Weather, Water, Energy 11-15-06

Just complete intellectual dishonesty. These Big Oil consultant a--holes swear that Peak Oil is overblown right now and that we have more than enough oil, at current consumption rates, which is the whole friggin' point. Never ask the barber if you need a haircut, folks. . . . At the Kenya climate talks Kofi Annan took advantage of his final UN days to speak some truth, blasting the world for its "frightening lack of leadership" on global warming. There are times in human history when people just watch the tidal wave coming at the shore. Let's hope someone starts listening to the sirens. . . . Britain is making its carbon emissions reduction goal of 60% by 2050 a legal requirement. As we know, still more symbolic than real yet, but shows steps can be made. . . . Unlike some countries with absolute idiots for leaders. No, not us. Australia, where the PM (Prime Moron) Howard has time to cut at Gore even after being forced to see "An Inconvenient Truth" and to whine at the French for their threat to tax imports from countries with a PM (Prime Moron) like Howard while their country is literally burning up. . . . Of course, Gore did piss him off by calling the US and AU the "Bonnie and Clyde" of the global warming crisis. Why couldn't he have been like this in 2000? It's nice knowing I'm the first person who's ever thought this. . . . While here in the US, emissions went up less than 1% last year, thanks to not so good stuff, and good things may come from the Dems now, like better restraint of the oil companies, but don't expect reinsurance official warns us that weather disasters could soon be costing us a trillion a year, North Sea water temp is up 2.4 degrees (more in our F temp scale), and the World Health Organization says that climate and land-use changes are responsible for putting an estimated 40 percent of the world population at risk of contracting malaria, as well as placing 840 million people at risk of malnutrition. A further 1 to 2 billion people living in mid to high latitudes face a higher risk of skin cancer and immune system depression due to depletion of stratospheric ozone. . . . In OK, lower lake levels and continued drought have managed to catch enough attention to get a two-day conference on the state's water future going. They have the same problem as everyone else, though: Some planners at the conference question how they will balance the public's water needs with private ownership and tribal sovereignty issues. . . . CA environmentalist are suing the feds to produce a legally required report on global warming's impact on our nation. The Busheviks respond: "We feel very positive about our record on climate change. The president has been focused on results-driven research and looking for practical ways to address climate change in ways that aren't damaging to the economy.'' They're so positive that they're not producing the report that would prove it. Just shy, that's all. . . . But let's end on a good note. A Rand Corporation study has found that "Renewable resources could produce 25 percent of the electricity and motor vehicle fuels used in the United States by 2025 at little or no additional cost if fossil fuel prices remain high enough and the cost of producing renewable energy continues falling in accord with historical trends." This reinforces previous posts that we can't rely on renewables or existing sources to solve our energy problems and need to improve efficiencies and conservation. Still, Rand saying it carries weight. Again, maybe a window opening. A crack. But you know, glass half full, I mean, crack full, and all that.