Only Monday and we already have two strong contenders for most preposterous argument of the week. First is this case being made here for the addition of a new civil right -- and, no, it's not from The Onion but From The New York Times:
A more radical solution may be needed: why not offer legal protections to the ugly, as we do with racial, ethnic and religious minorities, women and handicapped individuals?
We actually already do offer such protections in a few places, including in some jurisdictions in California, and in the District of Columbia, where discriminatory treatment based on looks in hiring, promotions, housing and other areas is prohibited. Ugliness could be protected generally in the United States by small extensions of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Ugly people could be allowed to seek help from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other agencies in overcoming the effects of discrimination. We could even have affirmative-action programs for the ugly.
And here is Al Gore with the most demented critique of global-warming skepticism so far (sure it will be topped any day now):
One day climate change skeptics will be seen in the same negative light as racists, or so says former Vice President Al Gore.
In an interview with former advertising executive and Climate Reality Project collaborator Alex Bogusky broadcast on UStream on Friday, Gore explained that in order for climate change alarmists to succeed, they must “win the conversation” against those who deny there is a crisis.
Well, maybe we won't be put on a part with racists, but I can see us being equated with ugly-people bigots. Oh, and here's a new one for you:
RATES of mental illnesses including depression and post-traumatic stress will increase as a result of climate change, a report to be released today says.
The paper, prepared for the Climate Institute, says loss of social cohesion in the wake of severe weather events related to climate change could be linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and substance abuse.
I didn't find anything today on fourth-hand tobacco smoke, but I'm sure it's out there.
Comments
I would never equate you with "ugly people bigots," but as consensus on global warming grows even stronger among experts, you have already joined the ranks of creationists and seem headed for flat-earth territory.
I hope you don't paint yourself too far into your denialism corner: Remember the apology the Vatican eventually had to make to Galileo.
Littlejohn, I think it only fair to point out that skepticism is an important tool in the scientist's repertory, and the ability to predict future events is the test by which scientific theories are judged.
Unfortunately, the mathematical models used for global warming are not even yet capable of predicting the past, much less the future, and if scientists used the skepticism they should have, they'd ask piercing questions instead of bowing to the religion of anthropomorphic global warming.
The earth is 1.2 million times as massive as the atmosphere, and it has a specific heat 1600 times as great. That means it'd take a increase of 2 billion degrees in air temperature to raise this planet's average temperature 1 degree. The greenhouse effect just doesn't cut it.
Harl:1
Littlejohn:0
I sense a pattern of late.