Air Pollution

I have long read that the major source of new carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere is not humans but natural sources such as volcanoes, the out-gassing of oceans, etc. In fact here is a reference that estimates man’s total current contribution to new CO2 emissions at around 4% … see: Climate Depot Study/.

And scare photos, which are often used to shame us humans about our profligate pollution practices, are the spewing smokestacks of coal-fueled power plants. I invite you dear readers to compare the worst of these photos … in fact the sum total of all that you can summon up on Google Images … with the one satellite image above of a spewing volcano (found on reddit). And this is but one of 50-70 volcanoes that are currently active (this year) and spewing goodly amounts of carbon and sulfur into our atmosphere … see: Volcano Discovery Estimates.

As in many other things in life, reliable data goes a long way toward keeping a level head about the current hysterical arm-waving about global warming (aka, climate change).

The Door to Hell

Around five years ago, Hugo Chavez said to the assembled U.N. members that, as a result of George W. Bush’s previously being at this same podium, there was still a lingering smell of sulfur.  In other words, Bush was the Devil personified.  I’ve always found it fascinating that many politicians try to cleanse their own souls by accusing others of their own transgressions … and I’m not just painting liberals with this sin … many conservatives have also been culpable. 

And so it is with Hugo Chavez.  His sins since grabbing power in Venezuela in 1998 have been rife … from corruption … to drug trafficking … to kidnapping … to anti-semitism … to despotism … even to murder … see: Curacao Chronicle.

Now Hugo Chavez appears to be on his deathbed in Cuba … and when he does succumb, I’m sure that there will be much donning of sackcloth and gnashing of teeth among the liberal glitterati of this country (Sean Penn, for example).  However, when this happens, I fully expect a fissure to open up in the earth somewhere near Havana … belching fire and the actual smell of sulfur … and Hugo baby being escorted, under the blare of out-of-tune trumpets, down to his fiery residence for all of eternity.   (Hopefully in tandem with Fidel Castro?)