not so fast
Not everyone thinks the Conservative government is a lock. Canada's opposition Conservative Party, which is set to bring down the minority Liberal government later this week, was hit by a new opinion poll on Monday that showed it was trailing in the country's most vote-rich region. The Leger Marketing poll for the Sun chain of newspapers put support for the Liberals in the powerful central province of Ontario at 43 percent compared with 31 percent for the Conservatives. Ontario, a Liberal stronghold at the federal level for the past 12 years, accounts for 106 of the 308 seats in House of Commons, and no party can hope to form a government without doing well there. . . . Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberals have been badly hurt by a corruption scandal and Conservative leader Stephen Harper says the government must be defeated as soon as possible. The Leger figures, however, suggest there is no guarantee Harper can end 12 years of Liberal rule. Thanks, ALPF! I must say, I...
The best part:
ReplyDeleteWhat distinguishes this plan from the Kyoto protocol is that it will actually lead to a major reduction in carbon emissions! This substitution of practical impact for well-crafted verbiage stunned and infuriated European observers.
Yes, it will - IN 95 YEARS!!!
Whereas Kyoto would be a much more immediate impact. Which would of course cut into the oil industry during the reign of the Bushes. Which of course they will never let happen.
Runner up for best part:
I doubt that the pact will make any difference to the earth's climate, which will be determined, as always, by variations in the energy emitted by the sun. But when the real cause of a phenomenon is inaccessible, it makes people feel better to tinker with something that they can control.
Riiiiiight ... the rapid rise in Earth's temperature the past 100 years as opposed to the 100 preceding that is due to the sun and not the rapid rise of the industrial sector and automobile usage, both of which emit gases that were not emitted to nearly the same capacity in the preceding 100 years as they have been the past 100. How could people be so dumb to believe it's been something out of our control? Of course! Eureka!
And if you believe that, I'll tell you another one. There's this rabbit, you know, who speaks to me out on my patio. Even shares a cigarette once in a while. Good fellow. Says oil is great, but only in a pipe.
;-)
Anyone who can ignore the overwhelming evidence of global warming caused by a human-made greenhouse effect must be smoking with your little furry friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat's his name, btw?
But I don't suppose President Bush is holding his breath, waiting for the crowd to start applauding.
ReplyDeleteThat's my favorite bit. I'm a heartless bitch for making fun of this poor misunderstood genius. But he'll be OK, in spite of me. He'll carry on llike the brave little soldier he is. Godspeed, you noble, visionary humanitarian.
But when the real cause of a phenomenon is inaccessible, it makes people feel better to tinker with something that they can control.
Can someone explain this one to me? Is this wingut admitting that the plan is futile, but nevertheless worthwhile because it will give people that warm and fuzzy feeling? Sounds like something a bleeding heart wimp would say. Hmm...
Okay, so I'm reposting this. (Check my comment above if you wanna know what I'm talking about).
ReplyDeletethe agreement will reduce carbon emissions in the countries where they are now rising most rapidly, India and China.
Can somebody explain this to me? Admittedly, I have not closedly followed the debate on the Kyoto protocol other than being hearing predictable babble such as the warnings of a one world government from the right and Bush protecting his friends in Big Oil from the left.
But if the Kyoto protocol does indeed exempt the two populous nations, then it does seem useless to me.
Don't you get emailed when people leave comments?
ReplyDeleteSure. I just don't get emailed when people leave comments on other people's blogs!
other than being hearing predictable babble such as the warnings of a one world government from the right and Bush protecting his friends in Big Oil from the left.
Sometimes predictable babble is the best kind.
But re Kyoto, I'm no expert, but the US is the world's biggest polluter. So Kyoto means nothing unless the US signs on.
ReplyDeleteSome large developing countries (India, China and Brazil, maybe some others) are not exempt, but not required to meet specific targets yet. That's supposed to come along later.
It's not perfect, for sure. But it's a start. But without the US, it's not.
At first, I thought the piece was a joke. Bush II an unappreciated genius, ahead of his time even on environmental issues? By the way, did you catch the "conservative T-shirts" ad in the right side bar? I thought the one that said "Hippies Smell" was pretty timely, this still being the Summer of Love and all.
ReplyDeleteIm no expert on Kyoto but im pretty sure that developing countries weren't exempt from the protocol. They were given some breathing room so that the signing of the protocol wouldn't cripple their ever growing economies and leave them devastated. Or be left with a treaty they couldn't live up to. It was very progressive. It took the situation of every country into consideration.
ReplyDeleteThere were points too. Like if say Canada was under its set quota of emissions, it could sell its extra points to other countries who were going to be over.
Sometimes people frighten me.
What distinguishes this plan from the Kyoto protocol is that it will actually lead to a major reduction in carbon emissions!
Kyoto will work. And what distinguishes Kyoto from this new plan is that it will be in my lifetime.
For all we know the political and economic landscape will have changed drasticly in 100 years. To assume that the United States, China and India will still be the world leaders of carbon emissions in 100 years is rediculous.
They were given some breathing room so that the signing of the protocol wouldn't cripple their ever growing economies and leave them devastated. Or be left with a treaty they couldn't live up to.
ReplyDeleteRight, that's well said.
I thought the one that said "Hippies Smell" was pretty timely, this still being the Summer of Love and all.
Hee hee. I guess he's just a square. I won't invite him to my groovy pad.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
ReplyDeleteI will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
I will not leave comments in tended for Laura on other people's blogs.
.
.
.
Anyone who can ignore the overwhelming evidence of global warming caused by a human-made greenhouse effect must be smoking with your little furry friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat's his name, btw?
Keeps telling me, in an English accent, that his name is Robbie (pronounced ROW-BEE). But I prefer to call him Peter. Because I imagine this is what Peter Rabbit would have become, a chain-smoking visionary who shows up when people are in a haze to ramble on about nothing.
Wants to be an LB regular. Maybe I should post his rants as cover.
(Gosh, idiot ramblings for their own sake are SO much fun ...)
;-)
PS David, that's hilarious. I have one of my own.
ReplyDeleteI am NOT seeing a talking rabbit.
I am NOT seeing a talking rabbit.
I am NOT seeing a talking rabbit.
.
.
.
Who knows ...
ReplyDelete... maybe if I give up my evening booze buzz he will no longer show up.
But that would mean no longer watching the news. Which is really the best source of entertainment these days, so I can't do that.
;-) G
PS Peter says to say "hi" and congrats on moving to Canada. Damn furball just won't leave.
Tell Robbie/Peter he's welcome to hop around in my backyard in Port Credit, although he'll need cunning and speed to avoid the non-imaginary canines.
ReplyDeleteI just call him Peter Robbit as a compromise of sorts. He seems cool with it.
ReplyDelete