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Global Warming To Be Put On Trial?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the break-out-the-popcorn dept.

Mr_Blank writes to mention that the United States' largest business lobby is pushing for a public trial to examine the evidence of global warming and have a judge make a ruling on whether human beings are warming the planet to dangerous effect. "The goal of the chamber, which represents 3 million large and small businesses, is to fend off potential emissions regulations by undercutting the scientific consensus over climate change. If the EPA denies the request, as expected, the chamber plans to take the fight to federal court. The EPA is having none of it, calling a hearing a 'waste of time' and saying that a threatened lawsuit by the chamber would be 'frivolous.' [...] Environmentalists say the chamber's strategy is an attempt to sow political discord by challenging settled science — and note that in the famed 1925 Scopes trial, which pitted lawyers Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan in a courtroom battle over a Tennessee science teacher accused of teaching evolution illegally, the scientists won in the end."

5 of 1,100 comments (clear)

  1. Really... by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 5, Funny

    They'll be trying the existence of Manbearpig. Really, I'm serial!

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  2. Neat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    A problem I have been working on is pretty dicey. I think the problem is polynomially solvable (and not NP-hard), and a colleague of mine thinks that it is NP-hard. I am thinking of just getting a judge to rule on that.

  3. I'm suing gravity! by professorguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    This gravity thing is turning out to be a pain in the ass. There's no end of constructions required to keep everything from falling down. I'm sick of it. I'M SUING GRAVITY.

    I assume after a judge rules in my favor, I'll be free to float around all day long. Objective reality? That's for people without lawyers. See you in orbit, suckers!

  4. Re:"Scientific Consensus Over Climate Change" ? by david.negrier · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think you missed this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergovernmental_Panel_on_Climate_Change#IPCC_Fourth_Assessment_Report:_Climate_Change_2007 . Yes, there seems to be a scientific consensus.

  5. Re:No... by Joce640k · · Score: 5, Funny

    While they're at it they should vote to make PI equal to three. That would simplify an awful lot of engineering calculations.

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    No sig today...