Weather, Water, Energy 2-16-07

New record for the planet for our greenhouse gas emissions last year, primarily because of industrial growth in Asia, which China has vowed to continue. But don't worry. There'll be a new record next year. . . . David Roberts at Grist makes the good point that, as we discuss our proactive options against global warming, mass transit remains the drunk uncle off in the corner during the holidays. If I could add one thing, where the hell is all the talk about telecommuting??? . . . I have a weak spot for the East Coast and it bothers me to see stories like these for those folks. CT isn't going to hit the goals of its Climate Change Action Plan by 2010, it appears, despite being part of the one of the few areas of this country actually taking proactivity seriously. And homeowners in MD are finding insurance harder and harder to find, thanks to insurance companies taking the warming and the resulting hurricanes seriously. I hope things work out for them, but somehow you just think they're going to end up like the glaciers in Peru with 5 years left. . . . I’ve sat through family holidays listening to people claim that they wouldn’t wear seatbelts because you could get just as hurt wearing them as not. Like that guy who was able to jump out of his car just before it crashed. Or the guy who tied when his car went into the river and he couldn’t get his seatbelt unfastened. That’s what I think of when I see articles like this and know that the morons on parade will use it to overlook all the competing evidence and articles to the contrary. . . . Finally, looks like the locations for Gore's "Live Earth" global concert extravaganza are coming together, as well as the acts. I even recognize some of these names . . . which probably isn't that good news for their drawing power, I have to admit. (Don't get me started on John Mayer. Just read Wonderland.)