Comments on: boiling frogs, and all that

By: cocktailhag

cocktailhag — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:32:51 +0000

Hell, I was talking about the hinterlands right here, just outside Little Beirut. My cousin, Paula, who puts up a post here once in a great while, bought a house in New Orleans because she and her husband didn’t want their daughters to grow up to be Yamhill County rednecks. The US Senate is a grim testament to the outsized power of that bunch.

By: retzilian

retzilian — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:27:54 +0000

That’s because the “Hinterlands,” in my experience, are mostly white, small town. Most of the USA is Hinterland, geographically speaking.

By: cocktailhag

cocktailhag — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:25:49 +0000

Of course, my nephews live in an area that is both liberal and well-off, so there’s an element of the “lirul” thing going on. The oldest one attends the same high school I went to, which was always racially mixed but quite well-regarded. Things are surely quite different out in the hinterlands.

By: retzilian

retzilian — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:16:56 +0000

It warms my heart when I hear from my second generatioon of kids (now 9 and 13)eschew labels and race from their discussion. They do not describe classmates as “black” or “asian” or “Indian” or “Arab.” They do not care if someone’s parents are divorced or gay or have unconventional living arrangements. I’m sure that’s partly because their parents are DFHippies or LIBRELS, because you have to teach your children to hate other cultures; but I also think it’s because they consider themselves the WORLD. “We are the world” Mom!, they say to me.

By: cocktailhag

cocktailhag — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:10:12 +0000

That’s true of the younger generation in many other areas as well… racism, sexism, and homophobia, too. I was so proud, a few years back, when my sister-in-law were riding in the car, and she was balking at going to a party at one of my brother’s and my fraternity brothers (we’re Sigma Nus…) and I said that Eric is a fun guy, his wife is nice, etc. From the back seat came the eight-year old voice of my youngest nephew, dripping with disdain, “But he’s a Republican.”
Children are the future, Baby!

By: retzilian

retzilian — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:58:26 +0000

If it’s any consolation, Hag (and I am consoled by it), the newest generation – kids aged 6 to 20 are very concerned about global warming and they care about it. Just like the way kids care about animals much more than most adults. They may be the ones to demand eco-friendly solutions. We may be too old to enjoy the benefits, but I have faith that once the Baby Boomers are out of power (or have died off like the old Politburo), we have a chance.

There is also another reason to stop relying on petroleum, besides the climate and pollution aspects – it encourages our geo-political involvement in the middle east, which cannot end well. I refuse to die for Exxon and will not send my son to die for it, either.

FWIW.

By: cocktailhag

cocktailhag — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:07:02 +0000

I think moving would be kind of a necessity under those circumstances. Good for you, consuming less fuel; I have lived carless for almost 8 years. I had to move downtown to make it work, but in a compact city like Portland with excellent mass transit, it’s quite easy to do. And cheap, to boot.

By: heru-ur

heru-ur — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:49:19 +0000

I am all for cleaning the air and stopping the use of petrol for use in private cars. I used a bicycle to go to work for 5 years, and now I use a little scooter that gets about 75 miles per gallon. My wife drives a Versa and we seem to be getting 28 to 30 mpg in the city! I try to work with the planet and not against it all I can. I am all for that.

It is just that I have studied the science of the matter and believe that the evidence says we have a variable star as our sun. Our oceans are still way, way below what they have be in times past. If the oceans rise and Florida goes back under water. I may just move.

By: cocktailhag

cocktailhag — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:25:21 +0000

Well, you’ll notice that I also pointed out the air quality alert…. Even if there were no human caused climate change, our excessive emissions have made the air unfit to breathe in many cities as it is. Isn’t that reason enough to take a second look at “drill, Baby, drill?” Cutting carbon emissions, which would prolong the supply of finite resources while cleaning the air, is just a good idea. No religion involved.
Places like Houston are the poster children for petro-excess, and the health and quality of life for the people there is worse because of it.

By: heru-ur

heru-ur — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:10:48 +0000

I have never read the American Petroleum Institute, nor its talking points. However, I have studied the history of weather as part of studying ancient civilizations and their belief systems. It is amazing what was known and admitted to about weather up until this new religion came into being. As always, these secular religions are as damaging to real science as Roman Catholicism.

Just off the top of my head, research the history of citrus cultivation in the USA. You could commercially grow citus up along the Mississippi River back in Twain’s time; as he documented. I don’t think he had anything to do with this institute you see in every skeptical comment; but maybe he did. But I can guarantee you that it is not a good idea to plant an Orange grove from Orlando north here in Florida.

But don’t worry Hag, I’ll not try to convert you — each man needs to pick his own religion. I would not like you telling me that Daoism is not worthy of consideration.

Perhaps a return to the Little Ice Age would make those of your religion happy. No? Protestant Preachers in the USA blamed the terrible cold winters on Man’s Sinful Nature. (I have read sermons from that time)