The Violence Worker!

Saving The Planet By Killing It!

It never ceases to amaze me that most people haven't a clue as to how our modern world is powered.  There are trade-offs on everything.  Nothing happens without something else happening.  They get upset about the energy used to power and SUV, but everything in their life is plugged into an electrical socket.  The hazardous chemicals required to make their i-pod, laptop, desktop, monitor, cell phone, i-pad, and big screen TV would astound them.  We can't have incandescent light bulbs, but the chemicals in the flouresents are deadly. 

The reason I bring this up is an article in the Vancouver (Canada) Sun.

It's Saturday night, and you want to catch the latest summer blockbuster. You do a quick Google search to find the venue and right time, and off you go to enjoy some mindless fun.

Meanwhile, your Internet search has just helped kill the planet. Depending on how long you took and what sites you visited, your search caused the emission of one to 10 grams of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

Sure, it's not a lot on its own — but add up all of the more than one billion daily Google searches, throw in 60 million Facebook status updates each day, 50 million daily tweets and 250 billion emails per day, and you're making a serious dent in some Greenland glaciers.

I doubt it's making much of a dent at all. Let's face it, if you were seriously denting them every day, it wouldn't be too many days before they would disappear.  The less than factual hyperbole aside, the article brings up an interesting point - energy is consumed .

Now here is comedy gold:

Hackers gather around the globe to fight climate change

[T]his weekend, self-proclaimed hackers around the world will gather at "hackathon" events to tackle disaster-risk management and climate change. The occasion is the semiannual Random Hacks of Kindness global conference, which seeks to leverage Internet data to address world problems.

 So, if you believe the first article, the geeks are going to save the planet by killing it.  You can't make this stuff up.

Seriously, as our lives become increasingly electronic and wired to the grid, the demand for electricity rises.  Your wireless devices must be charged.  Your new digital camera with a multitude of automatic functions needs to be recharged.  You're laptop must be recharged and if some people have their way, your car will have to be recharged.  In case you haven't noticed, everything you do requires some form of energy and energy isn't made from thin air.  Something gets consumed in the process.

At this point in time, fossil fuels are the cheapest and most efficient way to produce energy.  Replacing gasoline and diesel is a long way off.  You can't build enough wind turbines to power large consumption.

I'm not saying we shouldn't make finding alternate energy sources a priority, just understand that everything comes with a price.  If you plug it in, energy must be produced.

Mike

The End Of The Middle Class?

Global warming may or may not be anthropogenic, but it has the potential to bring down civilization as we know it.  Not, as you might think from its effects, but from lawsuits.

From the AFP:

PARIS — From being a marginal and even mocked issue, climate-change litigation is fast emerging as a new frontier of law where some believe hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake.

Compensation for losses inflicted by man-made global warming would be jaw-dropping, a payout that would make tobacco and asbestos damages look like pocket money.

Imagine: a country or an individual could get redress for a drought that destroyed farmland, for floods and storms that created an army of refugees, for rising seas that wiped a small island state off the map.

In the past three years, the number of climate-related lawsuits has ballooned, filling the void of political efforts in tackling greenhouse-gas emissions.

This is how the left does things.  If they can't get the legislature to go along with their Socialist schemes, the litigate it and keep litigating it until they can get a judgment and establish a precedent.  Once they get that, it makes it easier and easier to litigate the next suit and on it goes.   Of course the lawyers are in it for altruistic reasons, right?

Eyeing the money-spinning potential, some major commercial law firms now place climate-change litigation in their Internet shop window.

In the end, it will be you and I that will pay for this boondoggle.  We will pay higher prices on almost everything, and may even see some goods and services we've become accustomed to (such as reliable electricity?) either skyrocket in price, or become scarce, if not disappear all together.  The result of this will be the death of the middle-class, not strengthening it.

I don't pretend to know all the science.  I do know that the earth 's history is replete with cooling and warming cycles.   At least one point in time, there was a glacier sitting where my city is located.  Long before industrialization, it somehow managed to melt leaving behind a diverse ecology and a huge glacial fjord that averages about 400 feet deep.  We call it Puget Sound.

Unfortunately, I believe politics have far more to do with climate science today than actual science.

VW

The Wheels Are Coming Off The Climate Change Cart

Climate change was never about controlling the climate.  It's all about controlling people.  The scientists used it to get grants and funding and the politicians saw an opportunity to get and maintain power.  They fed off of each other, becoming fat and lazy, assured that the public was becoming mollified and it almost worked.  The wheels started to fall off the climate change cart with the release of the East Anglia e-mails.  There were other clues, like the dire warning that the polar ice caps would disappear last summer or this summer.  They didn't and they won't and those scientists (who've tried to insist the science was settled) who tried to prove it were forced off the ice because it was colder than they anticipated.

Now we find out that the Himalayan Glaciers are here to stay as well.  

Guess the science isn't so settled after all.

I don't disbelieve in climate change.  Climates do change.  They've been changing since there was such a thing as a climate.  The difference is, I don't think it's anthropogenic. Over the eons, we see the evidence of global warming and cooling that happened long before man ever appeared on the scene.  Ice ages followed by warming periods ebbed and flowed, carving our land and forming our waterways.  A great example of warming and cooling is the Dry Falls near Grand Coulée in Washington State.  (I'know it's a Wikipedia link, but I believe it to be accurate)

The politicians see this as an opportunity to move us left.  Cap and trade and other schemes are all designed to limit growth and control us.  It's about taking individual freedom and liberty away from us and replacing it with some kind of socialist model.

They might have made it, but someone at East Anglia spilled the beans.

VW

It Isn't About Global Warming

In Copenhagen, Denmark, there is this beautiful amusement park called Tivoli.  It's one of the oldest amusement parks still in operation and it's founder got the land from the monarchy by convincing the king that his park would take the people's mind off of politics.  I've been there and it is indeed a beautiful park.  If you ever find yourself there, you must see it and especially see it at night.  Unfortunately, for the attendees at the climate conference in Copenhagen, there aren't enough Tivolis to distract us from the politics of climate.

As you probably are aware, just before this international bizarre bazaar got cranked up, there was the problem of the released emails from Britain's University of East Anglia  (consensus now seems to be a whistleblower) that showed that data was massaged and manipulated.  There were also some that seemed to advocate retaliation for those scientists who didn't follow the party line.  The MSM has successfully tried to downplay the story and its potential impact on this conference.  But these people in Copenhagen couldn't care less about East Anglia and it's doubtful most of those there ever even heard of the place.  It is not about affecting any kind of change except money from your wallet to their coffers.  

You need to understand that Anthropogenic Global Warming or AGW is not the issue, it's the cover, the ruse, the smoke in your eyes.  No one attending that conference believes climate will change one iota because of any agreement signed even if every signatory country followed its provisions to the letter.  There's a common theme that is being sounded in Copenhagen and it isn't weather.

From the Socialist thug, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela:

Mr Chavez, paraphrasing Karl Marx, said "a ghost is stalking the streets of Copenhagen... it's capitalism, capitalism is that ghost."

"The destructive model of capitalism is the eradication of life," he said.

From the thug Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe:

"When these capitalist gods of carbon burp and belch their dangerous emissions, it's we, the lesser mortals of the developing sphere who gasp and sink and eventually die."

And from the Marxist President of Bolivia, Evo Morales:

"It's an issue of way of life and a result of the capitalist system and if we don't understand that then we're never going to resolve these problems."

Are you tracking?  Do you see the common thread?  Do you really think these people really give a damn about the environment?  Do you really think these people give a damn about their people?  Do you think Mugabe vigorously enforces environmental law.  Do you think Chavez does?  You are an idiot if you answered yes to any of the above questions.

It's not about climate change and it never was.  Climate change is the excuse, socialism is the reason.

VW

Now It's Individual Emissions

If you really think this is about climate change or global warming, you would be wrong.  What is going on is Marxism, pure and simple.  It isn't about anthropogenic climate change.  The world has been on a cooling trend the past few years.  If it was really man caused, the temperature would not be taking a dive.  Since Carbon has increased, reason says it should be hotter, not cooler.

This is about economics and how to turn the world into a Socialist state.  Freedom and liberty mean way different things in Socialist think.

Rich people's lives tend to give off more greenhouse gases because they drive more fossil-fueled vehicles, travel frequently by air and live in big houses that take more fuel to heat and cool.

By focusing on rich people everywhere, rather than rich countries and poor ones, the system of setting carbon-cutting targets based on the number of wealthy individuals in various countries would ease developing countries into any new climate change framework, Chakravarty said by telephone.

"As countries develop -- India, China, Brazil and others -- over time, they'll have more and more of these (wealthy) individuals and they'll have a higher share of carbon reductions to do in the future," he said.

These obligations, based on the increasing number of rich people in various countries, would kick in as each developing country hit a certain overall level of carbon emissions. This level would be set fairly high, so that economic development would not be hampered in the poorest countries, no matter how many rich people live there.

Is this a limousine-and-yacht tax on the rich? Not necessarily, Chakravarty said, but he did not rule it out: "We are not by any means proposing that. If some country finds a way of doing that, it's great."

Essentially, you will find it difficult or impossible to become wealthy or to improve your circumstance.

What makes me laugh is anyone thinking that China or India will sign on to this deal once they become "developed".   They may pay it lip service, but why would they agree if they can eventually control commerce?

This is about stifling economic freedom.  It's about taking from the rich and trickling down a few bucks to the poor.  It's about us becoming a third world nation.

VW

Cap and Trade Rhetoric

As many have often pointed out, words mean things.  All too often people try to denigrate their political opponents by making outlandish charges and unfortunately, both sides are guilty of hyperbole when it comes to taking a stand on a certain issue.

Paul Kugman is a prime example.

Still, is it fair to call climate denial a form of treason? Isn’t it politics as usual?

Yes, it is — and that’s why it’s unforgivable.

"Climate denial" , according to Mr. Krugman, is now on the magnitude of treason.  Treason carries the maximum punishment of death.  U.S. Law also states that those convicted are forever ineligible to hold public office.  Is that what he really means?  Surely he knows the law at least as much as I do.

Henry Waxman, one of the authors the Cap and Trade bill said this:

"They [Republicans] want to play politics and see if they can keep any achievements from being accomplished that may be beneficial to the Democrats. They're rooting against the country and I think in this case, even rooting against the world because the world needs to get its act together to stop global warming."

At least he not accusing Republicans of being treasonous, but the point is there.  If we don't agree with him, we are somehow against the entire world.  We somehow want pollution and for everybody to die.  I don't think he really believes that, does he?

Yes, I've seen people calling those who support the bill "Cap and Traitors" and again, I think it's wrong headed to use that kind of language and does our cause no good.  Cap and Trade is anti-American in concept and execution.  It's utimate aim is to deprive the American people of freedom and economic prosperity.  Although proposing such an abominable piece of legislation such as this might be morally reprehensible, it is not illegal.  One might make a good argument that Cap and Trade me very well be unconstituional (and it probably is), but there is no law that I am aware of making that a crime either.

Fight the bill on principle, not with hyperbole.  Leave that to the Waxmans, Krugmans, and the hate-filled kiddies that inhabit the Democratic Underground.

VW

It's Snowing!

This is not an April Fool's joke.  It's really snowing.  It's not sticking, of course, but it is snowing in Tacoma, WA.

Good thing we have this global warming thing going on or it would be snowing here in April!  Oh wait...It is April!

VW

The UN Will Destroy The US If They Get The Chance.

While you are being distracted by the kabuki theater of AIG outrage, guess what is going on at the United Nations:

A United Nations document on "climate change" that will be distributed to a major environmental conclave next week envisions a huge reordering of the world economy, likely involving trillions of dollars in wealth transfer, millions of job losses and gains, new taxes, industrial relocations, new tariffs and subsidies, and complicated payments for greenhouse gas abatement schemes and carbon taxes — all under the supervision of the world body.

(Go here to read the UN Document - but only have a strong stomach.)

What this does is essentially stop the economies of developed nations in their tracks and send them backwards about 75 years.  In the mean time, it transfers the wealth of those nations to the poorer nations.

In the same bland manner, the note informs negotiators without going into details that cap-and-trade schemes "may induce some industrial relocation" to "less regulated host countries." Cap-and-trade functions by creating decreasing numbers of pollution-emission permits to be traded by industrial users, and thus pay more for each unit of carbon-based pollution, a market-driven system that aims to drive manufacturers toward less polluting technologies.

The note adds only that industrial relocation "would involve negative consequences for the implementing country, which loses employment and investment." But at the same time it "would involve indeterminate consequences for the countries that would host the relocated industries."

In other words, industrialization would be severely limited.  If a manufacturer moved to a more hospitable country, it's exports good be limited by high tariffs.

Not part of this note, but certainly an important influence is this from Nicholas Lord Stern, an ex British treasury official:

In an influential but highly controversial paper called "Key Elements of a Global Deal on Climate Change," British economist Nicholas Lord Stern, formerly a high British Treasury official, has declared that industrial economies would need to cut their per capita carbon dioxide emissions by "at least 80% by 2050," while the biggest economies, like the U.S.'s, would have to make cuts of 90 percent.

Stern also calls for "immediate and binding" reduction targets for developed nations of 20 percent to 40 percent by 2020.

To meet Stern's 2050 goals, he says, among other things, "most of the world's electricity production will need to have been decarbonized."

The only way most of the world's electricity generation could meat that goal is to turn off the power plants.  Unless there is some immediate replacement  on the horizon, we will never make that goal in 40 years.  It certainly won't be by wind power.  You couldn't build enough towers at 1 to 2 megawatts each to replace the existing carbon based plants. 

This has little to do with the environment and everything to do with Socialist wealth redistribution.  If this treaty is implemented by the United States, we will become a third world country with no jobs, no hope and a despotic leader.  We may even devolve into separate regional banana republics ruled by war lords.

Whatever the case, the communists will have won and America will have ceased to exist in any recognizable form.

VW

Sunday Morning Snow In Tacoma - In March?

Here's a few of photos I just took a several minutes ago from my front porch:

Yeah, thank heavens we have this global warming thing going on.  If not, we'd be getting snowstorms in the middle of March here in Tacoma!

Oh wait...this IS the middle of March in Tacoma!

VW

"Ahnold" For President?

Schwarzenegger's Green Challenge , California Governor Says He'll Stick To Environmental Plans, Despite Economic Crisis - CBS News

"Well, you're a man of no small ambition. If the Constitution was changed, you'd like to be president, wouldn't you?" Pelley asked.

"Yeah, absolutely," Schwarzenegger acknowledged. "I think that I am always a person that looks for the next big goal. And I love challenges. I always set goals that are so high, that are almost impossible to achieve. Because then, you're always hungry for climbing and climbing. Because it's always interesting. The climb is always interesting. When you get there you just have to pick another goal."

Not only no, but HELL no, Governor!

I'm undecided on changing the Constitutional requirement to be born here, but Schwarzenegger is a RINO.  His environmental plans will hamstring California's economy and if allowed to push it national, it would ruin America.

VW

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