"David Ball" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 16:34:14 GMT, Larry Caldwell
wrote:

(David Ball) writes:

Jesus Murphy! Would you two kindly do a little thinking,
especially about the meaning of cause of effect. The fires were
CAUSED
by lightning or a careless camper or god-forbid...a MATCH! Think
about
it! Global warming is an effect. It cannot CAUSE anything. In the
case
you speak about Larry, the fire load in the forest EXACERBATED the
fires, but it sure as hell did not cause them. Long periods of dry
weather can EXACERBATE the fire situation, Alistair, but it does
not
CAUSE the fire in the first place. Fire load and dry weather are
contributing factors to the extent and severity of the fire, but
they
are not, EVER, the cause.

You have a pretty narrow version of causality there, David. If
forest
fires are caused by lighting or carelessness, why don't we have
forest
fires in the winter?

I have a pretty accurate version of causality. Kindly show me,
Larry, how to start a fire just by putting wood into a pile?

uh, oh.... David. Not to burst your bubble but you *can* do that. In my
hometown the used to be a large 'pit' that contained rather extensive
piles of 'sawdust'. It would catch fire at regular intervals from
'spontaneous combustion'. Just wood in a pile... ;-)