Thoughts Before The Alarm Sounds

      The disagreement between climatologists and deniers goes on. In a 2009 survey, 97% of respondents who listed climate science as their area of expertise, and who also have published more than 50% of their recent peer-reviewed papers on the subject of climate change, agree that human activity is "a significant contributing factor in changing mean global temperatures."       In a recent CNN poll of the general public, when the question “. . . from what you have heard or read, do you believe increases in the Earth's temperature over the last century are due more to the effects of pollution from human activities, or natural changes in the environment that are not due to human activities?", 50% replied human activities, 46% said natural causes, and 4% were unsure.       There seems to be a general mistrust of the findings of science, which I believe is due primarily to the constant barrage of false information ...

In response to a report which appeared recently in the Wall Street Journal , American International Group Inc.'s CEO, Robert Benmosche, who was paid around $10.5 million this past August to take over and cure the ailing company, announced that he was not going anywhere. Apparently Mr. Benmosche decided he could make do on his pittance of a salary. AIG was given a government bailout package of up to $180 billion (yes, that’s …illion with a b) because the company was “too big to fail.” I would think that if it’s that big, it is probably too big to exist. But I digress – Even though he is terribly frustrated by the  government’s salary caps (the government now owns an 80% stake in the company), Mr. Benmosche has told the company’s 100 highest paid employees that he will stay on and fight for their pay.  Under the government's caps  plan, cash salaries for the top 25 highest-paid executives will be limited in most cases to $500,000. The plan also calls for perks in mos...

One of the people we met on our recent trip was Sandy Balla, a history major and Hudson River buff. Sandy, who lives in the area, was hired by the cruise line to give us information about the sights we were seeing, and she is very good at the job. Whether it was West Point, Catskill or any other location along the route from NYC to Troy , Sandy was up to date with her knowledge. She knew not only the history of the locations we visited; she also told us about the current local economy, as well as prior to the settlement by the Dutch and English;  the relations of the current and ancient populations with each other, and the names and works of local painters and artisans who did so much to popularize the region. She also told us stories and legends, e.g. Rip Van Winkle , during times when some of us had idle time aboard ship. Her knowledge and enthusiasm, and the professionalism with which she imparted it, did much to make the trip more meaningful and pleasant. She also told...

“Why food?” I recognized the voice immediately. I turned around, and there he sat, in full chef regalia, on my love seat. Although I had not seen Hookie for quite some time, I was not particularly surprised that he was there. I have known him practically all my life; he was my imaginary friend when I was three years old. Eventually he disappeared for a long time, but for the past several years he has occasionally shown up wearing a costume apropos to whatever subject he felt like discussing at the moment. Obviously, this time it was food. “Hookie,” I said. “What about food?” “Why is it that whenever we meet with other people, we have to have food? On a date, attending a movie, playing cards, whenever we get together with someone else, we have to have food? Why can’t we just sit and talk, or walk in the park together, or take a long drive in the country? Even when we meet someone to discuss a business deal, we prefer to do it over lunch.” The only thing I could think of to say...

Here are a few stories from today’s local newspaper: “Suspect in bat assault case headed to trial.” A homeowner caught a thief going through his (the homeowner’s) van, and hit the thief with a baseball bat. The homeowner is going to trial. The thief pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. “Marshals, police nab city woman.” Twice she tried to run them down with her car, then started punching them. “ Marietta man charged with raping child.” Needs no explanation. ” U.S. call driving while distracted an ‘epidemic.’” Again no explanation needed. I was beginning to think the SETI searchers (see 9/27 blog) should be trying to find signs of intelligent life on earth. Then I came across the following letter to the editor: “Day of Caring volunteers energetic, inspiring.” This is a thank you letter to 3,100 local volunteers who took part in United Way of Lancaster ’s 18 th annual Day of Caring. Among many other things they weatherized the home of a local soldier, scrubbed graffiti o...