Alex Miller, Managing Editor, Summit Daily News
Update 5/26/2010: Alex Miller replies in comments and defends name calling.
“As for name-calling, what else to label those who simply can’t see this glaring truth right under their noses? Flat earthers seems all too kind.”
- Alex Miller, Managing Editor, Summit Daily News
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Alex Miller, managing editor of the Summit Daily News, predictably displays his alarmist colors in this editorial:
The comments so far on his piece have not been kind, and they are deserved. Let’s look at a few select quotes from his editorial:
“Meanwhile, many a pundit and columnist is lining up to say that maybe — just maybe — this is the disaster that pushes us into real action toward creating a better, cleaner and more comprehensive energy plan for our nation. And make it one that doesn’t rely on petroleum.”
Reality check, Alex. We’ll not free ourselves from fossil fuels anytime soon. While it may make some feel good that they want green energy, the reality is quite different. Perhaps you could read Colorado’s own Roger Peilke Jr. for a rational assessment on how to move forward. See his post on his blog:
Decarbonization of the Colorado Economy. Reaching Gov. Ritter’s goals of a 20% reduction in carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050 are not easily achievable. By Pielke’s account this will require something on the order of 13 one gigawatt nuclear power plants or 11,000 2.5 megawatt wind turbines in Colorado by 2020. How likely is that to happen? See Pielke’s post for more information.
“Many roadblocks remain in the way: immensely powerful oil companies and their legions of lobbyists; flat-earthers who resist all evidence of the deleterious effects of burning stuff for energy…”
That’s helpful Alex. Name calling and ad homenim attacks really help prove your point. And I’m sure you’re well aware that there’s plenty of money on all sides of the issue. Have you actually looked into who has funded the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia? Let’s have a look, from their own website:
History of the Climatic Research Unit. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to “Acknowledgements”. Here’s a partial list of what we find there: British Petroleum, Central Electricity Generating Board, Eastern Electricity, Irish Electricity Supply Board, KFA Germany, Shell, Sultanate of Oman, UK Nirex Ltd. So “big oil” is only funding those without alarmist views? Hardly.
“Why sustainable energy has become such a partisan issue I will never truly understand.”
Perhaps because we’re subsidizing industries such as solar and wind which in their present form have no hope of scaling to solve our power problems. These systems still require backup sources of power, which today in the U.S. means mostly coal or natural gas. So while you can feel good about yourself for driving a Prius, just remember how the battery gets charged. Not to mention the rare earth minerals used in the manufacture of these “green” vehicles, nor the disposal issues with their large batteries. See the recent article in the Washington Post by Robert Bryce on some of the
myths of green energy.
“The degree to which these folks promote an anti-science, anti-intellectual agenda to score cheap political points is nauseating indeed, but even worse are the folks who lap it up as gospel.”
Alex, do you actually read any of the science, or do you take the political and now discredited IPCC document as truth?
Donna Laframboise has done a nice expose on some of the so-called peer reviewed science in that UN document. Also, please research what
climate scientist Judith Curry has to say about the IPCC, or perhaps read
Roger Pielke Sr.’s recent blog posts and discussions with other climate scientists like Kevin Trenberth, Josh Willis, and Roy Spencer. There’s quite a bit we don’t know about the science. Even Trenberth, in the alarmist camp, admits we don’t know where the “missing heat” has gone. CO2 certainly plays a role in the climate, but it is not the only controlling factor.
I won’t even respond to your tea party comments, other than to say that it is typical of the alarmist types such as yourself to assume that anyone that doesn’t agree with your doomsday visions must be a far right anarchist. And you already know the Gulf oil disaster was due to a “poorly designed oil rig”? I think I’ll wait for the investigation. How about you stick to the science?
“The reality is the technologies for replacing fossil fuels exist.”
OK Alex, why don’t you tell us what they are? Details please. One suggestion: read Pielke Jr.’s piece before you tell me solar panels and windmills are the solution.
By the way, I do agree with you that oil is dirty and that we need to find alternatives. I disagree that the ones we have now are the solution.
Update 5/7/2010: Added links.
Update 5/29/2010: Added Miller quote.
