I had one of those conversations with a co-worker today.
about Climate Change.
The "Earth Cycles" rhetoric is gearing up for 2 years of give-aways, it seems.
My co-worker, despite having several science degrees, including one in physics and one in meteorology, is still under the belief that Climate Change is just a matter of Natural Cycles. Mankind has nothing to do with it.
Well I struck upon an idea, that I thought might appeal to his "inner scientist" --
The Idea of Inertia.
The "Inertia" of the Ice Thickness, specifically. The "heat reservoirs" in the ocean warm top layers; the "cold reservoirs" in the various Ice Caps, around the world, too.
And the Fact that the Arctic Ice Cap has been rapidly thinning for a while now -- got his attention. He was unaware of this Fact.
And the associated permafrost melting, with its expected Methane release got his attention too. He was unaware of that Methane was a potent Greenhouse Gas, nor about the frozen Methane Hydrates on the Ocean floors, either.
The "inner scientist" seemed to be listening ...
continued at Daily Kos....
One of the consequences of the 2010 General Elections was the election of RepubliCorp Governors in Ohio and Wisconsin who politically neutralized the success of sitting Democratic state administrations in landing $400m and $800m High Speed Rail funding by demonizing the High Speed projects that were funded.