[ExI] "Up against the warming zealots"...hmmm

[Lee Corbin]

Eugen writes

> On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 12:14:19AM -0700, Lee Corbin wrote:
> 
>> Generally speaking, warming has always been of benefit to human populations
>> (in all the cases I know of). The Medieval Warming period is usually the
> 
> Perhaps you should read Diamond's Collapse.

I did.  It's the best description of the extinction of the Greenland
settlement I've read, although it too much neglects the worsening climate.

>> Each year far more people die from cold than from heat. In general,
>> winter kills, while summer is a relatively easy time for most species.
> 
> Surely, Lee, you can't think in such simplistic terms.

Why isn't that a factor, exactly?  In general, we *do* want it warmer
insofar as human deaths per year go (of course, there are many other
factors we want to take into consideration, I'd better hasten to admit).

> Surely you understand what precipitation pattern shifts would mean to 
> sustenance farmers?

The patterns change anyway.  Moreover, while yes, some farmers will
experience less rainfall, others, equally bad off, will experience gains.
I doubt if anyone can adequately guess all the tradeoffs.

Lee