Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Global Warming pt.1

OK, so I’ve been real good. I haven’t went off like a sky rocket in ever so long. I’ve been living the rant-free lifestyle, but the need has grown strong and I can no longer resist the dark side. Where-o-where  to begin?

For starters, I would like to know how,  the entire environmental movement, together with a few other little things like droughts, killer storms, floods, famine, melting icecaps, volcanoes, earthquakes, loss of species, ocean anoxia to name just a few,  somehow  get bunched together under the  benign sounding catch-all of global warming.  No wonder nobody seems to cares about the irreversible  damage that's being done to the planet. Environmental issues have dropped like a rock off opinion poll about what’s important to Americans.

Global warming? What’s the big emergency? After all, a little warmer in the summer, a little less snow in the winter?  When people hear that we must address global warming to the detriment of our economy or inconveniences to our personal lifestyle, many just don't get it.  And can you blame them?
But, you say,  the polar bears are having a tough time with this moderate warming trend? Well, the little ones are cute, there is no denying that. The big ones, on the other hand, are big and mean and eat baby seals. Let them get their own air-conditioning. Isn’t one of those oldie-time movie stars raising money for those cute ones, anyway?

Global warming sounds so comfy. Had a tough day? How about a foot massage and a nice global warming? And if you live in a colder climate, it sounds downright inviting. When you’re in snow up to a tall Indian’s totem,  and your bunghole’s puckering up and freezing over it’s hard to get super hyped -up about the good fight against evil global warming. For some it’s a fight not to do a little jig.

Earth Day 2010 Bitter Sweet

So another earth day has come and gone and as usually it’s been a busy time of year.  It’s the time when everybody in the media scurries around trying to find interviews and articles to show how concerned they are about the environment. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the spotlight being shined on the subject, but I wish it could be shined brighter and longer. So, for me this earth day was both bitter and sweet. Let’s get the sweet out of the way first;

Both Barnes & Noble book signings went well. Not only selling the books but talking to the people reminds me that some are really paying attention. After the signing the manager decided to build an end cap display of the book for the rest of earth month. Got a Lot of new request to come to signing’s at out of state locations, we'll see, but some will not economically viable. Amazon ordered more books {an almost religious experience for me} and it looks like Baker and Taylor will need to order again soon.
  

The highlight of the week was the charity celebrity author’s event at The Harvard Club. Very che-che-foo-foo stuff at #1 Howard Hughes place, one of the most prestigious address in Vegas. The service and setting were flawless. Even better was the chance to mingle with others unstable and unhinged enough to be considered kindred spirits and to meet the key alumnus. Meeting next year’s students inspired both nostalgia and hope. What a bright and intent group of fine young people. Only 2200 were accepted out of more than 35,000 worldwide applications. I was sad to find there were only 6 from Nevada this year but for those who made the cut, it is a very nice leg-up from the powers to be.

I thought that President Osama’s earth day speech was adequate and it was encouraging to hear that he is sticking to his alternate energy plans for the future. But, of course, I did not think it went nearly far enough in scope or resource allocations. You know, I think the bitter stuff is going to have to wait, till Monday. It’s a beautiful day out and I know if I get started on that bitter rant now, I’ll miss the rest of the day. So, I’m just going to close the laptop and enjoy my weekend. I hope you do same. 

Earth Day Speaking Engagement

Hey everyone, hope you have a happy and productive Earth day. I will be at Barnes & Noble on Maryland Parkway in Las Vegas on the 20th signing books from 4 to 7 pm, and I will be at the Harvard Club on Wednesday evening the 22nd for a charity authors event. If you are in the area please stop by and say hello.

Killer Quakes and Volcanoes Linked to Global Warming

Escalating worldwide disasters coupled to climate change

A rising sequence of natural disasters may be examples of some of the less understood and more unpleasant consequences of global warming. 

Geologists say that Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and landslides are some of the additional catastrophes that climate change and its rising sea levels and melting glaciers could bring

The impact of human-induced global warming on Earth's ice and oceans is already noticeable: Greenland's glaciers are melting at an increasing rate, and sea level rose by a little more than half a foot (0.17 meters) globally in the 20th century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

With these trends in ice cover and sea level only expected to continue and likely worsen if atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, they could alter the stresses and forces fighting for balance in the ground under our feet—changes that are well-documented in studies of past climate change, but which are just beginning to be studied as possible consequences of the current state of global warming.

Earth Day, Now and Then

1970-2010

On April 22, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. As a witness to all of these events, ten years of serious academic studies, a book, numerous articles, debates and interviews, these are my observations.

The first Earth Day, in the spring of 1970, was powered to a great extent, by young Americans and college students. Many of whom, had turned out in huge numbers to protest the war in Vietnam. 


The first earth day officially kicked off at a conference in Seattle in September 1969 when Senator Gaylord Nelson announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric.

Five months before that first Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, the New York Times carried a lengthy article by Gladwin Hill, reporting on the astounding proliferation of environmental events planned;