An open letter to Fred Thompson

Dear Fred,

I see you don't think humans cause global warming - instead you think it's caused by the changes in solar output (strange then that Uranus appears to be cooling, but whatever).

I'd like to know if you're willing to put your money where your mouth is. I'm willing to bet that the per-decade warming rate in the next decade will be twice what it was per decade in the 20th Century. If all that's happening is a recovery from a cold spell ending in 1850, I'd think we'd be pretty much done now, without any reason to anticipate the rate to double, so you should clean up.

Or if you think it's just a short term cycle, then I'll bet that it's going to last for awhile.

Please let me know if you're interested. After all, you're betting other people's lives if you're wrong, so I can't see why you won't bet your own money.

Sincerely,
Brian Schmidt