"More cat pictures, please"

"It's the closest I've ever seen to a cat's looking like Winston Churchill," says Tuck re the Babe, foreground in the Bachrach-like sibling portrait above, with Tiny's Madame Thatcher in the background.

"More cat pictures please!" emails the totally awesome Rick Moran of Rightwing Nuthouse. We'd asked him in his comments why he doesn't approve of one of our own heroes, Senator Inhofe -- blogged here. Here's what we wrote:

Inhofe made a lot of sense at the hearings -- and in things I’ve read at his web site . . . What is your problem with him?

Here's what Rick wrote back:

Calling global warming "the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people"  is thoughtless, irrational, and just plain wrong.

The most respected climate scientists, atmospheric physicists, environmental scientists from several disciplines on the planet -- all say that to one degree or another, the earth is warming and man is partly responsible. To refer to these people as hoaxers is not being serious and smears them unnecessarily.

As I made clear in the article, I am not convinced myself. But I respect the views and research of people who know a helluva lot more about the subject than I do -- or Inhofe for that matter.

Good points. Our reply:

In my view to say the earth is in a warming phase -- a factual statement -- and that man is partly responsible is a far cry from Gore's hysterical "the earth has a fever," we are the deadly germ and we must increase the size of government to show we care.

Therefore I found Inhofe's performance at Wednesday's hearing -- among a herd of lock-step fellow Senators pandering to Mr. Gore -- a refreshing voice in the wilderness. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.

Your essay at The American Thinker ["Poiliticizing Science," a must read] on the subject is outstanding!

Rick's response:

It's hard to separate the legitimate science of climate change from the hysterics like Gore (and others who stand to benefit enormously by the crackdown on industry and western industrial supremacy). It's just that Inhofe's denial that anything about global warming research is true makes him look silly. Debunking the irrational is one thing. Denying the tons of research that shows there is a problem is quite another.

Nice to have a worthy debater to present both sides of the debate for a change. 'Reminds us of that Colorado sixth-grade class that had a classic debate pro and con and voted that global warming is not caused by humans. Reading through the story -- linked by Drudge -- we were wicked impressed with the teacher's pedagogical methods until we learned at the end of the article that paleontology teacher Ken Poppe doesn't “believe in Darwinism either, but I can argue it as well as any Darwinist.” How can a paleontologist not be a Darwinist? Maybe it depends upon what your definition of Darwinism is?

Update: Whether or not you believe in Darwinism, the animals will continue to board Modulator's 131st Friday Ark and enchant ailurophiles at Carnival of the Cats #156 at Pet's Garden Blog.

Comments

[goomp]

I repect Rick's right to his analysis but I think he overlooks that global temperature change has been a constant as long as the earth has existed. The temperature is rising on planets that have no animal life or atmosphere. The intensity of the sun varies, and that causes global warming and cooling.

[Teresa]

The worshippers at the altar of Algore have managed to push the argument of global warming into a cul-de-sac. It's no longer possible to have a rational view of the environment - everything is an EMERGENCY and must be fixed THIS MINUTE!!! The sheer stupidity of this drives rational people to immediately dismiss any discussion because they already know they will be pounded with idiocies that make no logical sense.

It is NOT true that all climatologists agree with the assertions being made. There are quite a number who disagree and are promptly (with the usual liberal aplomb) tarred and feathered as being under the thumb of the "evil oil companies". Why argue about stupid things like facts when you can simply call your opponent evil or stupid or even a Nazi.

--Is the global temperature rising? Yes. That is a fact.

--Why? We DON'T KNOW. That too is a fact.

--Are humans responsible? We DON'T KNOW. That is also a fact. (which even Al has had to concede when pressed for facts)

What should we do? Concentrate on spending money fixing problems we already know humans create. Helping people who can benefit immediately.

As Bjorn Lomborg says so often. There are things we can do to help the environment and save lives - not only that but vastly improve the quality of life for millions. Concentrating on global warming is not in the best interests of improving our world. It wastes resources with little or nothing to show in the end.

As usual... follow the money - the Global Warming religion generates mega bucks for a certain segment of people. It's in their best interest to keep the scare alive and well... to hell with the rest of the world.

[Teresa]

Oops - forgot to say... your kitties are looking beautiful. *grin*

[hnav]

MEOW !

hot, hot, hot...

air mr. gore is...

darwin would have read SISU...

me thinks...

[Calvin Jones]

Who do you get your facts from?

I look to scientists for...uhh science not political partisanship and corruption.

My link is to a video by the American Association for the Advancement of science.

[bird dog]

Good exchange with Rick, who is a mensch. These internets are great, ain't they?

I think our using the term "hoax" is counter-hyperbole. My opinion: whatever the causes are, it doesn't matter, and who cares? We will cope.

[Tara]

Mars is heating up.

How to explain that ?

I just don't believe " climate change " is man made.

Fabulous pictures of the kitties as always...