POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Letters to the Editor and other People Speak


FROM-North Lake Tahoe Bonanza

Guest Column: Global 'warn'ing needs to stop

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — The distortions and questionable science associated with claiming that global warming is a man-made phenomenon are alarming. Having worked with many computer models I know that contrary to what analysts often present, computer models do not generate data and are very difficult to prove valid without significant testing. Most often models simply provide a guide. I question that the current global warming models even include all the important parameters, much less are proven.

I worked more than 40 years in the field of infrared technology and systems, with extensive experience with the effects of atmospheric transmission throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Recently I was honored by the Passive Sensors Specialty Group of the classified Military Sensors Symposium, by having their annual achievement award named the Sendall-Rosell Achievement Award. This honor was to recognize the technical contributions of the late Frederick Rosell (Westinghouse) and myself as long time leaders and experts in the field of infrared systems.

The planet has been experiencing a warming trend since the Ice Age. This warming trend has not been manmade and has had many short-term cooling trends (like we appear to have started the past few years). Since these trends are also reported for other planets in the solar system they are more likely related to solar activity than any influence of man.

The spectral absorption lines of carbon dioxide at best block a very small amount of radiation from being radiated back into space. By far the most dominant greenhouse affects are from water vapor; and clouds can even have an opposite effect. The Judas goat — Al Gore — erroneously claimed that historical data shows the average temperature of the Earth increases with the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. The average temperature and carbon dioxide concentration are correlated, but the carbon dioxide concentration follows — not leads — the temperature increases, and this can be logically explained.

It is a shame that when there is so much controversy among knowledgeable people, that our naive government is ready to distort our whole world based on unproven models. There is a lot of money at stake, and most of the supporters stand to gain from the panic. It is ridiculous that we would sacrifice our economy and our way of life when even if the models were right our influence is dwarfed by the developing nations, including China, and they are ignoring the whole issue.

It takes an enormous individual ego and country arrogance to believe we are anything more than an ant on a log traveling down the river. We are not steering the temperature of the Earth. We can however destroy our economy, world position and way of life.

If you are interested in this subject you might review www.petitionproject.org, or better yet, read the recent book entitled “Heaven and Earth,” written by one of Australia's foremost Earth scientists, Professor Ian Plimer.

Bob Sendall is an Incline Village resident.

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