Monday, July 09, 2007

[climate sceptics] wish you'd been here


Last evening we had a storm.

Not just any storm. It is the third of this kind this summer, the like which has never been seen before in this location. I don't know how many million dollars damage was done or whether the electricity and water are back in other parts of the city or even what happened to the flora and fauna.

I do know that whilst I was physically holding the 10th floor balcony windows from blowing out [they were swinging through an arc of two metres when first I clapped eyes on them] and the rain was sweeping into my living room and hitting the computer table, I was thinking of Lord Nazh. I've never seen such ferocity before and this is someone who knows the Michael Fish storm.

I do know that when I finally got back in, a fine soot of dust and dead mosquitoes had blown in through the central vents over everything - beds, coverings and so on. I do know that my power cord had exploded into pieces and that the house was plunged into darkness.

I was thinking of Lord Nazh, Daily Referendum and others at this point and muttering certain things to myself.

Today I read an interesting piece by Neo Jacobin and the tone was what was interesting. He didn't poo-pooh the notion of global warming per se but was sick of the way it is being used by people to push their own barrows:

For example, every time we need to build new roads, the miserable greens shout 'No - what about global warming?' Every time we need to expand our airports, again we hear 'No - what about global warming?' Every time we need new power stations, 'oh no - what about global warming'? Every time we need new desalination plants, 'err no - what about global warming'?

I agree with him on this. It's nauseating the way it's being used. I want to reach for a paper bag each time I read this sort of thing. However, it would have been good to have seen Lord Nazh, Daily Referendum and Neo Jacobin on this balcony last night and to hear what they had to say.

Then again, we'd probably have been too drunk to care.

6 comments:

  1. Oh, James, it sounds awful. I hope the cleaning up afterwards wasn't too distressing. Like your joke at the end and nice to know you can still smile today - I'm not sure I could after that. Thinking of you.

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  2. What a bugger!

    One in the eye for all those semi-sceptics who think global warming means "nicer" weather, they really have missed the point.

    The problem is for many people is that the issue is being used as a vehicle by governments and other powerful individuals to redouble their powers and profit rather then do anything to solve it, much in the same way the "war on terror" is. Truth is, every effort we make is wiped-out entirely by the growth of China's manufacturing. Who's going to host a concert to stop Globalization now then? [silence]

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  3. How terrible for you. What a mess and after you've just done all that poshing up of the place. Hope there wasn't too much damage.

    Only too true the rest of the post.

    Although I get annoyed when they start blaming every natural occurrence on global warming.

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  4. First storm EVAH!!!!

    If I'd have been there I'd have drunk a glass or two of {insert alcohol} with you.

    You easily forget that no one disregards global warming (climate change actually), it is the WHY of it we disagree on. You would have it that man and man alone is responsible for that Perfect Storm(TM) that you witnessed, when I and the 'skeptics' would refer you to that big yellow ball in the sky that directs the earth's (and the other planets) temperatures.

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  5. I think you and I see eye to eye on climate change. the evidence is in front of us as we go through our lives.

    What I question is climate science, which seems to be much less conclusive than many would have us believe.

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  6. Welshcakes - thanks. Wolfie - agree. JMB - also agree. Lord Nazh and CUS - also agree.

    Help!!! What is happening to me, agreeing with everyone all of a sudden? Aaaaaagh!

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