I have to admit, I'm positively gleeful about the latest arctic ice extent data. It's a stupid attitude really, but I'm helpless before that savage joy, that anticipatory thrill of watching the crows circle just before they sink their oily black beaks into the soft, vulnerable parts of our hydrocarbon addicted society.
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/
It's not like we didn't see this coming, I mean the Star Trek (TNG) series, spoke about it, and what was that? 1990? But whatever, what I find more interesting are the first glimmerings of 'global warming is a good thing' meme. How it's opening up the North for exploitation and development.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/reviving-arctic-oil-rush-ottawa-to-auction-rights-in-massive-area/article4184419/
I particularly like the quote:
"The North is in the midst of change, as melting ice promises more open northern shipping routes, which might help companies bring northern oil to global markets."
And given the time scales involved in resource development, we (our collective humanity) is obviously more than capable of long term planning. But generally, we only tend to do it, when we see some specific, potentially personal, gain.
And in global warming, there is personal gain to be had, it's all about the collective good. For the individual there's the realization of the NorthWest passage for shipping and the investment potential in areas that may quite possibly be a new frontier of sorts - areas with a a harsh climate becoming productive, pleasant and appealing, while the land is still cheap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqD0pqDOAtk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
(No, I'm not saying Global Warning causes earthquakes, I just thought it was a fun case study)
And with a certain morbid anticipation I am looking forward to the Op-Ed articles that will be written when Global Warming, and its consequences, are eminently self-evident and irreversible. How they will argue that, all-in-all, in hindsight, really, it was a good thing. Don't ya think? And really, those hard hit areas were kinda write-offs before anyway, weren't they?
And never will they accept any culpability, they will accept no responsibility, our economic elite. If anything they'll blame the consumer (who they enabled) or the worker (who they subcontracted) just as they did with the fisheries. Of course it is us, the electorate, that let them get away with (or voted for) this bullshit.
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/7929.html
In the end, those that lament the loss of the old climate are nothing but a bunch of Luddites. Smelly hippies standing in the way of progress. Pathetic really.
Don't ya think?
