ing
Rudd's plan, but for diametrically opposed reasons. Ultimately Rudd
went to Copenhagen with nothing, just like Obama, and was castigated
for it.
Lumumba
Di-Aping, a Sudanese negotiator at Copenhagen and one of the most
outspoken representatives of the developing nations called Rudd a
fraud. In an interview with ABC Australia, he said, "It's
puzzling...that here is a Prime Minister who actually won the elections
because of his commitment to climate change... he was the only Prime
Minister who came and clearly said we have to do something, we have to
join Kyoto Protocol and all the rest.
While Americans glued themselves
to the Tiger Woods story, here,
climate change is the issue of the decade
and the comprehensive and balanced
in depth reporting is remarkable.
But it is no less controversial,
on so many levels.
"And
within a very short period of time he changes his mind, changes his
position, he start acting as if he has been converted into climate
change scepticism. All what Australia has done so far is simply not
good enough."
When
the ABC reporter told the Sudanese negotiator that Rudd "considers
himself a world leader on the issue of climate change," he laughed.
"The
message that the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd is giving to
his people, his citizens is a fabrication, it's fiction, it does not
relate to the facts because his actions are climate change skepticism
in action."
The
ABC also interviewed NASA's climatologist James Hansen, who seems to
get much more air time away from his own country. In a comprehensive
interview on ABC's Lateline with Tony Jones, there was this exchange:
TONY JONES: Now
you're accusing governments of lying through their teeth even as they
sign up to large emission reduction targets for Copenhagen. Why so
pessimistic?
JAMES HANSEN: Well
it's very easy to show that they are either lying or kidding themselves
because all you have to do is look at the geophysical data. You know,
the governments all around the world now agree that we're going to have
to stabilize atmospheric composition, carbon dioxide in particular, at
a relatively low level.
And
if you look at how much carbon there is in oil, gas and coal, what you
quickly realize is that oil and gas is already going to be enough to
get us up to approximately the dangerous level. The only way we can
solve the problem is by phasing out coal emissions and prohibiting
unconventional fossil fuels like tar sands and oil shale.
But
in fact, if you look at what's happening, the United States just signed
an agreement with Canada to make a pipeline to carry oil from tar sands
to the United States, and Australia is expanding its port facilities to
export more coal.
And
coal fired power plants are built all around the world. Oil is even
being squeezed out of coal. So there's absolutely no way that the world
can meet the kind of targets that they're talking about for future
decades. So they're just putting out numbers, you know, goals which
absolutely cannot be met
To watch the video or read the entire transcript: www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2008/s2y64523.htm.
Ultimately,
of course, Obama's llth hour participation produced a toothless,
non-binding "political agreement." In the states I could already
detect, via the internet, the spin that "progressives" are attaching to
the Copenhagen Debacle. But Bill McKibben got it right.
On his blog he wrote, in part:
"(Obama)
formed a league of super-polluters, and would-be super-polluters.
China, the U.S., and India don't want anyone controlling their use of
coal in any meaningful way. It is a coalition of foxes who will
together govern the henhouse. It is no accident that the targets are
weak to nonexistent. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves
with targets, he said. Indeed. And now imagine
Route
128 junction, I wondered what would happen to the old highway bridge.
So I contacted UDOT yet again. Mr. Kitchen explained that once the new
highway bridge is finished, the old highway bridge will be torn down
at an estimated cost of...wait for it...one million dollars.
what this agreement will look like with the next Republican president."
And more to my point...
"He
demonstrated the kind of firmness and resolve that Americans like to
see. It will play well politically at home and that will be the worst
part of the deal. Having spurned Europe and the poor countries of the
world, he will reap domestic political benefit. George Bush couldn't
have done this—the reaction would have been too great. Obama has taken
the mandate that progressives worked their hearts out to give him, and
used it to gut the ideas that progressives have held most dear. The
ice caps won't be the only things we lose with this deal."
For his entire blog comments on Copenhagen check out: "With climate agreement, Obama guts progressive values"
The
problem, as this publication noted last issue, is that "progressives"
have no idea what it means to be one. And they haven't for many years.
For most of them, they simply want to feel better. As McKibben notes,
progressives can ONLY take comfort that it could have been worse with a
Republican. And more succinctly, had Bush taken this route, the
progressives would be erupting with outrage.
Again, rhetoric rules.
A TALE OF FOUR BRIDGES
Before
I left for Australia, I needed to make one last journey to Colorado via
Moab and the river road to get my quarterly haircut. I only trust my
Follicles to Faye.
Faye
Carpenter of Wavelength Salon on North Avenue has been trying to snip
my lobes with her scissors for more than a decade. I am her most loyal
but distant customer— in geographical terms, I travel 300 miles (round
trip) to let Faye work her magic on my mop.
I
don't visit Moab often and as I made the turn from US 191, I was
reminded again how quickly the area is being transformed. A new
multi-million dollar vehicle bridge is being constructed, just
downstream from the current US 191 bridge. A hundred yards upstream, at
the site of the original highway bridge, (see photo) is the new bike
and pedestrian span, completed just a couple years ago.
Now
I know I am not the brightest light bulb in the room, but with a bit of
foresight, why couldn't someone who makes a living at this have
realized that the current highway bridge could have become the
bike/pedestrian bridge, once the new US 191 edifice is completed? With
a little imagination, some creative landscaping, some benches and
picnic tables...why they could even install some of those quaint street
lights that are becoming so fashionable in New West towns, the old
highway bridge could easily have served the needs of future bikers.
That would have saved us the $3.7 million to build the new bicycle
bridge
But it's a simple matter
of common sense and
fiscal responsibility.
The million dollars being spent
to tear down a bridge could have
been used to re-build Dewey.
It
is true that no one could have foreseen the death of Dewey when these
plans were made. But it's a simple matter of common sense and fiscal
responsibility. The million dollars being spent to tear down a bridge
could have been used to re-build Dewey.
But
then...what the hell do I know? I also think that the Copenhagen talks
were a joke, that mainstream green groups should not have board members
who also build coal fired power plants and that building a gazillion
wind turbines in the American West will destroy the landscape in ways
we never dreamed.
Yep...what the hell do I know?
Where's my vodka and Mrs. T?"
FINALLY...THANKS RICK.
Some
of you watched me have a near breakdown in October as plans to
"re-make" The Zephyr and create a more reader-friendly HTML version
came apart at the seams. When I boarded my flight for Perth, I still
didn't know if the "ace" I mentioned on this page last time would be
able to perform a miracle.
Well,
the Ace came through and it turned out he was practically living
across the street from me. His name is Pack Richardson and he seems to
be able to do anything, from re-building a V6 motor on a GMC pickup to
constructing a computer from the ground up. Sometimes I think Rick may
not be human...that he's "studying our species" and reporting back to
his People.
In any case, you're reading this in HTML thanks to Rick.
Finally I have something (or someone) NOT to complain about.
Some excellent Aussie News Links
COVER PHOTO: www.treehugger.com
A
half hour later, I sadly confronted the gruesome remains of my beloved
Dewey Bridge. It was burned to the water two years ago (human-caused of
course) and while there have been some half-hearted attempts to rouse
interest in restoring Dewey Bridge, nothing has come of it, that I
know of. And Kevin Kitchen, a spokesman for UDOT, says the state has no
plans to rebuild the bridge, nor does it even own what's left of the
structure.
It
would be impossible to "restore" the old Dewey Bridge. Only the
memories of those whitewashed wooden planks survive. "Re-creating" the
bridge is another matter but most interested parties believe such a
project would cost $1 million. Cost prohibitive, they say. There just
isn't the money.
But it didn't have to be like that..
Again, UDOT's Kevin Kitchen is my source and I appreciate his assistance.
We
all know that a new highway bridge has been a UDOT priority for years.
When the money was available, the bridge would be built. Meanwhile,
there was a concern for bicyclists trying to cross the river on the
current US 191 bridge. The money was found to build the bike bridge
which ultimately cost $3.7 million. It was opened in 2007.
But as I was making my exit from the highway at the
3