One regularly hears news reporting of conclusions determined by scientific research. There was a time in my life that these determinations deserved consideration. These days, however, their results meet with my utter skepticism. They usually receive the level of respect similar to that of a good push poll.

Perhaps in my old age (53 today) I have just become jaded. But, I suggest that is only a part of the answer. I suspect that these conclusions are selectively chosen by the reporter, that these conclusions are a rush to judgment by researchers striving to publish before perishing, that the conclusions are meant to curry favor with a certain segment that will elevate the researcher’s personal status within a desired milieu and provide future expectations of grant money, or that they are derived from research tainted by ideology rather than the scientific method in order to promote an agenda.

And yet, somewhere among these there is some research that can actually be called ‘scientific’– meticulous in trial after trial, precise, little tainted by presupposition, and reproducible.

At any rate, I have a hard time believing that oat bran will cure global warming.