Muscatine

Hi,

Thank you for pointing out my little slip. Not the tailpipes, but those nasty unfiltered smoke stacks have been pumping far longer than most realize. Granted we were all a much smaller population back then, I guess that's why they called it the industrial revolution. Jeez it's been cold lately. That came from an arctic expedition to determine the alkalinity of the Arctic ocean region into bering straight that also recorded average ice dissapearance and as they have done now, guessed what would happen- in 1929. But it isn't just a report today, it is a  sound determination at the current loss, the ice will be gone in a decade. Just a report though. Who knows, but it's more likely real today then it was in 1929. As for Al Gore, not a fan am I, though we tend to try and shoot the messengers in our society, rather than try to understand what might be happening. Cycles are just that, but since we tend to see little beyond our noses, it's hard to imagine what is further down the road, short cycles or not.

Lucy.

Hi Mallory

So pleased to write with you.

These were just a few of the underlying issues that family while around the dinner tables, some of my professors of course through research projects and always wise grandpa. These tend get missed by the media and those who know better, but fear to bring into the open. Oh gosh I'd hate to be responsible for making these decisions such as dealing with overpopulation, (China laws), how to keep feeding and removing the trashes  of well on the way to seven BILLION people without wiping out our trees and soil. Literally our source of air, clean water and food. We have known many so called liberals who deny the potential of these devastating changes occuring in our short space of time also. I meant to say "records kept since the 1840's." But you are so right. The scientific record is like math, it doesn't lie, it tells an obvious story, it's just that now and then they miss with their predictions by what it means. Sadly, it takes away from credibility. But right before our eyes are so many signs and warnings without need of a spoken or written word. I realize we all mean well, and self preservation is systemic. But right here in the land of plenty, we are seing such radical up and down behavior in nature. All part and signs of dramatic global changes as well. As you pointed out, from East to West, hemispherical passage will be uninterupted by ice. You are right, the geological record shows that it will be the first time in man's history, that will be possible. My husband said a while ago, "that will be okay, we can grow food where we once couldn't then" I said perhaps, but that likely means that we will no longer be able to grow food where we use to then. Not a good trade off. But I cannot draw lines between left, right, conservative, liberal, I think we all fear and want to undestand what might be happening. It's just easier to accept those opinions whom best fit our will at that time. Here and now, we worry more about the next meal, tank of gas, summer vacation, not so much a decade from now. I'd love to have a wind  and or solar source of heat and electricity out here. But sadly we cannot afford them. If our leaders truly understood this, they would be working on that legislation instead of this ridiculous healthcare distraction. Manufacturing at home, jobs, and educating our children are more important right now, not this health mess thats been affecting us for a hundred years. But I got off track some.  I worry more about my daughter's future and her daughter's and her daughter's ability to get by. I'll be long gone then, but what about them? Will there be enough trees, food and clean water and air. Just some questions that keep arising and more often too.

Thank you Mallory and others.

Lucy.

Hi again

You noted the agriculteral aspects of our weather affect. I forgot to mention that too, we musn't forget that our radical agriculteral designs and so many wanting to cash in, caused the devastation from the dust bowl years back in the thirties. The US ecology and Candaian praries were decimated by that result of crop and land mismanagement and again clearing lands, cutting down trees. I remeber back in college we had to watch the Grapes Of Wrath to help us understand better the causes and affect it had on society back then and how long it took to get back to common sense practices. A lesson perhaps the entire world should be trying to learn and correct now as then. You know another thought, lets say that science is off a bit, wrong for those who hate the notion. But for the sake of argument, lets say they are off. Even so, how does it make us safer, live longer and better to fail to clean our rivers, our oceans, air and food. Why would we want to keep doing the things that even if we cannot clearly see what might be happening, will sooner or later wipe out the planet's ability to sustain human life as we know it? )O zone, skin cancer, chemical born disease and then all the global fighting over foods, water rights, lands, and entire teritories natural recources.(oil). Natural gas, coal. But that takes us into hot political issues too.

Lucy.