Oh this is funny. There’s not even any Gore involved.
We’ve seen that man-made global warming has taken some hits in the opinion polls lately, and that its 10 minutes of fame may be over, but sharp eyed blogger Dave R. at Care2 spotted this zinger. I’ve posted the graphs and tables from the polls with highlights below.
Dave R writes:
In the United States, more people believe that houses can be haunted by the dead than believe that the living can cause climate change. Is this simply a scary Halloween tale or our frightening future?
The latest Pew poll on global warming shows a large drop in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising, from 71% down to only 57% in the last 18 months. And global warming due to human activity? The overall numbers have declined from 47% to 36%. To put this in perspective, a Gallup poll found that 37% of Americans believe that houses can be haunted.
Here’s the Pew poll graphics:
And the Gallup Poll says:
Of course the margins of error for each poll is probably greater than the 1% difference noted, but it is still darn funny.
Perhaps next, to prop up the numbers, the two issues will get fused.
On the Care2 website, DaveR has a poll of his own that asks:
“Does global warming frighten you more than ghosts?”
So far, the Yes votes far outnumber the Noes.
“Not scary enough: more Americans believe in haunted houses than human caused global warming”
If the poll is looking for beliefs, it will find beliefs, thus raising AGW to a metaphysical plane, its rightful place.
Thank you for this wonderful resource and keeping us posted on these latest happenings and conversations on the matter.
I ask you to please check out my family, who have been working on energy efficient upgrades in their home NONSTOP over the past 3 months. I am very proud of them. You can vote for the Casanova family in a Texas Utilities contest for the Texas family who has put the most effort to save energy here : http://psc.gotxu.com/vote. It takes seconds and we’d really appreciate it. They have already made it to top 3 in Texas! Thank you so much.
Here is the NBC Dallas news story on the contest and my family if you are interested: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/green/Power-Play-Could-Earn-Family-25K-64577297.html
Great photo! But you really do need a recording of Bach’s famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor to go with it. 😛
My answers to these questions:
“Does global warming frighten you more than ghosts?”
Global warming does not frighten me at all. You will have to poll the ghosts to see if it frightens them.
“Is there solid evidence the earth is warming?”
Over what time period?
Leif,
The “Coin of Science” is also being counterfeited, by those who would tax the UK with false gods.
http://www.greenfiscalcommission.org.uk/index.php/site/about/about_gfc/
Andy W: ‘and then we get posts on how people it will be cold in October because for the first time in 25 years someone’s back yard in State A had X Y or Z happen cold wise. ‘
25 years ago? Hmmmm, what was happening 25 years ago…. Oh! Scientists and politicians were talking about the coming Ice Age.
Odd. Seems like a Cycle….
Almost forgot, Andy: you meant to say someone’s back yard in states A,B,C,D,E,F,G,,I,J,K,L,M,N,O………….. Not to mention Nations A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O…..
Leif Svalgaard (20:57:27) :
Just confirms the scientific illiteracy in America.
Here in Blighty, the New Age sections of the bookstores are always at least twice the size of the Popular Science sections, and the highest paid newspaper journalist is an Astrologer.
Lord Stern has been frantically running around London giving interviews to the media in an attempt to shore up the global warming propaganda machine. You can hear his desperate interview in the BBC’s “Today” program
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8327000/8327225.stm
Scroll down the page to 0732 and click on the “Play” button.
You can send a message to the Today program directly on this page
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/contact_today/default.stm
or send an email to them: today@bbc.co.uk
or send them an actual complaint: todaycomplaints@bbc.co.uk
To complain to the BBC itself
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/feedback/contact/
or email the BBC: feedback@bbc.co.uk
How about this from his Lordship?
“Save the planet, go veggie, says climate chief Lord Stern”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223247/Global-warming-Climate-chief-Lord-Stern-urges-Britons-vegetarian-save-planet.html
This is not the first time he has made this idiotic suggestion, and it’s repeated in most of the British press today.
“Climate chief Lord Stern: give up meat to save the planet”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6891362.ece
What with government ministers, and the PM himself, insisting that global warming exists and that we have until Copenhagen to “save the planet”, it looks more like desperation to revive their dying religion in the face of irrefutable scientific facts than any real conviction that they believe their own doctrine.
Dunno if this has been flagged here yet but it’s worth a belly laugh:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6891362.ece
The comments are enlightening too.
“Does global warming frighten you more than ghosts?”
Trick question. The former is a real, natural phenomenon, but certainly nothing to fear, while ghosts are a supernatural phenomenon, and whether or not one “believes” in them, or simply prefers to be skeptical yet open-minded, there is no particular reason to fear them either.
“Al Ghoul”, however, is a different story altogether.
Speaking of scary, Dwight Eisenhower was afraid of the military industrial complex, but what really had him quaking was the elevation of publicly funded ‘science’ until it became more important than freedom.
Of course, Ike was just a Texas country bumpkin. AGW is so thoroughly documented and accepted by every single science organization, it only makes sense that freedom must be dissolved to make way for SCIENCE!
The technological elite will now take over.
Thank you scientists one and all.
Leif has a point. The first point is the Sun – the rest are solar effects, whether they be secondary or tertiary, or even less direct climatic effects
UK Sceptic (03:40:41)
thats in the “Eating your own pet” or “kill your friends and neighbours” to save the planet ethos which feature in the AGW feature.
Leif – AGW is masanthropic and dark. They appear mild mannered because they are officially accepted
Norm/Calgary (23:21:09) :
OT: What happened to the AMSR-E Sea Ice Extent today (Oct 26)?
____________________________
Either a malfunction, or strong winds compacting the ice.
People are starting to disbelieve in AGW because it’s obvious that it is not a scientific position, it’s a political one. And it’s a transparent political position at that.
Proponents of AGW quite obviously don’t give a damn about science. They’re using it to push their agendas in order to pass more stringent laws (most of which wouldn’t help fight climate change in the slightest, BTW). It’s a power play. It’s scare tactics being perpetrated against the public, and the public is starting to see through the bullshit.
Climate change may indeed be real. However, that’s not a valid reason to use it as a boogeyman in order to promote your socialist agenda. I will always answer these polls with “no, global warming is a myth” even if I know for a fact that it is not. Why? Because the question itself has nothing to do with science and everything to do with politics, power, and control.
Graeme Rodaughan (22:07:11) :
Do you have an example of ‘willfully ignorant” comment? I would like to see what you mean.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/10/17/discoveries-from-the-ibex-satellite-show-we-still-dont-know-quite-a-few-things-about-the-heliosphere-and-solar-system/
read from the bottom up. Also note the ‘mild-mannerism’ of the ignorant.
Mike Bryant (04:38:59) :
Thank you scientists one and all.
Perhaps the real problem is the politicians exploiting the stupidity and ignorance of their constituency. Of course, not only the politicians are at fault. In Dover, PA, the reverend Ray Mummert thunders: “We’ve been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of our culture”.
Lief,
I agree. I cringe when I see some of the silly, ignorant and uninformed anti-AGW comments that would be snipped on CA.
However, the % of these is small compared to the equiv pro posts on RC or Tammy (on the rare occasions I stop by).
I am an engineer with over 45 years experience designing and building dams and hydro projects around the world. I have taken issue with some of your comments in the past, but have come to appreciate your pov and expertise.
Jack
Melinda–Many people find it easier to go to haunted places or search for ghosts simply because many don’t want to deal with AGW.
of course it is political when you realize that everything is political in life the fact that the government wants you to searching for the great beyond rather than face what is right in front of you is nothing new. It is only now no longer able to be pushed aside.
UK Sceptic (03:40:41) :
Dunno if this has been flagged here …
Seems to have backfired for now, Oh Dear! But have a look at ‘the big theme park’ plan.
Visitors map is on last page, note the green blobs that “could be up and running within two decades” versus reality today. Never mind, you get to become a vegan and tuck into a nice salad Niçoise instead. Cows just use too much power as you can see. Is there some latent form of BSE cauing this level of madness?
Farmers who endured the 2001 F&M outbreak (and many didn’t) have seen similar looking maps before. 80% of the approx 4.5 million officially recorded head of livestock culled were disease free, blamed principally on “inappropriate poor mathematical modelling” (see Kitching et al 2005, ‘The Veterinary Journal’). I often wondered why DEFRA never relocated that lab (which leaked live virus causing the 2007 outbreak) to some isolated off-shore island instead of leaving it in the middle of farming country. Obviously there wasn’t a lot of point with this coming down the track.
Even if AGW is real and as big as the IPCC says, the truth is that the consequences wouldn’t be scary and in fact most consequences would be benign or beneficial.
Although, the AGW legislative bandwagon, as opposed to AGW itself is pretty scary.
Here in Australia the latest piece of legislation (proposed I think) would restrict beach property developments because of the risk of rising sea levels.
Think how stupid the average* person is. Then remember, half of the population are more stupid than that. It wouldn’t really matter what these numbskulls think, but, quite rightly, they all have a vote. Education is the planet’s only hope. That applies to all of us, including both pro and anti AGW bigots who like to hang around climate blogs.
*OK, should say median, but that’s not as snappy!
I agree education is our ticket recognizing those now in school will be the ones who will have to grow into this what our planet needs. Rather than stating there are so many “stupid” people in the world put into action a why to education the world. Otherwise your words are simply flapping in the wind.