In this video from the series “Peak Oil and a Changing Climate” from The Nation and On The Earth Productions, linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky talks about the Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute and other business lobbies enthusiastically carrying out campaigns “to try and convince the population that global warming is a liberal hoax.” According to Chomsky, this massive public relations campaign has succeeded in leading a good portion of the population into doubting the human causes of global warming.
Known for his criticism of the media, Chomsky doesn’t hold back in this clip, laying blame on mainstream media outlets such as the New York Times, which will run frontpage articles on what meteorologists think about global warming. “Meteorologists are pretty faces reading scripts telling you whether it’s going to rain tomorrow,” Chomsky says. “What do they have to say any more than your barber?” All this is part of the media’s pursuit of “fabled objectivity.”
Of particular concern for Chomsky is the atmosphere of anger, fear and hostility that currently reigns in America. The public’s hatred of Democrats, Republicans, big business and banks and the public’s distrust of scientists all lead to general disregard for the findings of “pointy-headed elitists.” The 2010 elections could be interpreted as a “death knell for the species” because most of the new Republicans in Congress are global warming deniers. “If this was happening in some small country,” Chomsky concludes, “it wouldn’t matter much. But when it’s happening in the richest, most powerful country in the world, it’s a danger to the survival of the species.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJUA4cm0Rck&feature=player_embedded]
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Canadians, Americans, Europeans…heck, everyone is going to need to wake up about the way we are fed this nonsense about our climate “not changing”.
Are people really so insulated (literally) in their nice warm homes that they do not notice what is going on all about them?
Over the past several years, I have repeatedly remarked on what is obviously a change in our weather patterns, particularly in wintertime. And my meager observations seemingly have been backed up this past winter by the University of Victoria. It has been the longest and coldest winter here in 70 years.
Just a couple of years ago, we had a total of 4 feet of snow here. I know this is very little compared to what many places get, but the average here is about 6″ at most. Many years we are snow free. And over at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island, I do believe they claimed an all time high record this year which exceeded 20 feet.
Their biggest problem was being able to clear the parking lots to enable their customers (skiers) access to the ski hill.
Not only do I not believe the climate change deniers, but rarely do I swallow even something as simple as a weather forecast. Perhaps the meteorologists haven’t noticed what seems obvious to me. All these changing weather patterns are no longer producing the results which the meteorological prognosticators expect.
Time and time again the forecast will start with the words “Well, we sure weren’t expecting THAT today”.
So here’s my weather forecast for today and tonight. Today it will be light, and tonight it will be dark, other than that, you’re on your own.