An inconvienient myth?

"Do you see what I see? Truth is an offence! Your silence for your confidence."

James Hetfield, Metallica



I was having a coffee with a dear friend the other day when the question I have been anticipating (eventually from somebody, not necessarily him) finally came up.

"So, did you happen to see Al Gore's "An Inconvienient Truth"?"

At the time my response was "Not yet" but that I planned on it.

"Right now", I responded, "I am too busy listening too Canada's version of Al Gore, David Suzuki, spread his own environmental doomsday propaganda."

Now before you all go off on me like I have my head in the sand regarding the disgusting way we Earthlings treat our planet...just step back, step off, and hear me out.

One thing myself and some of these self proclaimed environmental saviors will agree upon is the reality that we are not doing ourselves, the animal kingdom, plant life, or our planet any favors when we are pumping out vile amounts of pollutants in the air and dumping ton's of toxic waste into our water systems. We, in many ways, are our own worst enemies. It is an area we need to come together in and unanimously agree to simply clean up our own backyard.

But the bigger question at stake here is "What does this have to do with global warming?" It is one thing to expose what we are doing to our planet but it is another thing to link it to a "possible" warming trend that, at least at this stage of the game, remains an unproven theory based some "loose" science. (Hmmm smells like remnants of evolution)

It was only 30 short years ago these same "alarmists" were decrying the inevitable catastrophe of the approaching global cooling trend. While we were still polluting our planet back then we were, at the time, being told to brace for the next Ice Age. Apparently because the seventies were a little on the chilly side

The other thing to consider in this "heated" (pun intended) debate is the credentials of those who promote their cause by instilling a fear in the populace that provokes a sense of anxious reactionism.



Al Gore is not a climatologist.




Neither is Canada’s David Suzuki.

Yet many will accept what these "Prophets of nature" tell them without scrutiny or question. I would even suggest these people are in a majority. But just because the majority follow does not always mean the teaching itself is accurate or correct.

So what exactly lends these gurus credibilty? Is it their "open mind" to consider ALL science on this subject? In David Suzuki's case, apparently not. On Febuary 15, 2007 David was a guest on the John Oakley Radio show when host John posed a very fair question to the "open minded" Dr. His question? "What about the science that is now surfacing that states that global warming is not man made?" Dr. Dave's intelligent, and might I add, mature response to respectable debate? Nothing! He got up and left the studio. A response befitting to your more "arrogant" evolutionist type that makes the all too common statement: "If it's not my science then it is not science! It must agree with my theory ONLY". That is mighty tolerant of you Dave.



He further demonstrates his love for the environment by traveling the country in his "rock-star-style" diesel-burning tour bus, emitting more greenhouse gases during his tour's (approx. 30 days) than many of us do in an entire year. A bus that is capable of carrying up to 30 people was home only to 8. Comfort and convinience over the enviorment. Nice one Dave! A real environmentalist true to his cause would have peddled it on a ten speed. But alas we are only willing to talk about it not actually make a sacrifice or set the example ain't that right Dave? Al Gore likes to one up they guy by showing up on his private jet. Nothing like ozone killing jet fuel in the air while on your way to save the world from people, well, just like you Al.


So what are the "other" guys saying that had guys like Dr. (ahem) David at a loss for words? And what is the "truth" that Al Gore appears to conveniently ignore? Here is just a tidbit:

"Appearing before the Commons Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development last year, Carleton University paleoclimatologist Professor Tim Patterson testified, "There is no meaningful correlation between CO2 levels and Earth's temperature over this [geologic] time frame. In fact, when CO2 levels were over ten times higher than they are now, about 450 million years ago, the planet was in the depths of the absolute coldest period in the last half billion years." Patterson asked the committee, "On the basis of this evidence, how could anyone still believe that the recent relatively small increase in CO2 levels would be the major cause of the past century's modest warming?"

Some more...

"Dr. Boris Winterhalter, former marine researcher at the Geological Survey of Finland and professor in marine geology, University of Helsinki, takes apart Gore's dramatic display of Antarctic glaciers collapsing into the sea. "The breaking glacier wall is a normally occurring phenomenon which is due to the normal advance of a glacier," says Winterhalter. "In Antarctica the temperature is low enough to prohibit melting of the ice front, so if the ice is grounded, it has to break off in beautiful ice cascades. If the water is deep enough icebergs will form."

And more...

"Dr. Dick Morgan, former advisor to the World Meteorological Organization and climatology researcher at University of Exeter, U.K. gives the details, "There has been some decrease in ice thickness in the Canadian Arctic over the past 30 years but no melt down. The Canadian Ice Service records show that from 1971-1981 there was average, to above average, ice thickness. From 1981-1982 there was a sharp decrease of 15% but there was a quick recovery to average, to slightly above average, values from 1983-1995. A sharp drop of 30% occurred again 1996-1998 and since then there has been a steady increase to reach near normal conditions since 2001."

It was Al Gore himself who said in his film "Scientists have an independent obligation to respect and present the truth as they see it,"

This is just a small portion of it Al but there it is. As long as we are on the whole "Truth" and presentation issue what exactly are they saying regarding your own misinformed presentation? Well Professor Bob Carter of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University, in Australia had this to say:

""Gore's circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic. It is simply incredible that they, and his film, are commanding public attention."

Are you done picking on ill informed Al Professor Bob? Nope! Alright then, carry on:

""The man is an embarrassment to US science and its many fine practitioners, a lot of whom know (but feel unable to state publicly) that his propaganda crusade is mostly based on junk science."

Speaking of Junk science, what did they have to say on the matter?

So here is what it all boils down too. Is there global warming? Maybe, maybe not. Is the science there to positively and accurately conclude that there is indeed a man made connection? No. I would suggest that even if we shut down every coal burning plant, oil well and ocean platforms. Got rid of all our vehicles and planes and simply lived off the avails of natural Earth....at the end of the day we would STILL experience climate change.

If non-climatologists such as Al and David consider themselves pioneers for our environment then let go of the political agendas and listen to the science.

Until next time...

The Dark, deceptive mask of Multiculturalism

What comes to mind when one hears the phrase "Multiculturalism"? It is a phrase often intended to invoke a thought of united harmony between fellow human beings in such a manner that we, although one may not necessarily recognize or accept, can at least learn an appreciation for differing cultures and beliefs. A term that cry's out to unite us together, regardless of those cultural differences, as the human race. A movement of noble intent to once and for all put an end to racism and unite us under one banner. The Human Race!

It was only a few short decades ago that this movement began to catch on with a number of countries that wanted to embrace "acceptance" and (my favorite word) "Tolerance" towards our differences. On the surface it all sounded good. Masquerading as a gesture of goodwill towards the masses as way for us to all come together and experience warm and fuzzy feelings about our differences by showing the rest of the world that our society could co-exist together. Celebrating our cultural heritages while living under one flag. One nation united (now let me get offensive to some) Under God!

So the deeper question in all of this is: "Have we accomplished what we set out to do?" "Are we more united then ever? Or are we more divided then ever?"

I would suggest, sadly, that the latter has prevailed. Since it's inception (multiculturalism), nations such as Canada, and even the United States, has slowly begun to witness the erosion of their own identity as a "people". Instead it has become engulfed in a mass drive to point out each and every single discrepancy and nuance about just how different everybody is from one another. Racism, essentially, has once again resurfaced in a different disguise by coming in the proverbial back door to once again infiltrate us to the point that we no longer recognize a fellow human being as such but immediately begin seeking out the "differences" within them. Rather counter productive of the original intent behind a united human race poised to eliminate the ugliness of racism.

Racism CAN NOT be eliminated when the sole focus is constantly on the "differences". Ending racism meant to look past one's cultural background. Looking past the color of one's skin and seeing the human being within. No "One" master race but a united race of human beings sharing the same planet. All wanting to know, learn, and love. Living peacefully with one another. Multiculturalism, the integration of the many different races, has failed this goal miserably. One only has to ask the question, "With all the exposure and "education" of the differing cultures why has racism continued to rise?"

Might I suggest that in part has to do with a simple job application and government enforced "quotas" in order to accommodate "minority's" as I wrote about here in November 2005 Do not think for a moment that this still does not go on. That's how we address racism? By committing racism and cloaking it in multicultural fairness and equality.



And what about our continous labelling? One example that comes to mind is U.S. Democratic Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama. Born an American citizen in Honolulu, Hawaii, I noticed that he is not referred to as an American. He is referred to as an African American! All though Barack is rather proud of this delusional title he is, in fact, NOT an African American no more then I am a European American. Barack was not born in Africa he was born in the United States of America. Yet he would rather be identified as an African as opposed to what he is, an American.

And so the trend continues in western nations. We no longer have Canadians/Americans. We have African Canadians, Mexican Canadians, Arab Canadians, Native American Canadians, Asian Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians, Jewish Canadians, Irish Canadians, and the list goes on and on and on....

The segregation does not end there. We continue to promote this unusual form of unity by further separating ourselves thru media such as Black Entertainment Television (BET), the Black sports network, or The Aboriginal Peoples Network (APN). We have awards such as Black Enterprise Awards, Black Engineer Awards, and even a Black weblog Awards. Not to single out the black people, there is also Aboriginal Music Awards, Aboriginal Achievement Awards, and The Aboriginal Peoples Choice awards. The Spanish have the MTV Latino Awards and the Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards. In sports there is the North American Indigenous Games.

To be fair and honest I wanted to see what the Caucasian race was up too as well but was hard pressed to find any of the above in their categories. Let's call a spade a spade here. If the "White" man had his own television station, awards program, or sports Olympics I am willing to bet dollars to doughnuts it would be labeled as a racist outlet.

Let me be absolute clear here. As a Caucasian man married to an aboriginal woman and with many friends across differing cultural divides I harbor no animosity. The purpose and intent of this post is based on what I see as an observation over a long period of time observing a movement that is bringing us backwards, not forwards.

As a "White Judeo-Christian male" I am not alone in my views of Canadians loss of identity thru multiculturalism. First generation Canadian and practicing Muslim, Professor Mahfooz Kanwar, whose family roots are in Pakistan had this to say on the matter:



"I used to support multiculturalism. I believed it gave us a sense of pluralism, diversity, and a variety of cultural and social customs. Now I believe it is not working."

"I have appreciated the Canadian system of accommodating people from around the world. But I also notice a lack of assimilation. I don't expect newcomers to integrate to the extent of converting to Christianity. I don't preach total amalgamation of subcultures, but it is the responsibility of minority groups to assimilate to the Canadian culture. That is missing in today's Canada."

"Those who feel their home land is better should go back. Canada must not allow ethnic groups to create problems for our justice system..." (A good example of what he refers to would be this!)

"...by fighting governments in their homeland. If they have issues back home, they should go back and fight from within."

As a Muslim, I'm irritated by Season's Greetings, not Merry Christmas. We're obsessed with political correctness. I'm not defending vulgarities. I'm simply suggesting too much political correctness hinders communication. In lectures. I can't use some words to make a point because of multiculturalism."

"We're afraid of offending some minorities. I wish we had a common code of ethics....(where) we all loved to be Canadians NOT hyphenated Canadians."

And in conclusion the Professor says:

"Multicultalrism threatens Canada. Multiculturalism and political correctness hurt the Canadian identity. It makes Canada a country of wimps!

Multiculturalism is a disaster that allows people to marginalize themselves. We can never find unity and harmony thru segregational identification. Instead it backfires from it's original intent by pitting "this group against that group" by consistently exploiting what is "different". Unity is not achieved by division.

Either we reverse this policy soon or it's back to the stone ages.

Until next time...