In the 1850's newly rich steamship passengers going from California, around the Horn, back to the Northeast, sometimes encountered hurricanes off the coast of the Carolinas.

If the boat sank quickly, with little or no warning, it was common for people to hold onto their gold, even at the cost of their lives.

One ship in particular however, battled a storm for three days, in constant danger of imminent sinking. These passengers, with time to think about priorities, threw away their gold or tried to give it away.

By the time people get it through their heads that their planet is dying, and that their money will be worthless no matter what they do, it will be too late.

I'll bet GM has the newest gas guzzler on the drawing board right now.

snydly----once again, from the soapbox:

Sometimes it's helpful to make a few observations and see where they take us. The following may seem too simple, or over the top, but consider:
The IPCC ice core data charts, and the same as seen in Gore's Book printed, so it can be studied, show us that there have been about 6 ice age cycles in the last 650ky. We are on the up-swing of a temp/CO2 spike now, with GHGs now well out of historical norms. This begs the questions---
What weather phenomenon has defeated and reversed the previous spikes, yet not drastically lowered the mean planetary temp? ---
What is the trigger? temp, CO2, other? Obviously, the reversals occurred before the ice caps melted appreciably, otherwise there would be no data to harvest...Is, then, the reversal of our spike immanent, or even, overdue (tipping point)?---
When does the ice of an ice age build up? All at once or gradually, as the temp/CO2 decreases? ---How is the atmosphere supplied with the moisture and energy necessary to transfer so much water to the poles as snow and ice?
---What role does methane play as it is released from tundra and the oceans? ---Was there massive methane release during the previous cycles? Or did the reversals act to put the methane back to sleep, so to speak, before it could compound the greenhouse effect? ---
There were humans present during the previous cycles, how and where did they survive the reversals? ---
What can the paleo-geologic record found in the magnetic striping of the mid-Atlantic ridge tell us about tectonic plate movement and possible, or sudden, volcanic warming of the oceans? –
-Is it possible that the mass of melt water transferred to the equatorial bulge would be sufficient to change the angular momentum of the earth enough to tweak the plates into movement? ---Does USGS data show increased activity along plate boundaries that might be a "forcing of the forcings" related to shifting water mass or rising landmass?

The answers to these questions are not hard to compute. The answers dictate the type and intensity of response that is called for. The answers have probably been known for some time, by some people who have the connections and means to respond. The answers demand a change to the status quo, a change from "growth and consumption" to sustainability and survival. Look at the tops of the spikes and decide if we have any more time to dally around with any energy sources that add heat or GHGs to the ecosphere. Coal and oil are out. Nukes and geo-thermal are out. NG, too, even though it's cleaner. The grid has to change. Wealth has to be used in different ways. It's a different game, and we're all in the same boat.
We can have just as much fun surviving with wind and sun, as with burning and consuming---let's do it!
Additionally, redundantly:
Subjectively, one of the main characteristics of a spike is that everything is relatively normal, until it isn't. We are getting lots of clues now.
The emerging scenario seems to be: rising temp melts land-borne ice along with sea ice. Fresh water disrupts the thermo-halyene circulation of the gulf stream and if we're lucky, that's as far as it goes--an ice age cycle of normal proportions is initiated and technologically enabled civilization is disturbed, but maybe not destroyed.
If ice melts at such a rate as to enhance the above, another scenario might unfold: Land-borne ice melt flows to the equatorial bulge (the planet is not a perfect sphere-it bulges at the equator because of centrifugal force) thus changing the mass distribution and angular momentum of the earth and putting enough pressure on the tectonic plates to start a geotectonic event that would activate the ring of fire and the mid-Atlantic ridge. The resulting undersea volcanism, (not to mention the earthquakes, and worst case, the popping of the Yellowstone magma dome,) would flash heat the oceans. That seems to be the hidden key to how and when an ice age starts, and how it gets the moisture and enough energy to move that much water back to the polar latitudes, forming the glaciers, part of which slide on down around Cincinnati, melt and recede over the next 110,000 years.
Apparently planetary methane has been sequestered for a very long time--dinosaur time. It would be very bad for us to loose enough heat into the mix to stir up the methane. The previous ice age cycle/reversals evidently have occurred soon enough to keep the methane down under frozen tundra and cooled ocean water. An additional factor related to tectonics gleaned from USGS info is that land masses such as Greenland, relieved of the weight of the ice, tend to rise, actually float higher on the magma. National Geog had an article on the mechanics of the melting that is shaping up on Greenland---flows of melt water form surface streams which drop through the thousands of feet of ice to the land surface, creating a layer of slush under incredible pressure. The next dot in that progression is: earth tremor, separation and departure of a largish section of that ice cap which, worse case, might produce a tsunami out into the Atlantic. Or worst case, a chain reaction of tsunamis as some of the crumbling islands in the east Atlantic loose a mountain or two (PBS).
A serious multi-disciplinary approach, including even rogue generalists seems called for.
So…amazing deductions, pseudo-science in prose, or story board for “The Day After The Day After Tomorrow”?

Question. How do we get the majority of people whether they believe in global warming or not to change their lifestyles in order to reduce the carbon emissions?

Do you know of anyone who is willing to change their lifestyle to the extent that will be required in addition to technological fixes? Anyone?

An internet survey is worthless, as it excludes the poor who, in countries like Mexico or China, do not have access to the internet in the first place.

Never satisified with his unprecedented sellouts to special interests, this arrogant zealot is now sprinting to the finish line in his war against our planet to conclude the final chapter of his destructive presidency, Sadly, our legislators have defaulted their duties by tolerating these abuses. The returning legislators, who had been complacent during these abuses, should be chatisized and denied re-election.

These final crimes can be checked by swift and persistent action from a concerned and motivated citizenry--and with success. Remember the 9/11 investigation that Bush so vehemently opposed while an intiminated congress balked. This happened only because of the perservence of the victim's relatives, albeit the inquiries were dimished by impairments from the Bush team.

Yes, Global Climate Change is the #1 ithernational security issue on the planet:

http://geocities.com/climatechange777

All other issue dwarf this one issue.

Steve Jones
California USA
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Appalachia can't stand anymore of Presidebt Bush's economic prosperity while we decapitate The Appalachian Mountains for the love of money ! Main St. Appalchia is Third World America ! http://www.wisecountyissues.com

Climate!

"Energy independence" isn't as important if we don't have a safe and healthy place to live. I don't vote for "drill baby drill". I don't vote for mercury poisoning from burning coal all day and night. And then there's little Jimmy, he must have grown a foot! -- right next to the nuclear power plant, and the extra foot is growing out of the top of Jimmy's head.

My second cartoon is Wall Street bankers in the water trying to talk polar bears into giving up their few remaining ice floes.