What is Global Warming?

What is Global Warming?

The topic of Global Warming has been in the news for a number of years, so it is appropriate to be certain that a clear, simple explanation is available. Global warming is, in plain terms, the increase in the average temperature of the Earth, in particular the surface, water, and atmosphere.

Global warming is usually attributed to three possible factors: heat produced by the Earth itself either as a result of radioactivity or gravity; increases in solar radiation; or the greenhouse effect, which is the trapping of infra-red radiation from the surface and atmosphere by gases in the atmosphere. Measurements of the intensity of solar radiation have been constant for at least the last 30 years, so global warming for that period cannot be attributed to solar energy. Periods of sunspot minimums, such as the Dalton Minimum during the late 18th and early 19^th century, have resulted in periods of unusually cold weather due to reduced solar radiation. In fact, evidence is that we are in the first decade of another solar minimum, despite the continued rise in average world temperature. The internal sources of heat seem to have been constant for many millennia (actually eons).

The greenhouse effect has been studied by scientists since about 1820, when Joseph Fourier first studied it. Famed scientist and engineer Alexander Graham Bell warned of the dangers of heavy reliance on carbon based fuels for power as early as 1917. He noted that increases in the levels of carbon dioxide could result in global warming due to the greenhouse effect. He advocated for alternate energy sources such as solar energy. He actually invented the term global warming.

Since the time of Alexander Graham Bell there has been considerable study of the effect of burning non-renewable carbon fuels for energy production. The topic remained primarily of modest public debate until recently, perhaps gaining interest primarily after politicians such as Al Gore began to bring it into the mainstream.

The main source of new carbon dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and natural gas by humans, but deforestation accounts for over 20%. Other significant types of significant green-house gases are chlorofluorocarbons (such as freon) and methane. Chlorofluorocarbons are being reduced as a risk by vastly reduced use of them.  Methane poses a threat as global warming thaws frozen tundra and heats Arctic lakes, resulting in significant methane release.

About 10,000 years ago underwater landslides caused a massive release of frozen methane and may have caused a sudden acceleration of global warming.The flooding of the Black sea, which may have occured as a result of the breaching of the Bosporus strait by rising water in the Mediterranean, is the putative source of the Gilgamesh/Noah flood story. Some scientists warn of the potential of such landslides off the East Coast of the United States.

 Rice farming and cattle breeding also produce methane, as do sewage plants and land-fills. Many sewage and land-fill facilities either burn or collect methane to convert into fuels. Both processes result in eventual release of carbon dioxide. Methane, however, is much worse as a greenhouse-gas.

Man caused (anthropogenic) global warming nay-sayers have not quite yet been classed along with flat-Earthers, but the resistance to the concept is fading, shifting more and more to the fringe. One website complains that Vice-President Gore "forecasted" that there would be total melting of Arctic sea ice by 2013. Besides making up words, they also proceeded to claim that polar ice at both poles has increased, which is totally a fabrication. Both poles are undergoing well documented rapid loss of ice. The surface area of sea ice in the Antarctic region has increased due to the refreezing of some of the run-off from the melting continental ice pack and the increased movement of  glacial ice into the ocean,  but the total amount of ice has decreased.  This has resulted in added confusion among the scientifically illiterate deniers.

pendrake's passions: Donald Trump: Recruiting for Isil / Daesh

pendrake's passions: Donald Trump: Recruiting for Isil / Daesh:    Donald Tru mp,  Presidential candidate and professional blowhard, has now become  a major recruiter for the Islamicist terror group Daes...

Donald Trump: Recruiting for Isil / Daesh

   Donald Trump, Presidential candidate and professional blowhard, has now become a major recruiter for the Islamicist terror group Daesh (also known as ISIL).  It is likely that he did not intend to do so, but he probably does not care. By introducing irrational Islamophobia as a major shibboleth in American right wing politics, he has driven countless impressionable people into the pool of potential anti-American terrorists.

   One potential benefit of his hate-mongering has been the reaction of main-stream Republicans. We again see Republicans behaving as if they are Americans first of all.  For far too long we have seen Republicans behaving like the pre-WWII Republicans who thought Hitler was a cool guy, or trying to dis-enfranchise any person who was not a far right radical Republican. Perhaps this will result in a rebirth of Americanism at its best.  

Daesh is to Islam as KKK is to Christianity

   I had to think a little about the title for this brief post because I wasn't sure whether to use the example of the (reconstituted) KKK or the NAZI party of Hitler and his minions. I decided to use the (reconstituted ) KKK because of it's current role in America.  Note that I am specific to state that I am referring to the "reconstituted" KKK, rather than the original KKK, which was originally a racially integrated organization founded to combat the wholesale rape of Southern women, particularly of color, by occupying Northern troops and carpetbaggers.  It was de-constituted by Gen. Nathan Forrest, who had helped found the original Klan.  Forrest was a leading White proponent of the rights of Southern Blacks, advocating for the need for employment of Blacks (including in professional positions) and their voting rights (he was the keynote speaker for the 1st national convention of the Independent Order of Pole-Bearers ).
 
   I  have to agree with those who believe that the anti-Muslim mania we currently see in some of America is EXACTLY what the Daesh ( or ISIL) fanatics want.  When we talk about Muslims like Hitler (remember HIM) talked about Jews, we play into the hands of these fanatics, we help recruit for them.  I wonder if Donald Trump is on their payroll?

   

Jihadist Wannabees Turn Into Rampage Killers

We have just suffered YET ANOTHER mass killing, this time in San Bernardino, California. There seems to be some confusion because the episode seemed to be an example of  a "rampage" killing (where a person kills a bunch of people in an act of personal rage) instead of a terrorist act.  On the other hand, there were also many of the characteristics of a planned terror act.

I don't really know, but I suspect that we have a case of people who were preparing to carry out a classical terror act relating to a radical Islamicist scenario but allowed an incident which invoked personal rage to result in "premature" action.  Bear in mind, terrorist are not usually people with all their oars in the water at the same time.  Yes, many are similar to partisan fighters in NAZI occupied France (e.g. during WWII). Just because we do not agree with the more extreme forms of Islam, particularly those that seek to impose "sharia law", does not mean that those people are raving lunatics.  Look at people who believe in extreme, ultra-strict forms of mainstream Christianity. It was not too long ago that whole states in America enforced strict "blue laws".  I can remember girls being arrested for wearing "short shorts".