Ya know, the second I read what you said, I remembered what happened :( Ok, let me try a quick save..... ... ... /facepalm Nevermind I lost.

We can rewrite Flowers for Algernon and let the mouse be the one who gets smart.

I think most of us are getting caught up on what WE judge as "lasting 15 years." Look at the current setup, one that he's only now considering upgrading. You could probably get him a decent system now, and with proper maintenance keep it operational for as long as he is willing to use it. He obviously doesn't have too high a standard.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by your analogy of the physicist, but it seems that you are just perpetuating the problem I pointed out. All the data about carbon dioxide and temperature from ice cores was compiled into this chart displayed in Al Gore's movie, http://www.adobe.com/uk/designcenter/thinktank/womack/tt_womack_2.jpg , The way we estimate carbon dioxide's effect on the atmosphere is then drawn from the correlation, and then that information is fed into models of greenhouse effects. If the information we drew from the correlation was wrong, which is what the 800 year gap suggests, then ALL the current models are completely worthless.

I know of the greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect, but you really didn't address my concerns. The chart I am referring to IS the basis for the belief that CO2 has a measurable effect on the temperature of our planet. It is a compendium of all the temperature and C02 data from the ice cores for as long as we can measure them. If the link they represent is not as strong as we currently believe, we will have to find other solutions. The report you mentioned would then be completely invalid, as they are basing their information on a false correlation. The question I wanted answer dealt with the 800 year gap and explanations on why it is there. If climate scientists can't explain that problem, then C02 isn't the issue.

I scanned through and didn't see it mentioned anywhere, but has anyone else heard about this problem? The entire global warming problem is contingent on the concept that an increase in CO2 leads to higher temperatures, and this is based on the data compiled into the nice chart that Al Gore displays and comments, "They look like the belong together." Or something like that. The problem is that CO2 amounts don't precede the increase in temperature, they actually lag behind the temperature changes by about 800 years. This can be explained by the idea that as the world heats up, the oceans heat as well. As the oceans heat, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Of course this leaves the question, "Why does the planet heat up?" to be answered, and while the data is much more limited, there seems to be a very strong correlation between solar activity and global temperature. Has anyone else come across this line of research? Or have anything that builds on or refutes this?

Last summer, I worked at Citizen's Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. At some point either late in the season or early in the playoffs, the entire facility was evacuated, fans, employees, everything, due to a suspicious package found outside main warehouse gates. Two hours later, after a horrible evacuation drill and horrible management of the situation, we were allowed back inside. The Culprit? A hot-dog carrier the concession vendors use had been left outside on the ground by the employee entrance to the warehouse.

Linux is successful as open source because so many people want a hand in overcoming a separate power's hold on the computer world. Open Source Government would be corrupt because so many want a hand in power over the world.