Name:     Michael L. S.   [E-Mail]
      Location:  Earth
      Website:  Middle East Resource Center

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RECENT POSTS:

The palaver over the putative climate change has been, ahem, heating up for the past few years. The frenzy over the extent of human damage to the planet and the urgency of remedying this has repeatedly reached new heights. The Environment(tm) had long been coopted by the "unwashed masses" as a pet issue (think hippie communes) but only relatively recently did it enter university campuses and become a focal point of activism of dumbass students who equate enlightenment and wisdom with non-conformism, rebellion against all things traditional and angry self-righteousness.

On the other side are the usual right-wing types who, even if the sea level reached their 12th story apartment, would not accept that, hell, something IS happening to the world climate. To them the entire climate change issue is one big hoax, perpetrated by the third world (sorry: The "developing countries") intent on bilking the West by demanding yet more billions to tackle the "problem." I am surprised they are not steadfastly refusing to acknowledge the danger of asbestos, too!* They have been emboldened by the leaked emails and some prominent scientists' admissions that the threat of global warming and its projected effects have been exaggerated or manufactured in parts.

The world IS getting hotter and the weather has been showing extremes as of late. Now, much of it is natural and the Earth is not nearly as hot as it was at various times (Panonian Sea, anyone?) even over the past millennium (vineyards in Scotland). So even if every single glacier were to melt, the Earth would not find itself in a situation never experienced before. But to assert that pumping out millions of tons of man-made toxins into the air, rivers and seas has no effect on the environment, including the climate, is so preposterous as to defy common sense. So, true: There is no impending disaster with sea-levels rising x meters in x years, but likewise we would be well advised to curb unnecessary emissions and ensure those we cannot eliminate are filtered and purified to be as environmentally-friendly as possible.

* Astonishingly, the hack fronting the crapumentary I talked about in my previous post (v. infra), somehow managed to retrieve two old windbags in Australia who are obstinately refusing to accept government compensation and move out of a former asbestos mine village, long ago vacated by all their neighbors. The situation is so bad that the Australian government has even erased the place off all maps and any visitors who happen upon it are advised to not stop to explore. But the two are staying put, by Jove! The AU$ 40,000 compensation is an "insult." (That money would be IN ADDITION to relocating them and providing gratis accommodations.) Well, even our sterling "reporter" had to admit he saw the government's point of view (duh!) but he could still not resist depicting the couple as noble underdogs in a quixotic battle. Because, hey, what's more "progressive" than sticking it to The Man(tm), right? Even if it does land you with lung cancer!

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