I don't enjoy being dark, but I feel most people are either in denial, or oblivious to how serious and immediate the effects of global warming are. The southwest is in deep trouble and if it goes, it will take the entire economy with it. Collapse and extinction of the natural world is accelerating. The scientists are scared. I'm dismayed by the lack of urgency in the media. I hope I am absolutely wrong about my dreary picture. I would love to be proven a fool. Thank you for reading. I'm going to try to lighten up in the next one.
Professor Zharkova should stay in her lane. She is not a climate scientist. Physicists are often used for false info on climate change frequently. I debunked four of them here.
GHGs were much higher 66 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed. So were oceans. The Greenland and Arctic ice sheets are melting. The influx of water is slowing the Atlantic Meridional Current. That could cool Europe by many degrees in a matter of decades, but is not our immediate problem. Either way, our agriculture is in trouble from these changes, and the only way to bring it under control is to stop creating GHGs.
Education like this is sorta the first step. But in reality the first step is to reelect Biden then systematically unrig the system so that change can be effected.
Unrigging includes: expanding SCOTUS and removing at least three sitting justices; degerrymandering all federal elections forever; controlling all the power bases (president, house and senate); and finally eliminating monopolies, oligopolies and reversing all of the corporations are people and money is speech decisions and laws, plus taxing high earners and corporations massively. Then things like healthcare, retirement, infrastructure reconstruction, etc, can be implemented.
All too close to the “arc of truth.” One irony: I’m 72 years old and grew up in an age when people relied on their local newspaper, or TV set, or even radio stations to bring us news of what was happening. Local news, national news, global/overseas news. But as the decades rolled by we watched as all of those resources were watered down, gutted or just bought and eliminated. But now we had vastly expanded access to instant news from *everywhere*: the Internet.
Unfortunately the Money Gods were already reaching out to limit and control the “trusted sources” of news (The Gray Lady, Washington Post, etc.) And the result: deep uncrossable divides in countries around the world.
Trump and MAGA are just for today. The end of American democracy. Sigh! But Climate Change will be the end of our world.
We're on the same page, I wish I felt differently after publishing this article a year ago, but all evidence since supports my thesis. Newspapers were an important part of my life from early on. I started reading them around age 12, and took great delight in copying Pat Oliphant cartoons of Nixon. Finding good information is ever more difficult with our corporate owned media, which is responsible for the tragic loss of our local newspapers. As imperfect as news is, more is better, as a single-minded corporate voice has come to prevail hell-bent on power and profit. I subscribe to the NY Times and Washington Post which still do good work, but are also off the mark in certain ways like all the media. Climate change should be front and center every day, and the corporate tentacles of disinformation revealed. As Napoleon said, "Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets."
Zharova is a professor of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering. These disciplines have no relationship or expertise to climate science. The earth could cool if the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation (AMOC) stops. There is evidence it's slowing. This would plunge Europe by many degrees in a matter of decades.
Yes, GHGs were much higher in the atmosphere 66 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed. There were no humans and the oceans were much higher. We're seeing the Arctic and Greenland ice sheets melt and oceans rising. This is in part why the eastern US coastline is eroding (also over pumping of groundwater is sinking land).
Human bodies are not adapted for the temperature extremes we're seeing, in India, or even the south and west US. Neither is our agriculture. Agriculture is under duress from the temperature rise due to drought and flooding. The extra heat and moisture from the resulting evaporation is fueling that problem.
In Mexico and India, drought is so extreme water deliveries by truck are necessary to keep people alive, and that comes from rapidly depleting groundwater.
Professor Zharkova should stick to her field. Physicists are often used for climate propaganda purposes. I debunked four of them here.
In southern Spain there is a region that used to be desert and is now irrigated and covered in plastic sheeting to grow vegetables year around. It has made local landowners into millionaires.
But with rising temperatures, the Spanish workers were collapsing in the heat, so now almost all the workers are North Africans on temporary visas and no rights, better adapted to working in 40*C and more, day after day. Those workers still die, but are migrants and barely even recorded, and the government turns a blind eye because the exports are a multi billion Euro industry that feeds Europeans and pays taxes.
Such are the mundane machinations of millionaire farmers, local government officials and national politicians, and the average working guy with his life on the line for fresh and cheap winter vegetables.
This essay is getting old now, but unfortunately still carries weight. I'm not sure if there will be a New World Order. It could break down into fiefdoms. Thanks for commenting on my stream of consciousness rant. : )
I don't enjoy being dark, but I feel most people are either in denial, or oblivious to how serious and immediate the effects of global warming are. The southwest is in deep trouble and if it goes, it will take the entire economy with it. Collapse and extinction of the natural world is accelerating. The scientists are scared. I'm dismayed by the lack of urgency in the media. I hope I am absolutely wrong about my dreary picture. I would love to be proven a fool. Thank you for reading. I'm going to try to lighten up in the next one.
dont worry you are wrong,we are heading into a much cooler climate now but with extreme weather ..however you are right about food shortages but not due to global warming..prepare! https://www.freedom-research.org/p/professor-valentina-zharkova-and
Professor Zharkova should stay in her lane. She is not a climate scientist. Physicists are often used for false info on climate change frequently. I debunked four of them here.
https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/noxious-disinformation-climate-the
GHGs were much higher 66 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed. So were oceans. The Greenland and Arctic ice sheets are melting. The influx of water is slowing the Atlantic Meridional Current. That could cool Europe by many degrees in a matter of decades, but is not our immediate problem. Either way, our agriculture is in trouble from these changes, and the only way to bring it under control is to stop creating GHGs.
Alas, you're not wrong.
Unfortunately, probably not. I'm here in Buffalo, waiting to smell Canada burning again as they continue pumping tar sand oil out of Alberta.
And overturning Citizens United, broken labor organizing laws, undermined antitrust legislation... sure, easy-peasy!
Thank you, Brad, I appreciate you reading and commenting. I certainly wish to be wrong.
Wowzer! Thank you!
Education like this is sorta the first step. But in reality the first step is to reelect Biden then systematically unrig the system so that change can be effected.
Unrigging includes: expanding SCOTUS and removing at least three sitting justices; degerrymandering all federal elections forever; controlling all the power bases (president, house and senate); and finally eliminating monopolies, oligopolies and reversing all of the corporations are people and money is speech decisions and laws, plus taxing high earners and corporations massively. Then things like healthcare, retirement, infrastructure reconstruction, etc, can be implemented.
Great article Geoff! We're definitely on the same page. Thanks for reaching out!
A very dark piece in a dark world painted in this piece.
All too close to the “arc of truth.” One irony: I’m 72 years old and grew up in an age when people relied on their local newspaper, or TV set, or even radio stations to bring us news of what was happening. Local news, national news, global/overseas news. But as the decades rolled by we watched as all of those resources were watered down, gutted or just bought and eliminated. But now we had vastly expanded access to instant news from *everywhere*: the Internet.
Unfortunately the Money Gods were already reaching out to limit and control the “trusted sources” of news (The Gray Lady, Washington Post, etc.) And the result: deep uncrossable divides in countries around the world.
Trump and MAGA are just for today. The end of American democracy. Sigh! But Climate Change will be the end of our world.
We're on the same page, I wish I felt differently after publishing this article a year ago, but all evidence since supports my thesis. Newspapers were an important part of my life from early on. I started reading them around age 12, and took great delight in copying Pat Oliphant cartoons of Nixon. Finding good information is ever more difficult with our corporate owned media, which is responsible for the tragic loss of our local newspapers. As imperfect as news is, more is better, as a single-minded corporate voice has come to prevail hell-bent on power and profit. I subscribe to the NY Times and Washington Post which still do good work, but are also off the mark in certain ways like all the media. Climate change should be front and center every day, and the corporate tentacles of disinformation revealed. As Napoleon said, "Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets."
https://www.freedom-research.org/p/professor-valentina-zharkova-and
Zharova is a professor of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering. These disciplines have no relationship or expertise to climate science. The earth could cool if the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation (AMOC) stops. There is evidence it's slowing. This would plunge Europe by many degrees in a matter of decades.
Yes, GHGs were much higher in the atmosphere 66 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed. There were no humans and the oceans were much higher. We're seeing the Arctic and Greenland ice sheets melt and oceans rising. This is in part why the eastern US coastline is eroding (also over pumping of groundwater is sinking land).
Human bodies are not adapted for the temperature extremes we're seeing, in India, or even the south and west US. Neither is our agriculture. Agriculture is under duress from the temperature rise due to drought and flooding. The extra heat and moisture from the resulting evaporation is fueling that problem.
In Mexico and India, drought is so extreme water deliveries by truck are necessary to keep people alive, and that comes from rapidly depleting groundwater.
Professor Zharkova should stick to her field. Physicists are often used for climate propaganda purposes. I debunked four of them here.
https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/noxious-disinformation-climate-the
In southern Spain there is a region that used to be desert and is now irrigated and covered in plastic sheeting to grow vegetables year around. It has made local landowners into millionaires.
But with rising temperatures, the Spanish workers were collapsing in the heat, so now almost all the workers are North Africans on temporary visas and no rights, better adapted to working in 40*C and more, day after day. Those workers still die, but are migrants and barely even recorded, and the government turns a blind eye because the exports are a multi billion Euro industry that feeds Europeans and pays taxes.
Such are the mundane machinations of millionaire farmers, local government officials and national politicians, and the average working guy with his life on the line for fresh and cheap winter vegetables.
It's astonishing how in this so connected world, the "information age," how evil can hide and thrive in plain sight.
It has always been thus. I have a saying I use mostly on myself;
"I can only be disappointed if I started out with unrealistic expectations".
It is a sometimes-brutal way of taking responsibility for my own misinterpretations of other people's behaviours.
Damn. Sorry. I'll try to be more depressing.
This essay is getting old now, but unfortunately still carries weight. I'm not sure if there will be a New World Order. It could break down into fiefdoms. Thanks for commenting on my stream of consciousness rant. : )