The Half-Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

Interesting article in this month's First Things. It analyzes the controversy over global warming in understandable terms.

We are told this century is the hottest on record, and it's due to greenhouse gases from human activity.
but there are no temperature records from previous centuries!
Tree rings, ice cores, and historical records show that medieval Europe was warmer than it is now, it cooled into a "mini Ice Age" that lasted until the 18th century, and it has been warming back up.
Most of the warming in this century occurred BEFORE emissions of greenhouse gases.
Many scientists believe the warming is part of a solar cycle.
Global warming is not all bad: some studies show it may lead to more rain, better crop yields, longer growing seasons, milder winters, decreased heating costs (and less oil burned...).

So why don't we hear about the controversy?
Bad news draws more listeners than good news.
Some climate scientists use bad news to sensationalize their findings.
Stopping some countries from using energy gives a competitive advantage to other countries--Kyoto, for example, would force the US to cut energy use by 25% which would destroy our economy. China would be unaffected and will be the biggest producer of carbon dioxide in a few years.
Intellectual pride and academic fighting is another problem; when you can't refute the facts, attack the messenger.
The priests of the new environmental religion find global warming a useful propaganda item in their quest to destroy modern technological society.

So follow the link and read this article. Fascinating and you won't find it anywhere else.

If you want a thorough scientific coverage of this issue, try Bjorn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist.