How old were you?

Question

When people bring up that dopey lame story that the climatologists predicted an ice age in the 1970's, a lot of them manage to say something like "I was around", or "I'm old enough to remember". Well that's pretty vague isn't it? I was in my 30's, a military veteran and college graduate when I read Lowell Ponte's book and saw him on the Johnny Carson show. He was a meteorologist and a maverick who thought he was smarter than all the Climatologists. Today he's a denier. A few people followed his lead, but only other mavericks like him. Their math turned out to be wrong, but they didn't care.

So what I'd like to know is how old were all you expert witnesses who know all about what went on ion the world of climatology in the 1970's? When I read the posts I picture someone in a high chair with applesauce all over his face watching Captain Kangaroo. That might not be fair though, so I thought I'd ask.

Answer 1

I was in elementary and junior high school.  Our teachers, the literature we were given, even science fiction stories scared us pretty badly about the coming ice age.  We were bombarded with messages about how humans were causing this ice age and if we didn't change our ways the glaciers would return to crush New York and London.

Similarly, I see frequent posting from young people in Yahoo Answers about how SCARED they are, due to their teachers' efforts, about global warming and how they must change their ways, must do whatever Al Gore or the other activists insist, in order to 'save the planet'.

These fear tactics are nothing new.  They create compliant cattle.

See the movie "Arctic Tale", now used to 'educate' young people.  It's just another scare tactic propaganda piece, co-written by Al Gore's daughter.  Then watch the special features on the DVD and realize that the guys who shot the footage had a very different message in mind from what they personally observed.

If all these animals can adapt to Earth's cyclic climate changes, why can't we?

Answer 2

I was in my early 30s in 1975 when time & news week featured the coming coming ice age articles. It was also discussed in science digest & other journals a few years before that I seem to recall.

there was no big panic about it like there is now with the agw campaign. it was only of interest to those of us who subscribed to science magazines.

the big thing at that time was the big reduction in gas mileage that measures to curb air  pollution were causing at the same time the arab oil crisis was raising the price of gasoline astronomically. first to 35cents then to 50 cents per gallon & you could only get it on alternate days based on whether your liscense plate # was odd or even.

the air pollution measures were very successful I never thought I would live to see the air & rivers as clean as they are now.

but the organizations & bureaucracys put in place then have to keep growing today & have to find new demons to fight to justify their continued existance & growth. thats what this big panic about a fraction of a degree either way change in temperature is about. a new generation of bureaucrats have to justify their 6 figure salarys. its become a self perpetuating industry.

Answer 3

wasnt born

Answer 4

i was born in 76 so don't remember any of it

Answer 5

Lets see I was 19 @ 71, served during Nam. Got out and graduated with a science degree...love that GI Bill. Thought I could change the world, by doing studies on the environment. The oil crises hit so I said to myself; Alternative energy is the way to go ...whoops wrong thing to think. Mindset -vs- reality, slapped me in the face hard. So ~ 33 yrs later the cycle has became complete. The world is still at square one.

Answer 6

I would be in my -20's.  I wasn't born until the 90's

Answer 7

I was 20 years old in 1970!  Far, far away from any high chairs!

Answer 8

I was 18 at the time, whats your point?

Answer 9

Well, I'd have to admit that I was one of those idealistic left wing liberals. I've since gotten older and somewaht wiser and can be a little more objective.

I worked as an auto tech for the last thirty five years having retired in '07. I lived through the hysteria of the expanding ozone hole fiasco and now the global warming paradox of it's getting warmer, that's why it's so cold.

The problems of air quality were affecting the LA basin simply because of geography and the weather patterns. I've seen engine sizes go up to combat NO emissions, and down to combat fuel consumption. I've seen catalytic converters added to combat particulates and EGR valves to combat SO2 emissions.

If I live long enough, I too will be sitting in a chair with a tray in front and apple sauce on my face.

Answer 10

I was 31 and I've heard people say that Global Cooling didn't receive much press. They are wrong. There was only 3 TV networks back then not like the cable news that we have today. We also had other things going on such as the Iran hostage crisis, inflation, high interest rates, etc. I remember the old brick in the toilet. Technology has come a long way since then.

Answer 11

being 66, i was here.

and honestly, i don't remember it.

it wasn't big enough to get my attention.

it would seem that the climate change problem today is a bit worse.

at least it's in the news more.

living in calif.  drought was in the news.

Answer 12

Well, I was born in '76..so depending on what part of the 70's, I would be a glimmer in my papi's eye, or 1-2 years old.

Answer 13

18 in 1979.   I was fairly informed at the time for a teenager.  

Read Time and Newsweek and Life and the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Watched McNeil Leher and Nova a lot.

I honestly don't remember it in the news.  If I did see it, it must have been an article or two that came and went.  If it was 1975, I would have missed it.

The fact is, it's a manufactured issue.  One of the proto-typical strategies used by the right to discredit their opponents.

They bank on the general ignorance and short memory / attention span.

Works every time.

You know what I clearly remember?  

Being promised energy independence in 10 years in 1973.

Pathetic.

Answer 14

I wasn't born yet.

There actually was reason to think we were headed into an ice age. At the time many of the fels and other things we burned put out a lot of sulfur particles that made their way into the upper atmosphere. There were enough of them up there to actually reflect sunlight back into space and have a slight cooling effect.

Answer 15

i wish i was around in the early 70s lol

however i was around for two major events that i really want to forget. like the challenger explosion in 1986. i cant believe that i actually saw the astronaut getting blown up in mid air.

my second was hurricane Alicia when it stuck us in 1983. my mom was working at the high school when the weather struck. the school lost its windows that year and was eventually replaced. sadly though the school burned down last year.