Rube Goldberg Pretends To Be A Scientist

I’ve wondered for a while how global warming alarmists will try to deal with the fact that the globe is not warming. My theory has been that they would rush through some silly measures ostensibly designed to reduce carbon emissions, and then take credit when the catastrophe they predicted doesn’t happen after all. Time, though, is running out.

Two trends are working against the alarmists: scientists in the relevant disciplines are increasingly concluding, and are increasingly willing to say publicly, that the anthropogenic global warming theory is false. And the earth, at the worst possible moment for the alarmists, started getting cooler rather than warmer.

It may be that the alarmists, who surely understand that they are peddling a theory that has little scientific validity, have decided on a new tack. Perhaps concluding that there is no time to lose, they are now talking about taking decisive action to cool down the Earth. At least, that is what Barack Obama’s “science adviser,” John Holdren, says. Holdren, as we noted here, is a leftist for whom actual science–as contrasted with global warming “science”–is only an obstacle to far-left control of the government. Now he seems poised to take on the role of global super-hero. Or perhaps, as the post title suggests, a global Rube Goldberg:

John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month that the idea of geoengineering the climate is being discussed. One such extreme option includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun’s rays. Holdren said such an experimental measure would only be used as a last resort. …

At first, Holdren characterized the potential need to technologically tinker with the climate as just his personal view. However, he went on to say he has raised it in administration discussions. …

Holdren noted that shooting particles into the air–making an artificial volcano as one Nobel laureate has suggested–could have grave side effects and would not completely solve all the problems from soaring greenhouse gas emissions. So such actions could not be taken lightly, he said.

Back in the days when crank scientists thought we were about to enter another Ice Age, they argued that the world’s governments should cooperate in painting the polar ice caps black so that the Earth could soak up more sunlight and stay warm. Holdren’s imitation-volcano theory sounds about equally sensible.

In fact, though, it could be even less so. The biggest danger to the Earth and to mankind is global cooling, not global warming. If the administration carries out some goofy scheme to try to cool the planet, and if solar radiation continues at a relatively low level as many scientists predict, the administration could find itself being blamed for real, rather than fictitious, climatic problems. If that happens, however, it will be after the present crew is safely out of office.

UPDATE: My friend and radio partner Brian “St. Paul” Ward writes:

I saw your post about Obama’s science advisor contemplating the shooting of particles into the atmosphere to reflect the sun’s rays in an attempt to prevent global warming. Someone should let him know it’s already been tried, at least in the movies, with some unintended consequences. From The Matrix:

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/new_phil_fr_mcginn.html

What is known is that it was the humans who “scorched the sky”, blocking out the sun’s rays, in an attempt at machine genocide–since the machines needed solar power to survive. In response and retaliation the machines subdued the humans and made them into sources of energy–batteries, in effect. Each human now floats in his or her own personal vat, a warm and womblike environment, while the machines feed in essential nutrients, in exchange for the energy they need.

Actually, maybe we shouldn’t tell him. He may like the sound of that outcome.