Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Justice Scalia and Global Warming:

A report today on National Public Radio summarized the first day of Supreme Court hearings in a major case brought against the EPA by a number of states for alleged failure of the EPA to enforce antipollution laws in the case of carbon dioxide.

Justice Scalia showed his ignorance and contempt for science as in this exchange with one of the plaintiff's attorneys:

Scalia pointed to the government's assertion that carbon
dioxide is not a pollutant. "But," said Scalia, "You say it is, once it goes up
into the stratosphere and contributes to global warming."

"Respectfully,
your honor," Milkey answered, "It is not the stratosphere. It's the troposphere,
from the ground up to nine miles above."

"Whatever," replied Scalia.
"
I'm not a scientist. That's why I don't want to have to
deal with global warming, to tell you the truth."


Why is he sitting on the Supreme Court then?

Other Links:

Listen to th NPR stories:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6554685
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6556413

Read about Global Warming:
New Scientist FAQ on climate change:
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change

EPA Web site(Caution:censored by the Administration):
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/stateofknowledge.html

The Discovery of Global Warming:
http://www.aip.org/history/climate/index.html

Global Warming Science from the Union of Concerned Scientists:
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/

Take action about Global Warming:

Possible Solutions:
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/

How to Fight Global Warming:
http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/gsteps.asp

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tell me, Paul, do you find this blog and making nasty little remarks about IDists, theists, etc. on other blogs to be an adequate substiture for real scientific work?

Just wondering.

Paul D. said...

Touchy, aren't we?

My answer is no but...

**nast comment alert**

You consider ID real scientific work?

**end nasty comment alert**

mareymercy said...

I am always amazed at how proud, how defiant, certain factions of society can be about their own ignorance of basic scientific facts. I ain't no scientist myself, but um, I understand the difference between the stratosphere and the troposphere. And I also understand that it's important to clarify such errors when debating an issue. And yet, so many people think knowing the facts just isn't important.

As Stephen Colbert might say, they just "feel" about an issue, they don't think about it at all. Grr.

And of course, pointing out the ignorance or errors in such statements is seen is hatred towards people of faith. When in actuality, it's just pointing out an error. You can't win with people like that.

Anonymous said...

Just think, your lives depend on FIVE people on the Supreme Court.

The SUPREMOS rule your life!

Think you are free?

Think you vote makes a difference?

Forget it!

Anything you decide to do can be rendered UNCONSTITUTIONAL if FIVE of the SUPREMOS find a reason to so rule!