[Charlie Southerland]

Julie, Mighty Atlas still carries the world on his shoulders. I have no such aspirations. I wouldn't think depression or lack of courage to change things
that cannot be changed has anything to do with me.

I believe that Earth has a lifespan that cannot be quantified by mere men (or women.) It is directed by something greater that us.

Al Gore, and others have said that global warming caused the harsh winter past. I would think that if that's true, then the faster 'we' warm the planet, the faster it'll cool by The Great Scientist Gore's reckoning. Earth has always gone through cycles of heating and cooling. It will until it doesn't anymore. That is realism, not speculation.

I gave up listening to Global Warming Alarmism when the State of Washington and the E.P.A. began trying to tax dairy farmers and the general populace for bovine flatulence, aka cow farts.

I gave up listening to the pap when the government began taxing us for the water runoff from our roofs after rains.

It rains a bit in Seattle. More rain, more taxes. We are being taxed for rainwater.

Now they want to tax us for sunshine. How preposterous.

Progressive government cannot survive without controlling the checkbook of its citizens. By the way, there are several progressive states that are flat broke.

People are being made to swallow this drivel so that they will voluntarily agree with the mandated taxes that can't possibly be collected by any other cogent or legal means without a rebellion breaking out.

Progressive government thrives on the ignorance of the people it governs. Deny that.

[Julie Steiner]

Hmmm. Maybe I'd be more concerned about rainwater taxes if I didn't live here:



That's the thing about global climate change--it's global. That means it's bigger than local phenomena. I don't think your calculations showing that things are actually getting colder, based on the harsh winter in the Northeastern U.S., is considering that this has been the hottest March on record here in San Diego.

It's inaccurate to conclude that climate change isn't happening, just because in some areas it has been snowing more than usual. That precipitation would normally have fallen in California, but high pressure systems in weird places meant that our winter storms instead got directed along a more northerly Jet Stream to Boston and New York and environs. Similar high pressure systems in weird places were responsible for weird weather effects like the Polar Vortex and the derecho in recent years.

Weird weather has happened before--that's why we have names for these things--and you're right that the planet goes through warming and cooling cycles. But whether or not these weather extremes are caused by human activity, dealing with them is expensive, and yes, taxes will go up as a result.

Penny-pinching governments have neglected paying for infrastructure maintenance for decades--often out of a desire to keep kicking the unpopular tax can down the road to another political party's watch. So, yeah, unfortunately, even if "global warming is bogus," it's time to pay the piper for a lot of these deferred maintenance things, because wild weather won't let those long-deferred maintenance projects be deferred any longer.

[John Whitworth]

Of course climate change is happening. Nobody doubts that. It happens all the time. People are arguing about why. And nobody knows why. Which doesn't stop them having strong opinions about it..

It's bloody cold out there.

[Charlie Southerland]

I remember when there was a book written about the population bomb scare that said the world couldn't support three billion people. Now there are seven and a quarter billion people living in the world.

2.6 billion people come from 2 countries alone. Guess what, neither of those 2 countries have signed on to the global warming deal Obama is pitching— and if they do sign on to it, they are exempt for the next 15 to 30 years while Obama apologizes for America's part in the crime. There's more! China has a strict population control procedure in place through mandatory abortion when the quota of children for couples are surpassed. Good on China. Their population is still projected to grow at astronomical rates in the foreseeable future. India has no such policy. The bottom line is this, we are to be taxed so that we can carry the load of the entire world because we have thrived and become rich by enjoying freedom? We are such sinners! Let's give the world our wealth reparations for those sins, sending us into abject poverty. I'm on board that train! Not!

Arizona's had some good rain this year but it's still a desert greened by a river.


One other thing, Oklahoma suffered from a prolonged drought back in the 20's and 30's. Dust bowl days. Will Rogers and all of that. I believe the Great Depression was going on right about then. The government didn't even have any money. I'm still trying to figure out how Oklahoma isn't a desert. Does anyone know? Maybe some former Oklahomans might know.

Progressives are all about fairness, right? Then let China, India and Africa pay their fair share now since they comprise about 40 to 50 percent of the world's population and are more culpable when it comes to greenhouse gases than we are.

[Max Goodman]

today

Originally Posted by John Whitworth

Of course climate change is happening. Nobody doubts that.

yesterday

Originally Posted by John Whitworth

The planet has not warmed since 2000. Check that, Janice. It is true. Mind you, you'll have to check with someone who tells you the truth.

[Roger Slater]

He contains multitudes.

[John Whitworth]

I don't see your point, Max. I did not say warming. I said change. Temperatures went up. And then they went down. Change. Got it.

Charlie I gather that by 2080 the problem will be that world population will decrease. The West will be able to deal with it. The muslim world, backward as ever, will not. Far too many old people living to 120. Not enough children. Come on all you wrinklies. Smoke and drink a lot more. Do you want to live for ever?

[Janice D. Soderling]

Never mind. it seems to be fixed now.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Charlie, that is not the way to argue. Without naming them, you say

2.6 billion people come from 2 countries alone. Guess what, neither of those 2 countries have signed on to the global warming deal Obama is pitching

It is true that China has the greatest CO2 emissions in the world, but their per capita emission is 7.4. The US has the next greatest and their per capita emission is 16.6. India has the third greatest with a per capita rate of 1.7. Then comes Russia 12.6 and Japan, 10.7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ions_estimates

How does this compare with Kyoto Protocol support by the big countries? Who has signed (S), ratified (R), put into force (F). The 10 most populous countries have done (or not done) the following: China (S,R,F), India (R,F), the USA (S but not ratified, not in force), Indonesia (S,R,F), Brazil (S,R,F), Pakistan , Nigeria (not signed but R), Bangladesh (not signed but R,F), Russia (S,R,F), Japan (S,R,F). http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/sta...items/2613.php

Then you say:

Then let China, India and Africa pay their fair share now since they comprise about 40 to 50 percent of the world's population and are more culpable when it comes to greenhouse gases than we are.

Further, neither land mass or population are pertinent yardsticks to measure culpability. It is incorrect to compare the poorest, least educated, such as India, with the richest and most educated, such as the United States. The most culpable in the global warming scenario are those developed countries with the highest per capita emission rate.

And as you know, Africa is a continent, not a state. It is composed of 58 nations, all with their own governments, and many are suffering from drought, flooding, wars and epidemics such as Ebola, cholera, meningitis, polio. Add to that malaria, famine, and widespread poverty.

That said, we are all in dire straits. Even those living in a bubble will be affected. My personal prediction is that Malthusian checks will kick in, that wars will escalate to the point where mass death occurs from starvation, lack of water, and epidemics: mrsa infections, ebola, and the usual ones that follow in the wake of war such as cholera, dysentery. Add polio, measles, and smallpox which are kept reasonably under control only because of vaccines. Oh, yes, as the climate gets warmer, malaria will also become more common and the usual diseases such as cancer and vascular-cardiac ailments will kill quicker.

Don't worry, be happy.

[John Whitworth]

Naw, Janice. It won't happen though a part of you hopes that it will. And I think you are cofusing an abstract justice with efficacy. Nothing your country or mine do will make the slightest difference, except to make us middle class liberals feel better about ourselves, and, God knows, we feel far too good already.