curlies, forcing them to obey their every whim.  I have attended literally hundreds of scientific lectures (mainly astronomy) over the years and have yet to meet face to face a scientist who supports the theory that man is to blame for global warming.  All claim it to be caused by the Sun or volcanos.

[Simon]

I hope to watch this soon, so are they saying there's nothing we can do about it?

[Clive]

Absolutely nothing at all Simon.  Temperatures were much higher in medieval times than they are now which is why they were able to grow exotic fruits in the UK.  It showed that raised carbon dioxide levels follow warm periods not the other way around!  Most CO2 emanates from volcanos and the sea.  Man only accounts for 0.5% of CO2 production in the world today. 

[sam]

I have attended literally hundreds of scientific lectures (mainly astronomy) over the years and have yet to meet face to face a scientist who supports the theory that man is to blame for global warming.  All claim it to be caused by the Sun or volcanos.

That isn't true, you have met me. I'm pretty sure though that you will find lots of scientists who believe that global warming is actually a non-man made effect but it is being accelerated by mankind. I personally feel that the variability of the Sun arguement is fair but I see no evidence for it being much more intense over the last 20 years or so... plus the fact that C02 has risen in the same period dramatically would really make me suspect. Anyway I didn't see the tv show so can't comment more. I always take what I see on the mass media with a huge pinch of salt. The BBC are not biased at all are they...

[sam]

Absolutely nothing at all Simon.  Temperatures were much higher in medieval times than they are now which is why they were able to grow exotic fruits in the UK.  It showed that raised carbon dioxide levels follow warm periods not the other way around!  Most CO2 emanates from volcanos and the sea.  Man only accounts for 0.5% of CO2 production in the world today. 

yes but clive, the C02 levels were not a huge as they are now. If you look back at the ice core samples we currently have the highest C02 levels on record. I'm not sure I believe the arguement of us only produce 0.5% of the C02 and even if that is the case.. how much of the world's C02 absorbers have we destroyed over the last century?

[Sandra]

The BBC are not biased at all are they...

The BBC may be biased towards promoting the idea of man casuing global warming Sam but this programme was made by C4 and their documentaries are usually accurate and well made.

[Clive]

Sam I think you really need to see that programme so that you can evaluate it for yourself.  All producers have their own agenda when they set out to make a TV programme but there were some real scientific heavyweights from all disciplines featured in The Great Global Warming Swindle.  I honestly haven't heard any astronomer or geologist supporting the idea that global warming is man made.  Did you mention it in your talk last year?  No!  I rest my case!!