Originally Posted by owedtojoy

Here was a post on Eurasian snow pack from last year:

Here's a thing. In December 2010, Ireland had its lowest temperatures ever recorded. And a lot of snow. The weather system extended over most of Nothern Eurasia. So was snow extent significantly larger than ever in that part of the globe?

Well, no. December 2010 was only the 6th largest snow extent every recorded since 1966 (when records began), according to Rutgers University Global Snow Laboratory.
Rutgers University Climate Lab :: Global Snow Lab

Ok, 9 of the 10 largest snow extents occurred since 1979 - when global warming was supposed to have "kicked in" after a midcentury pause. But, on the other hand, 8 of the 10 lowest snow extents occurred since 1979 also. In fact, the chart (below) shows no trend whatsover. So bang foes "global cooling" for a start. Global warming?

Take a look at the June snow extent.



The lowest line in the above chart shows an unmistakeable downward trend. The horizontal lines are the medians - the value that splits the distribution 50% on each side. The last seven points are all below the median - an event that has a probability of 0.5^7 = 0.008, and extremely unlikely event. Testing the Null Hypothesis that there is no underlying change, that Hypothesis must be rejected.

Similarly with the middle line. Here the last 6 are above the median, an event which has the probability of 0.5^6 = 0.015. Indeed, 9 of the last 10 points are above the median - an event which has a probablility of 0.01.

These are indicators of a changing process - and it must mean warming. The only alternative to global warming is that a natural variability is at work (indeed working as well as global warming is also possible), but put the evidence beside glacier decline and other indicators and the evidence is highly plausible.

Also, of the top 10 June extents, only one occurred since 1979. Of the lowest 10, all occurred since 1983. Of the top 10 melts (Dec - June Difference), the top 8 all occurred since 1989. Of the the lowest 10, only 4 occurred since 1979 (1979, 1980, 1984, 1986).

I posted the above last year, and it is still true. I added the extent of June 2011 Eurasian snow pack, and the melt. The 2011 snow melt was the second biggest ever, and the June snow extent was the lowest ever.



Note there are now 8 successive June points below the median - a probabliity of 1/256. Quite rare to happen by chance alone.

Even rarer if there was "global cooling". But, if you want to continue with that fantasy, be my guest.

The Australian Senate has passed a modest carbon tax. Carbon taxation is now the law of the land Down Under & will be implemented in June 2012.

Australian PM, Julia Gillard, hails the news. She does not pull her punches about "carbon pollution".

Carbon tax passes Senate - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Carbon tax | Senate passes historic legislation

Great news! Greens hold the balance of power in both the Australian house of reps and the senate. Carbon tax was hugely divisive with about 50-50 split of public opinion.

Originally Posted by miclin

Great news! Greens hold the balance of power in both the Australian house of reps and the senate. Carbon tax was hugely divisive with about 50-50 split of public opinion.

That is exactly how Watermelons want to act the world over and enforce their unpopular personal ambitions on others. Exactly the same as our own experience.

A tiny mandate wielding control.


Watermelons have a dangerous deficiency in democratic beliefs.

Originally Posted by owedtojoy

Panel 2 of the top of the strip just about sums up rash, CS and Ultan.

This here simple cartoon sums up you and Sir Charles. I leave the which one is which as the challenge for the day for the 6 viewers of this parody of a thread.

Originally Posted by miclin

Great news! Greens hold the balance of power in both the Australian house of reps and the senate. Carbon tax was hugely divisive with about 50-50 split of public opinion.

Climate change denial had a huge advantage in one area - the media. Most of the newspapers are Murdoch-owned, and the Australian (supposed to be the country's "quality" newspaper) has waged a long anti-science campaign. Besides that, there are huge mining and agricultural interests with a lot to lose financially who poured plenty of money into the anti-carbon-tax campaign.

Many Australians are wise to Murdoch phone-hacking, computer-hacking and slanted reporting, but the media probably accounted for the even split in public opinion. Congratulations to Julia Gillard and her supporters for having the gumption to stand up to Murdoch and the mining interests. There are many in US and UK politics who would not have the guts - guess it takes an Aussie.

PS The irony about the split in opinion is that the Liberals (Tories, really) jettisoned carbon-tax supporter Malcolm Turnbull (by a single vote!) in favour of scientifically challenged Tony Abbott, a complete blockhead. The Liberals won marginally more seats in the election, but Abbott was completely inept in dealing with the Independents and the single Green who was elected (for the first time in Australia). Gillard was skillful enough to bargain support for her Government, which looks set to last until the next election.

Originally Posted by owedtojoy

I posted the above last year, and it is still true. I added the extent of June 2011 Eurasian snow pack, and the melt. The 2011 snow melt was the second biggest ever, and the June snow extent was the lowest ever.



Note there are now 8 successive June points below the median - a probabliity of 1/256. Quite rare to happen by chance alone.

Even rarer if there was "global cooling". But, if you want to continue with that fantasy, be my guest.

And here's another thing - this page in Wikipedia contains a list of temperature records by country - 75 cold and 86 hot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records

Check which decade has the most high temperature records - well it's 2001 to 2010 in which 39 hot records were made, as opposed to 5 cold. And of those 39, 20 were set in 2010 alone.



Global warming has ended? Not bloody likely.

Originally Posted by Ultan Murphy

It's the Sun stupid was the message.

Prepared for the 2nd part?