Al Gore is Scientific American's Policy Leader of the Year

[Apollo11]

Scientific American - December 2006

November 12, 2006

Scientific American 50: Policy Leader of the Year

By JR Minkel and Gary Stix

POLICY LEADER OF THE YEAR

Al Gore - U.S. Vice President

The former presidential candidate is the preeminent spokesperson on climate change

It sounds improbable: a documentary film about global warming, starring Vice President Al Gore, has become the third-highest-grossing documentary of all time. After his loss in the 2000 presidential election, Gore began giving a talk on global warming to audiences around the world. An Inconvenient Truth is the film version (also appearing in book form) of his multimedia presentation. Remarkably, its heavy use of PowerPoint slides actually adds to the narrative, which interweaves explanations of climate science with defining episodes from Gore's life to convey a mix of alarm and hope.

The film is a paragon of clear science communication. It explains the workings of complex physical phenomena, such as the jet stream (sic), while chronicling the reality of glaciers receding and the increase in carbon dioxide emissions and global temperatures. Gore, meanwhile, succeeds in bringing the "moral imperative" of reducing greenhouse gases to a personal level, attempting to convince viewers that their own actions can make a difference.

<...>

Read the whole article here:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=CA1F51BD-E7F2-99DF-394B9B6312C7753D

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In Gore We Trust :-)
www.algore.org
www.draftgore.com
www.draftgore2008.org
www.patriotsforgore.com
www.climatecrisis.net

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Apollo11]

1. the jet stream

I think they mean "the gulf stream".

But I'm no scientist ....

[bananas]

5. IIRC there was a section on the jet stream. nt

[bananas]

6. NY Times review describes jet stream explanation in the movie:

"But as I said, the movie is not about him. He is, rather, the surprisingly engaging vehicle for some very disturbing information. His explanations of complex environmental phenomena — the jet stream has always been a particularly tough one for me to grasp — are clear, and while some of the visual aids are a little corny, most of the images are stark, illuminating and powerful."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/24/movies/24trut.html?ei=5083&en=42220907b0fd919b&ex=1180065600&pagewanted=all

[Apollo11]

7. Thanx bananas

I will have to get the DVD ...

[RaleighNCDUer]

20. Is the DVD out yet?

I saw it in theater just last month - haven't heard of the DVD release yet, and am anxiously awaiting it - EVERYONE in the family gets it for Xmas, if it's available.

[RestoreGore]

21. DVD Comes Out November 21

But you can pre-order it on Amazon.com for almost half price now.

[jwirr]

24. I think you can pre-order it on BuzzFlash.com and help Dems get

the news out.

[RestoreGore]

31. Republicans need to get this out too

Regardless of the political rancor, this issue goes above Party.

[jwirr]

35. Where you buy the DVD does not enter into the spread of info but

where your money is spent can make a difference.

[ms liberty]

8. I'm not sure...

what they meant, but there is a "jet stream" and a "gulf stream." One is an ocean current, the other is an air current, IIRC.

[RestoreGore]

22. jet and gulf streams

Jet stream is air currents caused by air masses of differing tempereratures that meet (winds in the Northern and Southern hemispheres)and the Gulf Stream is the "conveyor belt" of ocean currents that determines global temperature. Al Gore explained both in the movie very well.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Least. Surprising. Fact. EVER.

[ourbluenation]

3. Gore/Clark 08 n/t

[texpatriot2004]

4. Way to go Gore nm

[blm]

9. I am still disappointed that Gore had this presentation in the 90s and Clinton never

saw reason to let Gore share it with the nation back then.

It just doesn't make any sense that Gore had to go out and get a movie made to spread the word as a private citizen, when Clinton could have had his VP educate the country in a national address.

[AtomicKitten]

11. well, we're still disappointed Kerry didn't answer the Swift Boar Liars

immediately and forcefully, but what do either have to do with giving Al a high-five for this honor?
Hmmmmmmm?

[blm]

12. Back off with the gratuitous attacks. I clearly said Gore 's GREAT presentation should

have been part of national policy that EDUCATED the citizens since he had this presentation back then. It wasn't HIS fault - he was obviously not ALLOWED to present it by the PRESIDENT he served.

It would have made a tremendous difference BECAUSE the presentation is so powerful.

Spin yourself away from my posts if spin and attacks is all you have to offer.

[AtomicKitten]

13. If it isn't about Kerry, just about everything you post

is meant to demean his possible competition in 2008. Even we dolts here at DU can discern passive-aggressive behavior when we see it over and over again. And here's a tissue for you if calling a spade a spade makes you feel icky.

[blm]

14. Knock it off. Go stalk and attack someone else. I am straightforward and always

have been. If you were around longer you'd know it. I don't disguise ANY of my feelings and never have. When I'm tough, I'm tough, when I'm soft, I'm soft. I don't need psychoanalysis from a stalker.

[AtomicKitten]

16. or, more accurately, you don't like being challenged

on your bullshit.

[blm]

17. You might want to ask the scores of Dean primary supporters who I am still friendly with

here on DU - and those battles were a hundred times hotter than anything you've experienced during your time at DU. You could learn a lesson or two from the sincere longtime posters here. Earnestness MATTERS. Unsubstantiated snark gets one nowhere for long.

[RestoreGore]

29. Clinton's ego probably wouldn't let him

And I always believed that Mr. Gore was kept in the shadows behind Clinton, and never liked Clinton for it. That's one reason why I am so happy that he has finally gotten this out now, and imo is one reason why he is not planning on running for President. But I truly believe the private sector is a place Mr. Gore can do tremendous things for the world and this honor just proves it.

[blm]

33. Thankyou RestoreGore....it's nice to be understood clearly and I notice how often

we agree in many areas about Gore and when we disagree we are still civil about it - Much appreciated.

[RestoreGore]

34. Nothing wrong with disagreement...

As long as it is civil. But I actually agree with you on this. Mr. Gore should have been allowed to take this presentation out while he was VP. It would have made a tremendous difference. But again, it just proves his point about this toxic system. Take care.

[AtomicKitten]

10. Bravo to the intelligent choice in 2000

and hopefully again in 2008.

[byronius]

15. Gore. More and More. Wherefore? Thence -- Gore.

Sorry. Re-eading the Collected Works of Bill Shakespeare. Man, do I hope Al runs.

[RestoreGore]

18. He is doing more as a private citizen...

I am happy for Mr. Gore that he won this award because it means that as a private citizen he is actually accomplishing more on this issue than he could have inside the beltway in the same time span. He is now in New Zealand talking to their Superfund Group, and is going from there to Australia to teach his slideshow and then continue it in Nashville. He has traveled the world influencing events and even helping PM Howard of Australia to realize that human induced climate change is a danger... and that is what this is really all about. It is about bringing the message and exacting action. For Mr. Gore it is not about him, but the issue. That's why I love him so much. Congratulations, Mr. Gore!
Oh, and just as a point of reference to the OP, my site Patriots for Al Gore is not a political site regarding any draft of any kind and I am not aligned with any other Al Gore site on the web that pushes a political agenda. Thank you.

[Olney Blue]

19. I finally saw "An Inconvenient Truth" on an airline flight recently.

Gore deserves every possible award for this documentary.

:patriot:

[jwirr]

23. This very important because this is what we need to focus on NOW.

But I hope he does not forget the other areas that he is excellent in: ethics, constitutional issues, and true compassion. This man has been making wonderful speeches from the minute he "lost" to the SCOTUS.

[Uncle Joe]

25. A well deserved honor for Al Gore!

Thanks for posting Apollo

Kicked, too late to recommend

:patriot:

[Coventina]

26. Which is why I support him for POTUS, at least for now.

Go Big Al!!

:loveya:

[karynnj]

27. This is so well deserved - It's hard to think of any one individual

who single handidly did as much to make an important scientific issue both comprehendable and a voting issue to such a large group of people. This award was made for him.

I saw this some time ago with a community group. The discussion afterward was on what we could do was interesting. This opens a dialogue and starts on the definition of solutions - Gore as a policy leader or as a political leader will be a voice that has enormous impact on the world. Whichever path he chooses, he has done a huge amount of good on this.

[RoccoR5955]

28. Al Gore is THE man!

It seems that SciAm is telling us that Al Gore is to environmental science, what Carl Sagan was to cosmology. WTG Al!

[Mass]

30. As it should be!!!

[katty]

32. Go Gore!

[McCamy Taylor]

36. Damn! Now he will never run for president!