Take a look at this. There's some bad language in the clip but still rather funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB0aFPXr4n4

When I moved to Louisiana in 78, we had 32 straight days over 100. Nothing like that since.

Salsaman, I LOVE George Carlin; I may be one of his biggest fans. That's mainly because he was one of the funniest guys ever and also because of our shared opinion on religion. In any case, it's a moot point as none of us around today will be around for the final verdict. Still, in any conflict between science and fact-free politics, I think I'm going to go with science. YMMV.

chas

Chas, you didn't watch the videos, did you.

Gary

Yes Gary, I did watch the video, at least the George Carlin one. George is a comedian with views that I agree with 98% of the time. If I want to laugh and be entertained, I go to Carlin, if I want scientific information, I go to a legitimate SCIENTIFIC source. What amazes me is how climate science is no longer a scientific issue but a raging, screaming POLITICAL issue between the far Right (born out of a hatred for clean air/clean water regulations, enacted mostly by the Democrats, which could impact the corporate bottom line) and the rest of the sane world who merely want a safe, healthy environment for themselves and their children. This is just one of many issues being used to divide this nation and it's sad (to me) to see how easily we can be exploited and how willing we are to accept or ignore thousands of documented, super fact-checked lies we're bombardied with every day. Thank goodness this illness only affects about a third of our nation, however vocal they are, and that number appears to be dwindling.

I only want my children to grow up in a better world than exists right now, where truth and basic morality (especially in our leaders) actually means something; where peaceful protest, a concept this nation was founded upon, is not painted to look like something else just to rile up a BASE of people who are just looking for an reason to justify their darkest feelings towards other segments of the population.

This belongs in the bar and for that reason I won't post any more about it. I think it's pretty clear where we all stand; no surprises here. Have a good day.

chas

I’m hearing the hottest summer on record here in MN.

We’re always comforted by the fact that in about 6 months it will be around -20.

I too love to watch George Carlin, my daughter went to school with his niece, Brenda and she has met him on a few occasions. Great comedian.

I too look at the sciences, then looked at the actual climate readings and they were not remotely close to the models proposed by a handful of scientists and exploited by a politician with an agenda of getting rich by exploiting fears they created.

Just because we are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, does not mean that we do not want the same things for ourselves and children. No one wants dirty air and water - NO ONE! And, everyone I know wants a better life for their children as well as themselves.

To date, not a single one of Al Gore's dire predictions have come to pass - NOT ONE! In fact, the air is cleaner in California now than it was when I was a young kid in the US Navy. Many of the nations streams are not cleaner because of the dedicated, hard work done by private organizations such as Trout Unlimited and Save Our Streams. A large number of streams and rivers that were previously contaminated by acid mine drainage have been restored to near pristine condition by programs instituted by Dr Robert Bachman, who in cooperation with the coal mining industry put together incredible programs that completely neutralized the acid mine drainage. Now, some of those mine waters have been converted to raceways where brook trout are being produced by the millions.

Finally, if you have a single, recent, peer-reviewed study that clearly shows where any of these dire, global-warming predictions have come to be, I would love to read it. Even NASA now says that the models were flawed because the input data had been compromised.

All the best,

Gary

Gary, I'm not going to try to convince you of ANYTHING. At your age that's not possible. You may want the best for YOUR children but I'm not convinced you want the same thing for MINE. I don't think anyone in their right mind wants to see the coal industry come back, including the miners themselves. Why would anyone want to literally kill themselves working in an industry that produces a product KNOWN to pollute everything it comes in contact with; air, water, sunlight. No one is willing to admit the TRUE reasons we hold the beliefs we do, which are 5% economic and 95% cultural, racial, and religious. Hate, fueled by tribalism and nationalism, is at an all-time high and will likely stay that way (or even escalate) for as long as we have leaders that aim to garner and maintain power by dividing us rather than bringing us together (aided and abetted by a legislature too cowardly to stand up to this gross abuse of power and total lack of morality and decency).

So yes, we ARE on opposite ends of the political spectrum, and that will always be a deterrent to TRUE friendship. Very sad. You should start a new thread over at The Bar if you'd like to discuss this further.

chas

Nah! I'm not a bar guy, Chas. And, as I said earlier, this should not have been a political issue.

Gary

Can I just jump in and ask you guys if you notice any joint pain in these high temperatures. Southeast U.K. at the moment is around the high 20's to 30C and my joints are aching like hell but I don't have this problem in autumn/winter/spring when temps are lower but with more dampness. Some of the temperatures you are going through in USA at the moment are really exceptional.

Hope it cools down a bit for you soon.

Alan