When my son brought home the latest awareness raising literature on global warming, I was shocked to find this phrase: "Some experts say it is happening naturally." That was a first, and when it finally hit me. 2008 will be the Year of the Skeptic.

There were other signs. For instance, a New York news outlet recently did a story on the state's heat wave, and didn't mention the "greatest threat to mankind" even once.

The Year of the Skeptic is underway, but it wouldn't be possible without ‘07, which set the table splendidly. Among other things:

• Over 400 scientists (including many current and former members of the U.N.'s IPCC) came forward to challenge the orthodoxy, an unprecedented number that, in favor of the science could only be a "consensus."

• The film, "An Inconvenient Truth," was determined to contain nine major errors by a British court. The film is still shown in England's schools, but must be accompanied by a warning, like cigarettes.

• Awareness raising events LiveEarth and the Bali conference generated more CO2 than small nations, dashing all hope those who insist climate change is a crisis will ever act like it.

• Nations that signed Kyoto were reported to have increased emissions by over 20 percent, non-signers by 10 percent, and the U.S. less than 7 percent, making Kyoto earth's most polluting treaty.

• Issues linked to climate change jumped the shark. Divorce causes it, obesity, war, and suicides, result. Governor Pawlenty dove right in, suggesting it makes fish bite earlier.

• Both of the following statements proved true: Arctic sea ice at lowest levels ever! Clear evidence of global warming. Arctic sea ice reach highest levels ever! Clear evidence of climate change.

• A famous Australian climate change soothsayer claimed the Brisbane area would run out of water by year's end. By year's end, water levels in the three dams were higher than at any point in the previous year.

• NASA fixed a glitch, causing 1998, "hottest year ever," to be de-throned. The new hottest year? 1934. 2007 also refused to cooperate, failing to fulfill "hottest year" predictions - falling somewhere behind 2001. In fact, there hasn't been discernible warming since ‘98, birthing the theory of global stagnance.

• All this depressing news had climate change journalist Dave Lindorff looking for a "silver lining" last month, claiming that the "end times" would kill or displace primarily the nation's "troglodyte" conservatives. It knows if you've been bad or good, you see.

The Year of the Skeptic has already started with a bang. The IPCC was forced to release comments of reviewers for it's 2007 assessment, and they - in number and criticism - cast serious doubt on the IPCC's claim that "2,500 scientists" agree climate change is human caused. Writing in the Canada Free Press, climate data analyst John McLean and Tom Harris said, "That the IPCC have let this deception continue for so long is a disgrace."

On Jan. 3, scientist Oleg Sorokhtin said we've peaked, and cooling is now the concern, leaving many, like me, wondering what to do with that stock of thong bathing suits. Last week, the U.N. took another blow when researchers at Leeds discovered, contrary to claims, there is no "long term net decline" in tropical forestation, which is integral to the theory of global warming.

Predictions for the future rarely work out, which, come to think of it, is one of the key problems with climate change. But I feel pretty good about this one. As they might say, models point to increasing doubt, and 2008 looks to be the "most skeptical year ever."

Comment from Kevin Mold, 1/18/08

A very entertaining - if not enlightening article. It is indeed ridiculous to attempt to make predictions regarding our climate based on assessments and evaluations made over the last several or even hundreds of years when this represents but a fraction of our planets life. I wonder if Al Gore will ever be asked to return his Nobel Prize - or perhaps his Oscar for his farcical movie that plays fast and loose with the "truth" in such a convenient manner?