Steve van Dresser

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Memory Lane - only for Real Santa Feans

In the 1950s, my mom worked at what used to be Bruns. There was a Public Health Service research center for studying plague ecology. They would trap small critters, mostly kangaroo mice, around northern New Mexico and analyze them for the presence of bubonic plague. One of her jobs was to clean the traps after use. She would clean cages and traps with Benzene which was probably responsible for her early demise from liver cancer.  (Yesterday | post #2028)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

One doesn't have to be a scientist to recognize whether someone else is a scientist. The National Academy of Science is an organization of scientists. The American Enterprise Institute is not. If you can't tell the difference, you're probably a climate change skeptic.  (Wednesday | post #1516)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

Interesting article, but as the by-line notes, the author and skeptic is "a mathematician, and a computer and electrical engineer," not a climate or physical scientist.  (Wednesday | post #1477)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

One could argue that when the Flat Earth Society gets a few new members it represents a massive shift in opinion on whether the earth is round. But it doesn't alter the scientific facts. If the the flaky fringe of scientists goes from 0.1% to 0.11%, it doesn't suggest that the nature of the universe has changed. When the members of the world's scientific societies choose leaders who take the skeptical position, there will have been a dramatic shift. It isn't happening.  (Wednesday | post #1473)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (or AAAS) is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation between scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the betterment of all humanity. It is the world's largest general scientific society, with 126,995 individual and institutional members at the end of 2008" So, your 700 skeptics would represent about %5 of the members of this single organization. The AAAS has endorsed the consensus opinion on global climate change. If you add in the scientists from the world's other scientific organizations, the skeptics would represent fewer than 1% of all scientists. That is the kooky fringe of the scientist community. If you think the American Association for the Advancement of Science (or any of the National Academies of Sciences around the world) is against the scientific method, you should have your head examined.  (Tuesday Dec 29 | post #1411)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

For your sake, I hope that the entire population of Bangladesh doesn't descend into your back yard when most of their country goes under water.  (Monday Dec 28 | post #1409)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

Dave relies on blind faith in himself.  (Monday Dec 28 | post #1405)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

After some fool marches his company into the swamp, it still takes a clever man time to get everyone back out. We shouldn't have been there. It was a swamp and we had no good reason to march in.  (Monday Dec 28 | post #1402)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

Are you also one of those people who still believe that Saddam Hussein was developing, possessed, or was about to use weapons of mass destruction? Poor deluded fool.  (Monday Dec 28 | post #1391)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

If you are trying to compare the military power and threat of the Third Reich to that of Saddam Hussein, you are even dumber than I thought.  (Monday Dec 28 | post #1388)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

Dave, there is nothing wrong with the science. You are using the possibility of meta-catastrophe as an excuse for doing nothing. Since we could all be vaporized by a stray cosmic object, why bother worrying about contaminating the earth? Why fight wars? Why go to work in the morning? There are things we can do to make the world a better and safer place and it is foolish and shortsighted to refuse to consider doing anything because there might be a global disaster that will make it all moot. We have spent $2 trillion dollars to prevent Saddam Hussein from being a threat to the United States. We are spending billions more fighting drug trafficking around the world to keep us safer at home. We help neighboring Mexico with antipollution measures in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez just so that their pollution won't harm us. $2 trillion spent on stopping massive human caused global climate change would be a lot better use of money for preserving our lives than removing petty dictators from far away and trivial countries.  (Sunday Dec 27 | post #1384)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

Too bad you couldn't read past the first sentence. That figures.  (Saturday Dec 26 | post #1367)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

So, you don't believe Wikipedia. That's reasonable; a lot of people have problems with their information. But you also don't believe: American Association for the Advancement of Science American Geophysical Union European Geosciences Union Geological Society of America American Meteorologic Society Royal Meteorological Society (UK) World Meteorological Organization American Medical Association World Health Organization American Chemical Society American Astronomical Society American Institute of Physics And the National Academies of Science of the United States, Britain, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, Russia, France, Canada, Brazil, etc. And that is plain nuts.  (Saturday Dec 26 | post #1359)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

If you believe that Wikipedia is lying and that there are reputable scientific organization that endorse the skeptical position on global climate change, then name one. If you can't find any recognized scientific societies or organizations that support your deluded position, you shouldn't criticize Wikipedia. You should, instead, do some soul searching to figure out why no reputable scientific organizations in the world see the science the same way as you do. If you think there is a vast global conspiracy of scientists and scientific organizations out to spread lies and distortions in order to damage your lifestyle, you really should seek medical help for your paranoia.  (Friday Dec 25 | post #1338)

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Former astronaut scoffs at global warming

There are certainly few beliefs in scientific truths for those who rely on Santa Claus for their science. So, do I worship Al Gore? No, but I also don't worship Santa Claus.  (Friday Dec 25 | post #1328)