Washington DC and the metro area avoided the "Snowmageddon" which hit the East Coast this week. There's snow to the North, South, East and West but nothing in DC. Santa is back at the NP, champagne has gone flat, and the horrible seasonal music in the stores has stopped. Life is just getting back to normal...
New Years eve, I set my alarm for 11:59 pm, toasted the New Year with some white wine, and then back to bed. Gone are the days when the 'Party' would last until 2nd Jan. I miss the old days sometimes, just not the hangovers.
Holiday travelers haven't been very lucky this year. New York, Philadelphia and Newark airports look like refugee camps with passengers spending days at the airport. Flights landed and were immediately grounded adding to the horde of stranded passengers.
Mark Twain noted 'everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it'. That used to be true of course, until global warming was discovered, and why we are the cause of it.
Legislation aimed at reducing our fossil fuel dependence have been defeated or voted down by Republicans. Claiming that Global Warming is a myth, Republicans refuse to consider legislation which will reduce the current trend.
Opponents of greenhouse legislation (Oil companies of course) are ecstatic over the recent blizzards which struck the East Coast this week. Undeniable proof that Global Warming doesn't exist. Global warming can contribute to greater snowfalls by providing extra moisture. Isolated cold events such as the annual north eastern blizzard are hardly evidence that we are not changing our environment. Why would anyone object to cleaning up the air we breathe and cleaning the environment?
The answer is of course, 'money', and lots of it. 'Going Green' and complying with environmental regulations isn't cheap. Mega billionaires, the Koch Brothers have been funneling millions of dollars to Republican candidates in an attempt to halt any legislation which would affect their bottom line.
Koch Industries is an early financial contributor of the Tea Party movement, and have been credited with being the founders of this American Taliban. Opposed to industrial regulations, and a reduction (or elimination) of corporate income tax rates.
Labeled by a University of Massachusetts at Amherst, environmental study, as one of the top ten polluters in the United States. Koch Corporation make money from pipelines, fertilizers plants, and oil production refineries.
The US has signed numerous Global Warming Treaties. These international agreements are just paper and have no real affect. Countries will ultimately do what is in their own best interest. The Koch Corporation, owned by the brothers David and Charles Koch will do what best makes them money.
2011 should be an interesting year for the US.
Across the Pond Follow 'Across the Pond' on Twitter: www.twitter.com/fraefife
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