Obsessing over global temperatures, example of fraud driven "seepage"

The number one dodge and time waster in our global warming public awareness dialogue is the nonstop obsessing over temperatures, taking them, processing them, matching models.  Every new study is treated as though this were some kind of ball game with armchair quarterbacks right and left.  

Thing is, those temperature numbers are useless information if you don't first grasp the fact of greenhouse gases and how they control our planet's insulation against frigid space.  We know this added heat is being absorbed into our global climate system, there's no where else for it to go undetected.

The physics means that everything under that atmosphere will absorb some of that added warmth.  Period!

Measuring those varied temperatures moving through the global system 100% is impossible, but why would that change the physics of what's going on?

Besides, we do have overwhelming thermometer-independent evidence.

27 -- The evidence for climate change WITHOUT computer models or the IPCC

potholer54  |  Published on May 9, 2013  |  16:02 min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ6Z04VJDco

What's hideous is all the people who glibly dismiss the geophysics of greenhouse gases which is clearly known to a high degree of certitude.  And instead pretend that human's ability to measure the actual heat moving through our global heat and moisture distribution engine is the be all and end all of what they need to know.  

With that bit of venting, allow me to introduce you to an excellent primer on how well scientists understand the physics of our atmosphere.  By way of a map to Dr. David Archer's excellent college level course, which is freely available at YouTube.   This I follow with information about "seepage" from the man who coined the term, Dr. Lewandowsky. Finishing with a couple links to Admiral David Titley, and climatologist Gavin Schmidt who explain a bit more about temperatures and climate models.

Dr. David Archer

Global Warming

Understanding the Forecast

Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast is a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of global warming. Written in an accessible way, and assuming no specialist prior knowledge, this book examines the processes that control climate change and climate stability, from the distant past to the distant future.

Seepage, impacts of a chimera - Lewandowsky, Risbey, Oreskes study

Stephan Lewandowsky together with James Risbey and Naomi Oreskes published a new study looking at how the contrarian PR campaign has influenced the way serious climate science was being done.  Here's the abstract followed by some more information regarding the pause and a previous "Seepage" study.

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 2015 

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00106.1

The “Pause” in Global Warming: Turning a Routine Fluctuation into a Problem for Science

Stephan Lewandowsky

University of Bristol and University of Western Australia

James S. Risbey

CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania

Naomi Oreskes

Harvard University

PDF

Capsule 

Contrarian discourse about a “pause” in global warming has found traction in climate science even though there is little evidence for anything but a fluctuation in the warming rate similar to earlier deviations from a longer-term trend.

Of Recursive Fury, SkepticForum and science denialist's strategy of harassment

Interesting news today, particularly in light of my own recent experience at SkepticForum.com with one Jim Steele and the moderator of said forum. The same moderator who believes injecting graphics of an exploding head (link with care, it's quite disgusting) into what's supposed to be a serious discuss about climate science is fair play.

But try going toe to toe with a malicious climate science denialist, even though the fella in question, one Jim Steele, grossly misrepresents and downright lies about the science - plus he injects copious amounts of slander (and more lies) towards serious published scientists he doesn't like, or anyone else that gets in his way.  But,  you'd better not call him on it over at the "skeptic's forum".

A look at the world of climate change denial

I came across an article at The Conversation that fits right into my little virtual dialogue.  It gives a good overview of the cord of disingenuous manipulation that runs through the economic/politically motivated attacks on climate science.  

Since, the following essay doesn't attempt to look at the root causes for the crazy-making they describe, I'll venture some thoughts.

The underhanded attacks on climate science's credibility started within the Reaganomics machine/mindset.  The people that inhabit that machine were/are addicted to a notion that too much is never enough (for example).  It embraces a notion of maximizing profits, minimizing liabilities.  It openly rejects responsibility for environmental stewardship,  abhors the notion of limits or regulation, and behaves as if resources are endless and tomorrow doesn't matter.  

Worse they possess outright contempt for the "environment" and can't seem to fathom the difference between the 60s planet of three billion people and today's world of over seven billion hungry souls and a warming global climate system.

Their disregard for the lessons of history and seeming contempt for the future can be seen in everything from their rejection of responsibility for externalities such as clean (read healthy) soil, water and air, to the way our nation's proudly built infrastructure has been allowed to degenerate.

It's like a nation invited a charismatic Hollywood pretty boy into the halls of power and the halls of power started to believe their own Hollywood fairytale of endless milk and honey and no responsibility (read taxes) maintaining infrastructure nor preparing for our children's future.

Yes, these are generalities - perhaps a starting point for further discussion.


With thanks to The Conversation and their generous sharing policy here is their full article - I have highlighted some paragraphs.

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A journey into the weird and wacky world of climate change denial

By Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol and Michael Ashley

Conspiracy Ideation . . . or a refusal to accept facts

Once again I'm going to repost an interesting article from the folks at SkepticalScience.com since it cuts to the core of what I'm appreciating more and more as the real issue we need to face today.  

You see, as the evidence get's more and more overwhelming, the obstinence of denialists has been getting more and more belligerent and below the belt. 

The debate has lost all pretense about struggling to better understand our global heat distribution engine (climate), and has turned into a 
no-holds-bared brawl by denialists within the blogosphere and other media outlets.

If you are interested in the human nature behind these dynamics, check out this article.

{Thank you SkepticalScience.com for allowing folks like me to repost your excellent and informative climate education articles ! }