Myths

Myths are many in the political debate. Here are two of them:

Video games are becoming more and more violent, and they result in more and more violence: Of course this statement is usually followed by some kind of State-intervention, new laws, bans or restrictions. This myth has been attacked with sound logic for a while, but it doesn't hurt to show (via) that the numbers clearly suggest that video games are not what triggers violence.

In order to save the Earth's climate from drastic changes due to human activities, we must force industries to reduce the release of CO₂ into the atmosphere: This myth is not only wrong, but also cruel: "If electricity prices are driven up, making air conditioning less affordable who will suffer the most [during heat waves]? The poorest amongst us who can least afford higher prices, and who thereby would suffer more heat related deaths." (#) Tech Central Station's Climate-section is an excellent reality-check in all the global warming hype.

The latest science indicates that the temperature increases over the past 150 years are simply a recovery from the Little Ice Age that lasted from 1400 to 1850. Current global temperatures aren't even as warm as the Medieval Climate Optimum of 900 to 1350 AD, a time when wine vineyards flourished in England. Vineyards also thrived in Britain two thousand years ago, during the earlier Roman Warming. At this point, three independent, real-world climate records -- ice cores, seabed sediments, and plant pollen databases -- indicate that a moderate 1,500-year climate cycle has occurred for the last half-million years, driven by variations in the intensity of our sun. And the science supporting the natural climate cycle grows day by day in the peer-reviewed literature. (#)

So, why are the rich countries of the world flushing billions of dollars down the toilet? And why is the market facing harsher and harsher regulations and costs in the name of environmental protection? Oh, because of an Ice Age 500 years ago! Those who confuse global warming with urban warning should be left out of the debate and not left to write the headlines.