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I was born and have lived most of my life in Al Gore's home state of Tennessee. I have seen his mansion which probably uses more energy than a small motel. However, he maintains a "carbon neutral" footprint because he invests in the "Blood & Gore" fund (he co-founded this fund that invests in "environmentally friendly" projects). Having failed to win the presidency (he didn't carry his own state, which is predominantly democratic), he has found his cross to bear...saving the world from AGW, to carve his name in history. I hold a doctorate in a scientific field, but I am no climatologist. However,since Gore studied religion, government, and (briefly), law, and he is now deemed an expert in the field, I suppose I am justified in stating my opinion based on my reasonably extensive reading on the subject. If I had a prayer for my descendents many centuries from now, it would be for them to have enough energy to survive the next ice age. I think the major source of global warming at this point is the pseudoscientific diatribe that is spewed regularly from Al Gore's mouth.

My apologies for my rather unscientific remarks.

- David, Maryville, Tennessee - USA

QUOTE: PART 5
I have written to every senator urging them to look at the graph and ask themselves the key question - what is driving climate change? If they can’t answer that simple question they shouldn’t be voting for a CPRS. This decision is the biggest economic decision in this country’s history, one which is too important to vote along party lines. I call on the government to answer my question with a straight answer. If they’re not prepared to do so, I’m happy to fight the lone battle in the senate until those senators who are honest with themselves break party lines.
UNQUOTE
Regards, Pete Ridley, Human-made Global Climate Change Agnostic

- Pete Ridley, London, England

QUOTE: PART 4
I went back to the government with this question but was met with a wall of silence. They had clearly decided it was safer not to engage with me because I had legitimate questions which they probably were unable to answer. I was left feeling that the only responsible thing to do was to vote against this legislation. At the end of the day, it would be a betrayal of my duty to the Australian people to put at risk the national economy and many thousands of jobs on what is clearly inconclusive science.

But then enter Al Gore. Here was a man who had a lot of power and went around the world preaching about climate change. I thought he might have the answer for me, the ones I couldn’t extract from the Rudd government. I briefly met Mr Gore at a breakfast in Melbourne attended by more than a thousand people. He was aware of the important role Family First plays in the senate and was keen to catch up. After a series of phone calls I was met with a stonewall of resistance. I offered to meet Mr Gore at any place at any time but had no luck. Here we had the former Vice President of the United States, a self proclaimed climate change preacher running away from me over a few simple questions. I could hardly believe it. I would have thought if Al Gore was really committed to the cause he would want to meet with all senators who had concerns about the science if it would help ensure that the CPRS legislation would pass. Obviously I was wrong.

- Pete Ridley, London, England

QUOTE: PART 3
It is important to point out that the IPCC had predicted in their models that there would be a direct correlation between increasing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing global temperatures. However, if you look at the graph it is obvious to everyone that this correlation simply does not exist.

Armed with this information I sat down with Minister Wong, the Chief Scientist and Professor Will Steffen of the ANU to hear their explanation. After an hour and a half I left none the wiser. I received a written response to my questions from the Minister a few days later which had me even more uncertain. According to the Minister, air temperature, a measurement relied upon by the IPCC and the Rudd Government to justify its emissions trading scheme was irrelevant. Instead, I was told that I should really be concerned with the variability in ocean temperatures. Not only did this contradict all of the information which the Minister had provided me with only a few days earlier but I was also aware of an IPCC report which stated that the measuring of ocean temperatures was not reliable.

- Pete Ridley, London, England

QUOTE: PART 2
Moreover, I strongly believe in giving everyone a fair hearing even if it isn’t the most popular view. I believe it’s my role as a a politician, to wade through all of the spin and come up with my own conclusions after hearing all of the facts. Some of the data led me to question whether the Rudd government had got the science right. I then took some of the information and questions I had to the White House where I met with one of President Obama’s senior climate change advisors. While these discussions were fruitful, I was left at the end with even more questions than when I had started.

In an effort to try to get to the bottom of the issue I started to talk to a number of scientists based in Australia to get a feel for what their views were on the subject. Amongst the many presentations, one item really stood out. I was presented with a graph based on data that IPCC use which showed carbon dioxide emissions sky rocketing over the last 15 years while global temperatures had remained steady. This graph left me nothing short of flabbergasted. Up until this point I had truly believed that human made carbon dioxide emissions were responsible for climate change. However, this graph basically said otherwise. I was left asking myself how I could vote for a carbon pollution reduction scheme if it appeared as though carbon dioxide emissions were not driving climate change.

- Pete Ridley, London, England

Dear readers, this is the lead item in Australian Senator Steve Fielding which I think all of our politicians and environmentalists should see.

QUOTE: PART 1
Climate change is real. Yes that’s right, contrary to the misreporting in the media, I do believe in climate change. That might come as a shock to some of those on the left side of politics, but it’s the truth. The question that concerns me, however, is what is driving it? Is it increasing levels of human made carbon dioxide emissions, variations in solar radiation or something else?

Around three months ago one of my advisors pulled me aside and asked me what I thought was driving climate change. I smiled and said automatically that it was obviously a result of increasing carbon dioxide emissions. I had never really looked at the science and just assumed what was reported in the media to be true. Well wasn’t I in for an enormous shock. My advisor presented me with data and some comments from a number of scientists which suddenly had me asking many questions. This led me to do some further reading and I ultimately decided to head over to Washington on a self funded trip so I could find out more about the science behind climate change.

In the US I met with numerous scientists on both sides of the debate. Some media outlets would have you believe that I met only with climate skeptics who they accuse of being paid off by the fossil fuel industry. These claims are wholly inaccurate.

- Pete Ridley, London, England

Direct action may disrupt our daily lives, but if we don't take time to think about climate change, nobody will do anything and things will only get worse! In the third world, people are already dying because of climate change. As the world gets hotter, flooding and disease kill more people in Africa and Asia, and it's our fault the world is heating up! I think it's really selfish to complain that activists 'inconvenience' you. I think it's worse for people in Africa when their crops fail and they starve!

- Lucy Two, London UK

Eco terrorism?! I don't think so. This group are trying to raise awareness of what Government scientists and scientists all over the world have been researching and advising us for decades; because they are not ignorant and because they care. Open your eyes please to possible climate catastrophe if Government policies don't change now. Read Climate Code Red or go mad - and read Lord Stern's report!

- Georgie Rose, London

Thank God that the original suffragettes didn't listen to compaints about their actions "inconveniancing others". If they had done, then women wouldn't have the vote! Well done all at the bridge, climate change is a human rights issue and it must be taken seriously, it needs serious action.

- Lucy, london

Eco terrorism at work. I think we need a new bill in Parliament to detain these miscreants.
42 days should do it

- Mr S.Port, London

this would not happen in paris.

- Malk, chingford

Climate Rush: when you undertake protests like this you are not bringing good publicity to your cause.

The Londoners you inconvenience see a simple picture, which is cyclist = self righteous, selfish idiot.

I might have started cycling years ago, but I don't want to be perceived as lending support to a bunch of wanabe-eco-warriors.

I hope these idiots are visited by a curse of slow punctures!

- Andy, London

Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

It's exactly your sort of attitude towards cyclists that causes hostility between road users.

Are you middle aged and over weight by any chance?

- Dom, London

.. and the Tamils!

- George Parr, London

...shoot them!

- George Parr, London

These are just the rich stopping people going about there business.
Someone should send in the water cannons, or set some vicious dogs on them.
They are nothing but self righteous scum, that deserve the night of the long knives.
Please clear off and vanish
I hope Ryan sue these selfish pigs.

- David, london

Don't we provide Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park on a Sunday morning for this sort of thing? Get the hoses out.

- Martin H. Watson, Teddington

Dave Davies

It's exactly your sort of attitude towards cyclists that causes hostility between road users.

Are you middle aged and over weight by any chance?

- David, London

I cycle everyday, there is no way I would encourage motorists to hate me.

With regard to the protest, am anti pollution but do not believe in Global Warming which has been re-labelled Climate Change to explain the fact that over the last ten years we have not got any hotter. Am certainly more frightened of Scots being in charge of banks or our Parliament.

- Harry H, London UK

Dave-why the association of the word "Fascist" with people who ride bicycles? Would you have such a vitriolic response if it had been a group of motorists who had bought things to a standstil?(Which happens every day all over London).

- Oliver Mehmet, Barnet

I assume you're a cabbie Dave Davies as you are obviously too thick to tell the difference between protesters and people legitimately travelling around London by bicycle.

- Mark, London

What a bunch of twits! Quite like Henry Gurwood's idea but the hoses would have to be REALLY powerful so then the rest of us could have a good laugh watching the lycra-clad insects being washed up the bridge. If I were in charge, however, I'd simply flatten them with a fleet of Sherman tanks! Not because I disagree with protesting (am all for it generally) but because I just hate cyclists!

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

I hope they won't complain when the lights go out!

- M Wood, somerset uk

Cristabel - there isnt any evidence, just manipulated data chosen to fit the climate change argument. If you dont manipulate it, there is no correlation between CO2 production and earth temperature. You do find that it is the other way round, climate change brings changes in CO2 concentrations.

Why would the governments of western socialist leaning, high taxing, oil importing countries not have us believe anything else?

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke

It is true that we have exported our manufacturing to China, and that is where our carbon emissions are partly happening now.

But China has increasing activity from the government and independent environmental groups, to clean up its act, and the first wave of coal-fired power stations will tail off quickly.

- Jon, London

I hope this will not be allowed to go on for 43+ days costing metropolitan police 8 million pounds like the LTTE supporters' protest.

- Selvani Ponnadurai, London, UK

Elmo,

Glad you bought up China. If you consider their current CO2 output per capita is currently running at less than a third of Britain's, I think you'll find the nation should be held up as model and not an excuse to do absolutely nothing.

In line with Climate Rush's ideals car ownership in China's is significantly lower than Britain's, their food miles make up a fraction of ours and general domestic energy usage in suburban areas is lower than would be required for a global sustainable average.

Clearly is it more diffcult than you grasp as well. Getting on with your lives is exactly what is putting the future of the planet at risk and if people don't make the effort to disrupt that I doubt you would notice until its too late. Just because someone doesn't have a solution at hand, doesn't mean that they should be criticised for pointing out that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

- Andrew Rodgers, Swindon, UK

Where are those protesting against the encroachment on our civil liberties?

- Gwaddilove, london ENGLAND

Cristable "Yesterday it was Westminster Bridge. Tomorrow it has to be the world."

Remember that your legitimate right to protest is protected and paid for my the workers of this country. Please feel free to go to the rest of the worlds largest polluters and get them sorted out first.

- Graham, Fleet

Great news. The cycling fascists are bringing London to a standstill. As if you didnt already have enough reason to find them an irritant.

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke

Henry Gurwood:

Well said I think you said what most "reasonable people" would like to see.

- P Staker, London, SW8

I'm confused, are these Tamil cyclists?

- Keith, King's Cross, London

Cristabel - you were obviously involved in yesterday's stunt. Have you stopped to think how much effect even a 20% reduction in UK emissions will have on the whole picture. Very little. I suggest you protest in China where they are building coal fired power stations by the week. Then the chinese will tell you that they are building power stations to power the factories that are making the goods that westerners can no longer manufacture in their own counries cheaply enough. So you see, it's a lot more complicated than your simple mind can grasp - so until you do work out the real answer to the problem, don't be disrupting the rest of us getting on with life while you fritter away your life with half-baked ideas.

- Elmo, Barnet

Well done Climate Rush. In the morning they staged a protest at Chatham House where coal industry giants got together to discuss business as usual.

The conference was called Is Coal the Answer to Energy Security?. It's quite evident that coal is a major cause of climate change.

The media hasn't reported that six people were arrested. Good for them. Climate Rush disrupted business as usual.

In the evening they closed Westminster Bridge. Not half as inconvenient as London flooding due to rising sea levels.

If our governments and their corporate cronies won't try to sort out the sorry mess humanity has gotten itself into, then only the people can.

We have to get organised. We don't have much time, so it's damn lucky we have ceased to wait!

Yesterday it was Westminster Bridge. Tomorrow it has to be the world.

- Cristabel, UK

Turn a fire hose on them, that'll clear them out of the way and cool their small but over-heated brains, as well as giving the sweaty little pests a much-needed bath.

As for the bikes they were blocking the road with - send them to the crusher.

- Henry Gurwood, London, UK

"Climate Rush said they were inspired by Tamil demonstrators, .."

Yes and look how popular they are now.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

And now the police will pay the cost of failing to deal with the Tamil protests more robustly. The Met is perceived as weak because of this and in light of the comment by a spokesman at the end of the article rightly so. Don't worry about London getting on with business, don't worry about commuters trying to get to and from work etc. It will be a summer of chaos with increased policing costs as they have to have more officers on standby...what a joke!

- Ranter, Maidstone, UK

Idiots this will achieve nothing except to give a 'reason' for (that minority of) bullying, moronic car drivers to behave aggressively towards cyclists.....Tamsin wants to go and get a proper job and do something constructive for the country. This will have caused congestion...which in itself will have spewed more CO2 into the atmosphere while they were protesting.

- Dc, London

I believe that we all have a right to protest about anything we disagree with,what we have not got a right to do is cause disruption to other's going (or trying to)about their business,the time has now arrived to ban ALL street protests in London,and instead only allow them in one of London's parks.

- Terry, Bristol

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