Whither Global Warming

First disclosure of my lack of credentials to write this post:

1. I got a D- - in High School Advanced Algebra. I used to get points for correctly copying the equation or whatever its called on my answer sheet. What I took from this class: It helps your grade when the Varsity wrestling coach is also a co-assistant football coach with the Algebra teacher and explains the consequences of a failing grade to the prospects of the wrestling team.

2. I got a C in college Trig by promising the professor that I would would not be taking any more math courses. What remains with me from this course: it has something to do with circles and uses the words sign (sine?) co- one or the other spelling, tangent, cotangent and some others.

3. I got a C+ in freshman Biology having averaged a 2.98 on the assignments, quizes, tests and the final. Though unlike me, I lobbied the professor for a B and he pointed out that 2.98 is less than 3.0; thus, a B requiring a 3.0, is not obtained by a lesser number. What remains with me from this course: Science is a cruel mistress.

4. I got an A in "Dummy Physics" having somehow dodged having to take Chemistry (an aside, scoring in the 99th percentile in math/science on the then prevalent ACT is not an indicator of ability at anything other than being able to narrow down to the correct answer when provided with four alternatives, though it may be an indicator of guessing ability). I digress. I took from this course that molecules are little, grumpy, smelly men. They don't like each other and only get close together when it's cold. When it gets hot, they smell even worse and retreat from each other. Scientific conclusion: matter shrinks when cold and expands when hot, though this does not seem to fully square with the Big Bang Theory. They probably cover that in the next class.

So, take the rest of this with a grain of salt:

A hot topic of the media, talk-show hosts and my friends is whether Global Warming is contributed to by us - humans. Even President Bush is getting in on the talk by mentioning it in his State of the Union Address (though he may have needed a minute of speech and not wanted to talk about Iraq).

So, here's my considered opinion (re-read points 1 -4 above before you jump on the bandwagon):

1. Man-made emissions, whether or not they increase global warming, aren't a good thing. Where we can, it is a good idea to reduce or eliminate them.

2. Reliance on fossil fuels is a bad thing. Those with control of them recently, Iran, warring Iraq, Saudi Arabia and crazy Chavez, leverage income from them to gain political influence and power, internally and internationally; and, if we become dependant enough on oil, they will have more control over our economy and security.

3. For the most part, we will not move to alternative energy sources until driven by economic factors. But in the short term, mandating, not cajoling for, mandating minimum gas mileage, across the board, of 30 or 35 mpg, should cost little and will reduce emissions and use of oil. Reduction in oil consumption by the U.S. to any significant degree will lower oil prices. Lower oil prices mean less power held by the aforementioned.

Seems like a good idea to me, notwithstanding my math/science challenged reasoning power.