The Dedly Blog

Hot Enough For Ya?

It's a mere 93° in the shade on my back porch at 12:30 EST. That's nothing compared to South Dakota a couple of days ago, which hit 117, the highest temperature ever recorded in the state. Sub-zero in the winter. Phoenix-like heat in the summer. What a swell place.

Last night, the Discovery Channel showed "Global Warming - What You Need To Know." If you didn't catch it, record it, or Tivo it, then do so. Tom Brokaw narrated it. I don't know how it compares to Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" as I haven't seen that one yet. But I imagine they cover the same territory.

Anyway, I thought that Brokaw's version was really well done. They covered a lot of the evidence and showed much of the impact that it's already having. And I appreciated the fact that they didn't make carbon dioxide out to be a pollutant. They rationally explained the carbon cycle and how we're contributing to it.

There's a statistic that often goes misunderstood, but was brought up in the documentary. When people hear that the global average temperature has gone up 1 degree, they say, "big deal!" But it is a big deal. What often goes unsaid is that during the last ice age, the average global temperature was only 11 degrees cooler (though in this documentary I believe they stated 9 degrees). So, put it in perspective. If we're only above an ice age by 10 degrees or so, then what will be the impact of 1 or 2 degree temperature increases in the global average bring?

And the other major point is that the rate at which CO₂ is being pumped into the atmosphere is increasing. I didn't mind that the US didn't sign the Kyoto Protocols. I didn't buy into the whole whining bit about "Oh it's gonna hurt our economy... waaaaa" crap. We're pissing tens of billions of dollars into Iraq each year and the economy has been doing just fine (at least if you ask a gov't spokesman). It's the fact that developing nations like India and China were exempt. Anyone who follows the global economy can tell you that these two countries have been growing like gangbusters over the last few years. To maintain that growth, they've needed to expend alot of energy. In China's case, that means burning lots of coal. China is already the #4 economy in the world and I believe that it may be, or soon will be, the #2 contributor to carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Therefore, why should they be exempt?

I don't trust the US government to help much. There's too much money and resources being expended in the neverending war on terrorists, would be terrorists, terrorist sympathizers, and political opponents. Here's a case where capitalism might be a better hope. If there's money to be made in something, businesses will follow. Don't believe me? Just have a look at the organic food industry. What started out as just a bunch of hippies has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Even the big supermarket chains have organic food sections. The same needs to happen for other industries, especially automobiles, construction, and power generation. We need to change a little today or sacrifice alot tomorrow.

posted by DED at 12:43 PM

 Mike said...

Good stuff, DED. I hear what you're saying.

India & China will get on-board (along with Uncle Sam) when it hits them in the pocketbooks not to do so.

Til then . . . they won't change a damn thing.

7/17/2006 4:20 PM

 Alan P. said...

107 deg. F yesterday in Oklahoma. Looks like it's gonna be another hot one today as well. Ded, You posted the first ever comment at my blog. You didn't win anything but I am going to add you and Mike's links over there if you guys don't mind.

7/20/2006 12:34 PM

 DED said...

Thanks Mort! But only link to my blog if you like it. If you look through my posts and think I'm a dick you'll probably regret linking to it. Then again you could always pull the link.

\_/

7/20/2006 11:19 PM

 jnubel said...

I did tivo the episode but have not watched it yet. Do you remember my uranium blog earlier this year (I believe as a side comment to your aluminum stock), well alternative energy forms and global warming were key factors in me getting on board. I'd like to see Al Gore's movie too on the subject.

7/24/2006 5:39 PM

 DED said...

Jim: How has the uranium sector done since then? Too soon for much movement yet?

7/25/2006 1:13 PM

 jnubel said...

I've only been a part of the uranium picture since early this year. I took a few small holdings in some "juniors" and I am basically break even (some better, some worse). The spot price of uranium has probably gone from about $40/lb to $45/lb today. I wish I had only know a few years back when the spot price was under $10/lb. If you want some reading try these links (warning: they are long)
http://rsch1.ml.com/9093/24013/ds/4647_327.PDF
http://www.sprott.com/pdf/climate.pdf

7/25/2006 1:48 PM

 jnubel said...

I finally got around to watching this last night. Well only the first half anyway. I'm almost too frightened to watch the second half since many times I felt like assuming a fetal position. 60 minutes had an interview this past Sunday with NASA's James Hansen who appears in this documentary. I guess he was free to speak in this forum. He made it seem like in his 60 minutes interview that he is censored much like Adrian Cronauer was (Robin Williams) in Good Morning Vietman in his day job.

8/02/2006 4:57 PM