Whatever news a person may read and digest from the IPCC in the end it is what happens around them that often has more sway on their feelings about the strength or otherwise of climate change argument.

To read that Melbourne had 123 days above 20 degrees this summer compared to the previous record of 78, just another in a series of record breaking events this state has experienced over the last 5 years, will not have gone unnoticed by the average punter.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/farewell-to-balmy-days-20100411-s0tr.html

A good argument might be made that such a person is more conscious of news of events like these because of the continuing global warming debate therefore they could dismiss this as an aberration if they were so inclined.

However if they were curious enough they might then go and look at the annual mean temperature maximums for Melbourne since the 1850s.
http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_display_type=dataGraph&p_stn_num=086071&p_nccObsCode=36&p_month=13

The figures might well then drive the concerned seeker of statistics to make their way to a forum such as OLO with its posse of sceptics and ask for reassurance that everything will be all right.

Any takers?

I agree with you CSteele partly based upon recently reading comments on the Australian weatherzone site. You have a wonderful insight into how many Ozzies observe and study their environment, weather, weather patterns as opposed to reading only scientific findings.

After working for scientists, reading literature and so forth [long way to go admittedly to get my head around it all], I am being educated here on OLO by so many people, and wish to thank everyone immensely who shares their knowledge, their concepts and observations on climate change.

For any recent OLO forum members, [like myself] do not hold back just reading on OLO; contribute any ideas regardless of whether you feel ridicule will come your way or not; this is how we all learn and unite together for our future generation.

What do we know about the IPCC AR4 report?
Canadian Researcher Donna Laframboise headed a forty member international team to check that the references were peer reviewed. 30% of the papers were not peer reviewed.
http://nofrakkingconsensus.blogspot.com/
Lets stop making excuses for the real criminals in the world.

Dear phoenix94,

I'm sure Donna Laframboise is doing what she thinks is a valuable public service and the IPCC reports do indeed need public scrutiny.

However I'm not sure how much weight to give to someone who organized "Forty citizen auditors" in an "online crowdsourcing effort to examine the references".

Be that as it may I'm looking for reassurance that everything will be all right and the lack or otherwise of some peer reviewing of IPCC reports just isn't going to cut it in that regard.

I'm wondering if you are prepared to give me, and others who are a little unnerved about the plethora of temperature records that seem to be getting broken in Victoria all in line with predictions, an unequivocal undertaking that there is nothing to be worried about?

And if you are happy to give us that I would ask for one small favour, could you please give us some idea at what point should we get worried?

Can't wait till many years into the future when us 'deniers' will be able to say 'I told you so'.

You climate change people are, like, so last week. Hello! I think you'll find it's Icelandic volcanoes and the volcano outgassing emissions trading scheme, run by Icelands' minister for roofing insulation, Bjork. But at least we are all going to die, and thats the main thing.