So what is the question?

There is some debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming, but most agree that there is a change in weather patterns that are associated with the increasing temperatures in our oceans...and which are causing a reduction in the ice sheets at our polls.

The most respected scientific bodies have stated unequivocally that global warming is occurring, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil and natural gas) and cutting down forests, and making concrete. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, which in 2005 the White House called "the gold standard of objective scientific assessment," issued a joint statement with 10 other National Academies of Science saying "the scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions." (Joint Statement of Science Academies: Global Response to Climate Change [PDF], 2005)

There are those who ask if it is man made...and if so, why are we interested in changing it? Well, that is part of the debate... Is it man made? and do we really need to change it? Or is it a natural cycle...one that will return to cooling in its cycle?

But lets put aside the question of Global Warming for a moment, as it seems to have a political connection that our Government can't seem to get past. Instead let's consider the question of pollution world wide and man's reduced ability to grow food and harvest fish, or raise stock all for the purpose of feeding the Billions of people on this planet... Pollution after all is the real issue, and if it is causing Global Warming...well, then if we reduce pollution than we will be addressing Global Warming...but in any case we need to end pollution as best we can.

And in doing that we will begin to address the scientific questions related to global weather. Oh, there is one point that I would like to put to rest. Global Warming does not mean that the world's temperature will rise, at least not every day and not immediately. Temperatures are a function of weather patterns, and what we are seeing in the Global response to Warming is that the ocean mean temperature has risen, and as a result the weather patterns are changing...heavy snow in Washington State where no snow was seen in the past, snow in Las Vegas...twice in a week...this is what the changed patterns can and are bringing... it isn't just warming, it is changed patterns that bring problems that we have not prepared for...