thank you for saying this out loud!
i have been saying for a couple of years now how disappointed i am in what passes for journalism in this country.
what ever happened to analytical, critical journalism? here, in houston, the local CBS affiliate has what is arguably the best local news (by peer review and awards). there is one thing however that really bothers me about them, and the way they describe their services by way of self-promotion: they claim to "help [us] make sense of [the] world."
by definition, making sense of something involves critical thinking and analysis. NEVER have they critically analyzed any item in their reporting. NEVER have they reported a flood in ohio, and commented that these storms that began to affect americans in houston are now drowning cities as far away as the great lakes may very well be a result of global climate change. NEVER ONCE have they taken a few minutes to have their meterologist comment on the connection between global warming and these mega storms.
it makes me sick...GOOD FOR YOU!
This is the Face of Global Warming
As severe storms and the resultant flooding continue to batter the Midwest with deadly results, the media is filled with scary stories of the destruction and misery being inflicted. We see headlines about 300,000 Chicagoans without power, state of emergency declarations across four other states, dozens killed by storms from Texas to Minnesota, flooded interstates, and thousands of flooded homes and businesses. It's now commonplace to see news footage of people being rescued off their rooftops, many saying goodbye to their homes for good.
But no news outlet has had the courage to state the obvious: This is the face of global warming. This is it. While no single weather event can be directly pinned to global warming, these are the predictions of the world's best scientist come to terrifying life. Scientists are certain that these deadly events will only become more common -- and more extreme -- as the earth continues to heat up. More intense rainfall, more extreme flooding, more crippled infrastructure and unsanitary conditions, more homes and businesses lost. More, more, more...
These glimpses from storm-ravaged Middle America ought to be a wake-up call. How many more American lives must be lost and property destroyed for this administration to take action?
What will the next pictures look like? Blackouts? Looting? Riots?
Will it have to reach the level of Southeast Asia, where the worst floods in recent memory have affected an estimated 28 million people? In Bangladesh at least 678 are dead and over 50,000 are suffering from flood-related diseases -- millions more now find themselves homeless.
What's it going to take for this White House to act? I hope not that.
Karl Rove should do one last thing before he heads back to Texas to spend more time with his family, bailing out his own flooded basement: he should have the courage to demand that the administration face this problem and DO SOMETHING.
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I'm 47 years old and the weather has alway's been like this.but if you really think this is true why not convince China to change there way's,or is golbal warming[ Climate change ]ust a United States thing.
Need I remind everyone that Arianna's homeland appears to be ON FIRE from one end to the other?
And the midwest and W's Texazz are floating away. Nah, it's not global warming. At least that's what they want us to believe. ("Happy Feet 2" will feature Antarctica as a Caribbean island at this rate!)
Is'nt it time to have Al Gore to run for President?
Rove demand that something is done about GW? Too funny. That man has no clue about the common good. If it's not a dirty trick, or some kind of cruelty, then he's not the person for it.
Why has it taken so long to accept this inevitable truth?
Why did the governments not trust the wisdom of indigenous peoples all along the way, that this would be the results of abusing there mother, earth.
Scientists take too long to justifiably describe the facts of the obvious and government can not loose faith of the people. Now the governments primary job is to keep the masses at bay and control world wide chaos.
The media all want to take the credit for being the "first with the late breaking news", all in the name of gaining (greed) readership. The news journalist and talking heads are all more important than the news itself.
Industry will not be able to keep up with the necessary demands to appease the fear and panic that will inevitably arise.
The oceans are being raped , pillaged and plundered, now they are literally dying, (at least the part that can feed people directly)
Oh well it's all a mute point now. I've been telling about this inevitability now since 1962. I could see it coming without scientist. I am the (self proclaimed) scientist and researcher. I didn't need an institution to justify my findings or argue he facts.
So now all I can say is, "I told you so".
GLOBAL WARMING IS THE NEWEST RELIGON! IT'S ABOUT MAKING MONEY! A NEW INSUDTRY HAS SPRANG UP. A HUGE MONEY GRUBBING INDUSTRY. A FEW YEARS AGO THE RABID FAITHFUL CUT DOWN A 3000 YR OLD TREE TO PROVE "ONCE AND FOR ALL GLOBAL WARMING WAS A FACT. GUESS WHAT? IT IS WARMER NOW THAN IT HAS BEEN IN A WHILE! "BUT" "BUT" OVER THE LAST 3000 YEARS THE TEMP. HAS CYCLED COLDER, HOTTER! THERE WAS "NO PROOF" THAT IT WAS ANY WORSE NOW THAN BEFORE. SORRY, HOW CAN THE "FACTS", NOT IDEALISM, OR TREE HUGGING WORSHIP AND BAD SCIENCE, BUT "JUST THE FACTS, MAM," BE DISPUTED??
The predominat primates on the planet have done enough damage to make the planet push back. No meaningful change is ever made without death and destruction coming first. We won't be convinced otherwise.
Sad to say we have the shitty government we have created and allowed. And we have a piss poor approach to the environment because to many of us are waiting form someone else to do it for us. Each and every one of us can do small things to help that do add up to a big difference. And each and every one of us who can vote can vote for those who get it and against those who don't. Quit bitching and get to work people!
Yellowdog, I think the point that you may be missing is this: Laurie David, Al Gore, and others in the Global Warming crusade are not doing themselves any favors by blaming EVERY natural disaster on climate change. Certainly, on the whole, some of these weather patterns may be exacerbated by this phenomenon, but as several Midwest residents have already pointed out, flooding is common in that area. Similarly, hurricanes are common in the Caribbean. After the abnormal 2005 season, Gore et. al predicted disastrous seasons for last year and this year with myriad hurricanes (none of which has happened). They are essentially becoming "the boy who cried wolf." While there may be some essential truth in the theory of climate change, attempting to create mass hysteria every time a thundercloud approaches only undermines their credibility. This is why some members of the right view them with such scorn. I do not view them that way, but neither do I blindly believe everything they say.
If you truly believed that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere is a horrible problem that puts the existence of the earth in the balance then WHY have you not called for the US to build 400 new nuclear plants on shuttered army bases over the next 5 years to COMPLETELY replace the electricity from all the oil, coal, and natural gas electricity generators in the U.S thereby cutting US CO2 production by about 75%. If France can get 80% of its electricity from nukes and Russia is set to build 42 new reactors in the next 5 years, WHY oh WHY can the US not and WHY oh WHY are you global warminmongers not calling for this quick fix to save the world from an immediate peril. Don't talk about waste, the world is about to end we can worry about waste in 11 years but Al Gore says we only have 10 years to go until something is immediately done about CO2. Why are you not calling for this solution. If it is good enough for France ...
kcg,
My understanding is that both Japan and France and Japan are having unforseen problems with their reactors.
I'll look for info.
Thanks.
Good blog, Laurie. You'd think just looking around at the strange weather occurences, not even mentioning ice packs melting at alarming rates or the Pacific Ocean in Southern California at record breaking high temperatures such as 78 degrees warm last week in San Diego, would convince Republicans/conservatives that GW is going to affect them and their families negatively. But no they would rather stick their ditto heads in the sand and repeat their mantras Bush and Limbaugh say it's a liberal myth.
It's very unfortunate but it seems that one of the worst offenders in the global warming scenario is getting its just rewards. I don't think I have to tell you which country that is because you're living through the said results. Maybe you should suggest to the powers that be in your country that a little co-operation with the rest of the world in this regard might be helpful if a little late.
P.S. Ever hear of Tokyo?
And remember China and India are EXEMPT from the Kyoto accords.....
Our planet ranges in temp to the average of 42 degrees experienced in an ice age to the estimated 72 degree planetwide average between ice ages when there is no polar ice whatsoever.
Our current global average is 52 degrees.
It was estimated to be at 72 degrees when the peat bogs that created all that circumpolar oil and gas that the arctic circle nations are so eager to lay claim to were created. The earth will warm no matter what we do, just as it will cool no matter what we do-that's the cycle
cs,
TRUE.
But read this, and I think your concerns will be somewhat calmed:
://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?ex=1345780800&en=c2fb14345e2905b1&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Thanks.
As a scientist, I am fully aware that there are two very long-term natural events that will cool the planet, and which, a few decades ago were given some press coverage. (1)Because the flux from the sun varies as the square of our distance from it, trivial changes in the precession of the equinoxes will cause us to receive less solar input in the coming MILLENNIA. (2) the gradual cooling of the core and the decay of the potassium, thorium and uranium the planet contains
will decrease. The planet, because of the energy output from (2), had always radiated more energy into space than received from the sun. That radiation is mostly in the far infrared, while the input from the sun is in the visible and ultraviolet. The addition of infrared absorption in the atmosphere is what is screwing us. The right-wing wackos are in business only because of wide-spread scientific illiteracy.
As a scientist, what is the proper temperature of the earth?
Gimme a break...
Drought in the Midwest in the Spring?
CLIMATE CHANGE!!
Too much rain in the summer?
CLIMATE CHANGE!!
One of the nicest summer's in decades in Chicago...maybe one day where the temp cracked 100 deg.?
CLIMATE CHANGE!!!
The correction in the Dow....Luke Wilson freaking out...Castro's mysterious death?
CLIMATE CHANGE!!!
Having just completed a Master's degree from Columbia University in Climate and Society, I am astounded (perhaps even aghast) at the level of intellectual debate surrounding climate change. As a social sciences person who undertook a largely natural sciences degree, I can tell you that the view from inside the ivory tower is that the scientific community has moved past the point of establishing a consensus on the issue of whether "global warming is real" and "humans (anthropogenic forcing) are the cause." There seem to be too posters who are preoccupied with beating a dead horse. Most of the literature relevant to climate change has now moved on to questions of adaptation and mitigation. As an academic ambassador posting on this message board, I want to make it abundantly clear to all readers that they should not take this incessant and hackneyed debate on climate change to be indicative of the real dialogue being carried out in scientific and policy circles. Feel free to respond with questions or comments. Thank you.
JGC,
Thank you! I'd very much like to take you up on your generous offer.
I'll track you through your BIO page as questions arise. Please feel free to examine mine to understand my thoughts on various topics, such as this one.
For now: what's your opinion of this article about China's "new" position on pollution? Sounds serious to me, but.....
://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?ex=1345780800&en=c2fb14345e2905b1&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
Thanks!
How right you are Laurie David. The media has an overwhelming responsibility to present the facts and educate the public. Global Warming - along with the overfishing and over exploitation of planet Earth will drive the planet into mass extinction mode. Is this not the most important crisis of our time? What makes me angry is that this is entirely preventable. But if we are to survive as a planet we have to completely change the way we live our lives. That is a reality that the status quo (i.e. Big Business and the GW deniers abhor.)
I will repeat an old Cree Indian Prophecy that is worth heeding:
Only after the Last Tree has been cut down,
Only after the Last River has been poisoned,
Only after the Last Fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that
Money Cannot Be Eaten.
richardg,
Genuinely beautiful, and meaningful almost beyond words.
NOT trying to demean your comment, but your Cree prophecy made me think of an incident on HuffPo from last week. When I commented,
"If WE'RE 100% wrong about GW, the WORST to happen will be clean(er) air and water.
If you're 1% wrong, it may spell disaster for all generations to come."
The first comment in return from this individual was,
"No legitimate, credible, respected, Economist would ever agree with that statement."
Global warming? Destruction of the planet, wildlife, children and quality of life for every living human EQUALS.....Economist???
"Nuff said?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-mooney/what-we-can-and-cant-say_b_61229.html
Thank you VERY much for sharing.....
Repeat. Every single nations Academy of Sciences is on board with climate change being man made carbon output, unprecedented in history. Rarely has the scientific community reached such consensus. When you listen to your naysayers investigate where they are getting their funding. It is the same scam as the decades long fake "institutes" to cast doubt on tobacco causing cancer.
Humans are definitely launching a heavy assault upon the Earth, on several fronts -- polluting the atmosphere, depleting the ever-diminishing natural resources, destroying natural habitat for the survival of other species, etc. etc.-- all of which are detrimental for our own survival.
Our unlimited population growth is only exacerbating environmental problems. The development of technology that would solve those problems is not keeping pace with our burgeoning population; therefore, population control, my friends, should be a priority. For all of those true believers of GW who think that our world will be a complete mess fifty years from now, I wonder how many of them continue to have children. And for those who do, my next question is: Why? You will be leaving them a legacy of an Earth destroyed by millennia of previous generations of people, many of whom selfishly exploited our environment for their own short-sighted benefit.
One good thing about the melting of all of those glaciers is the possibility of Noah"s ark finally being exposed on the upper slopes of Mount Ararat. Such an monumental discovery would prove the legitimacy of the Bible and Christianity. One would therefore be able to extrapolate from that, making the assumption that the "second coming of Christ" is at hand, as is being espoused by many evangelical Christians. "Rapture" will rescue all of the true believers, sparing them from the disturbing scenario of living in an Earth destroyed by them and their forebears. The ark discovery would marginalize the concerns of environmentalists who criticize our extravagant, selfish lifestyles -- living as if there is no tomorrow -- which are encouraged by President Bush and his republican cohorts. We should listen to Bush, because he is the same "born-again Christian" whose most-admired mentor was "Jesus Christ" and who spent his time "praying" to his Christian god before he took us into Iraq, instead of wisely spending his time studying Islamic culture and learning about the possibility of a Sunni/Shiite/Kurdish civil war.
Hallelujah!
nwm777,
The way I remember Mr. bush responding to the debate question about who he wanted to be like, or have dinner with, or tuck him into bed, or some such equally patronizing crap, was a bit different.
His answer was NOT "Jesus Christ", as you claim. It was "Christ.".
"Christ" ISN"T a PERSON. It's a title. That"s like responding "leader" or "teacher" or "prophet", instead of "Gandhi" or "MLK, Jr.", or "Einstein".
"Jesus", (IF that's what he meant) is the name of the person.
I'm being harsh. Why would he be expected to know that? I'm sure it's not in the Bible, or anything.
As for being "born again", why would a true Christian make insulting comments behind the backs of the fundamentalists who came to the oval office to discuss faith-based initiatives? Unless, of course, being "born again" gives him forgiveness for anything, forever. RIGHT?
I think you may be disappointed in Noah"s Ark, when the price for finding it is the last drop of potable water on the planet.
Thanks, but.....
Why has it taken so long to accept this inevitable truth?
Why did the governments not trust the wisdom of indigenous peoples all along the way, that this would be the results of abusing there mother, earth.
Scientists take too long to justifiably describe the facts of the obvious and government can not loose faith of the people. Now the governments primary job is to keep the masses at bay and control world wide chaos.
The media all want to take the credit for being the "first with the late breaking news", all in the name of gaining (greed) readership. The news journalist and talking heads are all more important than the news itself.
Industry will not be able to keep up with the necessary demands to appease the fear and panic that will inevitably arise.
The oceans are being raped , pillaged and plundered, now they are literally dying, (at least the part that can feed people directly)
Oh well it's all a mute point now. I've been telling about this inevitability now since 1962. I could see it coming without scientist. I am the (self proclaimed) scientist and researcher. I didn't need an institution to justify my findings or argue he facts.
So now all I can say is, "I told you so".
"Do something?"
Do what, exactly? This problem has been a long time coming. Should we cut down on emissions?
Unfortunately, all the electric cars in the world aren't going to keep third world countries like India and China from pursuing rampant development and resulting pollution. It's a globe, you know. We took our turn at poisoning it. Just watch what happens when negligent billions add their contributions.
No offense. But, Oh brother. A few weeks ago, while we teetered on drought, that was proof of GW. Now floods? I'm in the Midwest, and my family is up in flood land (no damage or harm, thank God). You know what? It's happened before. Oh, it hasn't been this bad since the early 20th, but it has happened. The more the GW crowd uses the argument that "all weather diversions from a 78 degree, sunny day with a slight northerly breeze at 5mph is proof of GW", the more they are going to lose credibility with anyone who has dealt with salesmen before.
One or two unusual seasons do not prove Climate Change. The unusually cool weather in South America and South Africa do not prove Global Cooling. Contrary to what Al Gore may say, the debate about Global Warming is not over. Approximately 1 degree Celsius average temperature increase cannot explain this years unusually heavy precipitation. Short term WEATHER variations can explain it. It is not simply scientists on the lunatic fringe who do not accept Global Warming. A growing number of mainstream scientists do not accept it. One prominent scientist said that Global Warming hysteria has passed it's peak.
Just what are we supposed to do? You think because Bush talks to god, that he can intervene?
While I do not deny that our climate is changing, that natural disasters seem to be getting more massive, how are we supposed to control the planets weather. And if we're this deep into the change, have no control on the rest of the worlds polluting ways, what are we supposed to do?
Once again the arrogance of humanity never fails to amaze me. I smell a bunch of new taxes coming our way. That's what Bush and Congress will wind up doing. They'll tax again and again and call it some fancy name and the money will go toward some ad campaign designed to encourage Americans to drive less, recycle, and eat vegan.
And then they'll give away the rest of the money to Israel so they can have universal health care.
See its all good.
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Posted August 26, 2007 | 09:18 PM (EST)