Baked Alaska

mithras the prophet writes "Global warming stories usually focus on the hotbutton politics, scientific debate, or latest disturbing anecdote of receding ice. A very interesting New York Times story takes a different tack, highlighting the reality of climate change for small-town Alaskans. Whatever the cause, temperatures in Alaska have risen by seven degrees in the last 30 years. This has very real consequences for ordinary citizens; the rest of us would do well to consider their stories. Lucy Eningowuk and her 600 fellow citizens of Shishmaref will vote next week whether to move their town to the mainland. Despite community efforts, thawing of permafrost and wave action from melting ice has eroded away most of the land the village is built on. Residents of Barrow (warning: MIDI-enabled page), on the North Shore, are swatting mosquitos for the first time in their lives. In an ironic twist, managers of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline are putting in supports to keep the pipeline from breaking as permafrost thaws."

Comments

Bring it on!

[DeadBugs]

The weather here in Michigan is still too cold. I for one support global warming. Bring it on, the warmer the better. I can't believe that global warming is only bad. I heard that they can grow crops further North now than they could before and there are longer growing seasons providing more crops. And soon people may be able to live in Canada.

Re:Days of denial are over.

[dimator]

Funny observation #1: A serious, thoughtful post, signatured with a pr0n link.

Funny observation #2: You have two thoughts that start with "Finally," neither of which is the last.

just mass hysteria

[Anonymous Coward]

It's pretty clear that the fear over "global warming" is nothing but mass hysteria. With all the media reports over the last few years, it's not surprising that some poor, rural, uneducated Alaskans believe that the temperature is now 7 degrees hotter than it was ten years ago. As if those sleeveless undershirt wearing hicks could even notice the difference. Even if they would, any temperature increase is probably just due to swamp gas.

The article reads like a pamphlet of hippy Greenpeace agitprop. Et tu, comrade?

I wouldn't be surprised if this press release was orchestrated by a vast left-wing conspiracy designed to discredit President Bush. Anyone who questions President Bush's authority is a traitor. Last week, a Chicago street gang member was arrested after he planned to build an H-Bomb and blow up Washington, DC! It's obvious that we must now sacrifice all of our Constitutional rights to combat this overwhelming threat to the price of gas.

Don't believe the hype! Keep driving your SUV's!