@Robin M
I was taught that in high school too (in Canada) but I've worked for 7 years as an engineer, and I've never seen anyone make that distinction.
I think the main point here is that there should be more transparency. What they're doing may be legal and ethical, but how can we know that if we don't know what they're doing?
My local bar is also a public place and a for-profit enterprise, but that doesn't mean the owner can quietly record his patrons' conversations, make a dossier on each of them, and re-sell the info to a third party.
@Nathan Jonson:
"It’s really discouraging that sites defending global
warming are blacking out the data from accepted sources that shows a decade long halt in warming."
Yes, global warming slowed down in the 90s, but since then it's accelerated. That data wasn't ignored: atmospheric scientists searched for an explanation, and they found that aerosols (a kind of air pollution) caused some cooling. That cooling effect is still there, but the amount of greenhouse gases is now so high that the planet is heating again.
"Most changes eventually reach an equilibrium and considerable data suggests this may be happening."
Equilibrium is not necessarily a good thing. If I drive my car off a cliff, I'll eventually reach an equilibrium at the bottom.
@Sears:
Actually no, this isn't normal. The recent changes in global chemistry and global temperature are unprecedented in recorded history.
@Robin M
I was taught that in high school too (in Canada) but I've worked for 7 years as an engineer, and I've never seen anyone make that distinction.
I think the main point here is that there should be more transparency. What they're doing may be legal and ethical, but how can we know that if we don't know what they're doing?
My local bar is also a public place and a for-profit enterprise, but that doesn't mean the owner can quietly record his patrons' conversations, make a dossier on each of them, and re-sell the info to a third party.
@Nathan Jonson:
"It’s really discouraging that sites defending global
warming are blacking out the data from accepted sources that shows a decade long halt in warming."
Yes, global warming slowed down in the 90s, but since then it's accelerated. That data wasn't ignored: atmospheric scientists searched for an explanation, and they found that aerosols (a kind of air pollution) caused some cooling. That cooling effect is still there, but the amount of greenhouse gases is now so high that the planet is heating again.
"Most changes eventually reach an equilibrium and considerable data suggests this may be happening."
Equilibrium is not necessarily a good thing. If I drive my car off a cliff, I'll eventually reach an equilibrium at the bottom.
@Sears:
Actually no, this isn't normal. The recent changes in global chemistry and global temperature are unprecedented in recorded history.