Seattle Times: "The truth about global warming"

Point well said, Andy. <br> <br>I think I might be able to shed some light on this Liberal vs Conservative thing... <br> <br>History began some 12,000 years ago. Humans existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunter/gatherers. <br> <br>They lived on deer in the mountains during the winter (some even skied on one leg, i.e. with different purpose skis on each foot -- one for pushing, the other for gliding) and would go to the coast to live on fish and lobster in the summer. <br> <br>The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundations of modern civilization, and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups: Liberals & Conservatives. <br> <br>Once beer was discovered, it required grain, and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early ancestors were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed. <br> <br>Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as "the Conservative movement." <br> <br>Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting, learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the liberal movement. Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as "girlymen." <br> <br>Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy and group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided. <br> <br>Over the years, conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass. <br> <br>Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, quiche, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. <br> <br>Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men.<br><br>As the world evolved, most liberals took up vocations such as social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't "fair" to make the pitcher also bat.<br><br>Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are typically big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, soldiers, athletes, and generally, anyone who likes to work productively outside government. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to earn a living. <br> <br>Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to "govern" the producers and decide what is to be done with the production! Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get MORE <br>for nothing. <br> <br>So I think you can see from the origins, why there's such a disparity in the views of each group. Now I think we know everything that's really important on the matter. <br>

Well.. I am just laughing my head off! It sounds like Norm the Mailman.<br>

I love it!!!<br><br>  and Ron as I recall I think it's a Bud I have seen you dig out of a snowbank !!

Ron, that was good......!!

I liked the Seattle Times article because it made it clear that there is a scientific consensus about global warming.  That was the "truth" that the article's title was referring to.  A cottage industry has sprung up to obscure this fact, to make it seem that the science is highly unsettled.  But as the article said, the peer-reviewed research reflects consensus which has been getting stronger each year.<br><br>I'm fascinated by politics.  But I'm baffled at the same time.  It's not clear to me why climate science is viewed so differently by liberals and conservatives.  Clearly conservatives find the notion of global warming threatening for some reason.  We should expect a healthy debate about policy.  Buy why should the science be politicized?  Do conservatives lack faith in their ability to sway the policy debate?  Do they really think there is a liberal conspiracy to warp the science?  I just don't think that's possible.  Human nature being what it is, the opportunity to make a huge name for yourself by debunking the global warming consensus would doom any such conspiracy.<br><br>I don't think we gain anything when we draw caricatures of "liberals" and "conservatives." The country is too divided as it is.  I know and like Ron, but I didn't like the caricature in his post. <br><br>For what it's worth, I'm planning to attend the King County 2005 Climate Change Conference in Seattle on October 27.  I don't know if you can still sign up, but more information can be found below.  If any TAY-ers are planning to go, I'd enjoy hooking up with you.<br><br> dnr.metrokc.gov/dnrp/climate-change/conference-2005.htm

Conference Objectives<br><br>* Understand the degree of climate change predicted in 20, 50, and 100 years in Washington State.<br><br>* Review climate change adaptation work already being done: who, what, where.<br><br>* Identify resource and information needs for impacted sectors.<br><br>* Identify approaches for improving sector-specific plans to adapt to climate change including risk assessment and response. <br><br>* Initiate an ongoing dialogue about climate change, adaptation, and risk management. <br><br>Target Audience<br><br>* Business, government, tribes, farmers, academia, non-profits, general public.<br><br>* Sector stakeholders: agriculture, coastal areas, fish/shellfish, flooding/stormwater/wastewater, forestry, hydropower and municipal water supply. (And at least one skier! )<br><br>* Planners, engineers, architects, capital improvement program managers, resource managers, policy analysts, educators, community-at-large.<br>

Are there any moderates left in this country?