"I couldn't have offered you the bet before 2005, and I believe 2006 was warmer than 2005 (not that year to year variation matters that much)."

There has been no year since 1998 which has been warmer. It would correct to say that in last 10 years average global temperature has been declining. But if 2007 or 2008 is close to being as warm or warmer than 1998 the headlines will be hottest year ever, instead of the 6 th warmest or 4th or whatever. And since the Hockey Stick has be de-bunked, only the media that wants be blatantly lie continues to say things like hottest in last 1000 years [or 2000] the generally accepted current colorful modifier is in last 400 years.

Anyhow it's accepted that global temperature has risen since the end of Little Ice Age, and if temperature had not risen we would still be in the Little Ice Age.

I would say that in terms of last few thousand years, our global temperature is still below average, and therefore I would have general expectation for temperatures to continue to rise.

"You must think my bet is somehow unfair to my opponent in betting that temps will go up at least 75% as fast the IPCC predicts over 10, 15, and 20 years, but it's hard to square that will all the denialist stuff you're constantly linking to, like at the start of this thread. "

Which IPCC prediction? The lastest one? And 75% of lowest or highest number in their given range.

What your opinion of last IPCC prediction of sea level rise?