For much of its existence the earth has been
encased in ice. This includes the last 3 million years, except for a few short warm intervals, such as the one now drawing to a close, termed the Holocene. The Ice Ages of recent geological times ( there were lots of others ) began a few million years ago when tectonic activity created the volcanic isthmus we call Central America.
Prior to the formation of Mexico and sundry banana republics, warm tropical waters from the Gulf and beyond swept up the west coast of North America, propelled by the coriolis forces of the earth’s rotation. Ocean water entering the western end of the near-landlocked Arctic Ocean was warmer. Antarctica, surrounded by water, was far less affected by the expansion of ice during recent geological cool periods.
What has changed since the last Ice Age? People argue as to whether the cyclical expansions of ice are caused by fluctuation in solar output, the variable mechanics of earth’s orbit about the sun, periods of increased volcanic activity or the formation of the Himalayas. Well – it doesn’t matter. Last time I looked all these factors were still in place. To my knowledge no one has yet devised a method to adjust solar output, modify the orbit of the earth or cork a volcano. The Himalayas are still there.
In a word. folks, we are screwed. It may not happen in your lifetime, or your children’s lifetime, but nothing has changed to alter Earth’s current geological pattern. Unless you believe, as do the 15,000 slack-jawed, gape mouthed, drooling sycophants* currently assembling in Copenhagen by limousine and private jet, that cow farts and pickup exhaust have doomed us all to broil to death.
At the close of the last Ice Age barely 20.000 humans survived in Europe. Looking at the map of ice coverage it’s easy to see why man evolved in Africa, and was so very late getting to Albuquerque and Des Moines. If I had grandchildren, I’d make sure they were fluent in Spanish!
Now print this article, go outside in your t-shirt and reread it three times. Then decide who is right. Algore & The Boobs of Copenhagen or the Uncaring Cosmos and the Forces of Universal Geological Destiny. The world is a violent, dangerous place. We are stuck here, in an unending cage match with Mother Nature. A rational society would be preparing for the inevitable instead of masturbating about the emissions of trace natural gases, currently at their lowest level in recent geological history. Unless of course, it ain’t about the climate at all……
**COPENHAGEN (AP) –Iranian Prime Minister Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe plan to address negotiators at international climate talks in Copenhagen next week.
