Why Some of Us Are Skeptics

A December morning with an 8 below windchill in Western Pennsylvania seems to be a good time to write about Anthropogenic Climate Change. On this subject, I consider myself to be a “skeptic”, while many of the more rabid “believers” would call me a “denier”. The difference between being a skeptic and a denier rests upon whether or not one chooses to “believe” that human activity is driving climate change.

That I am forced to use the word “believe” speaks volumes about the issue. I do not “believe” that the sun comes up in the East. I know that it does. I do not “believe” in gravity. I know that it exists. I do not have to “believe” that 1 + 1 = 2. I know that it does. Truth and fact do not require a statement of faith. Unproven, unprovable speculations do. There is no proof that ghosts exist, yet many of us “believe” that they do. One might say that there is no “proof” that God exists, yet many of us “believe” that He does.

There is a certain sweet irony in that one of the best definitions of the word “faith” comes from the Bible. In his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Belief and faith are defined the same. If we are asked to “believe” in man made climate change, that in itself, is a statement of its unproven, unprovable nature.

Many of the climate alarmists (those who are convinced that man is messing up our planet) claim that the “science is settled” and that there is no further need to study the causes of climate change, but rather that we need to act and act radically now in order to “save the planet”. These alarmists are partly right, there is some settled science about climate and how it changes. One fact of climate science is that there have been many, perhaps as many as 9, different periods of glaciation in the past million years of world history. Geologists and climate scientists can demonstrate without doubt that this is true. Astronomers have shown that the Earth moves in an elliptical orbit about the sun and that the angle with which sunlight strikes the Earth also changes as the Earth moves in this egg shaped orbit. These changes in the Earth’s orbit and angel are the Milankovic Cycles and follow very closely the ice ages of the past million years. Scientists also know that the energy output of our Sun is cyclical and changes in orderly, predictable cycles. That is to say, that the sun sends more “heat” to the Earth at certain times and less at others. The heat output of the sun correlates to the number of sunspots and the record of sunspots matches known periods of warmth and cold on the Earth. This is the “settled” science of climate change. Everything else is pure speculation.

The discussion of whether or not human produced CO2 can impact the climate is somewhat silly at best and incredibly stupid at its worst. CO2 is one of the most important gases in our atmosphere and is one of the basic components of almost all plant and animal life. Green plants use CO2 for growth and produce oxygen from the CO2. Carbon dioxide is an essential part of life, it is not in any way a pollutant. Increases in CO2 in the atmosphere increases plant growth which in turn uses more CO2/. Like all other natural cycles, the CO2 cycle is almost perfect in its simplicity.

Climate alarmists contend (with no proof) that increasing CO2 levels increase the temperature of the atmosphere. Ice cores and tree rings suggest that CO2 levels respond to increases in atmospheric temperate, not cause them. The study of these ice cores and tree rings suggest that changes in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere may lag temperate changes by as many as 800 years. It is unknowable and unprovable.

How much carbon dioxide is really in the Earth’s atmosphere? Picture a football field in your mind. Focus of the goal line. Now, imagine a postage stamp on the goal line. That, a postage stamp on a football field, represents the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere. How much of an effect can that tiny postage stamp have on the entirety of the football field. Let common sense take over here.

The alarmists claim that man made CO2 is “different” from naturally occurring CO2. Again, let common sense have sway here. Is there any logical reason why combining carbon and oxygen in a coal fired factory can be any different from combining carbon and oxygen in a volcano, or a forest fire or – a coal mine fire? Does it make any sense that atmospheric heat would react differently to one molecule of CO2 because of its origin? It just doesn’t make sense.

The atmosphere of the Earth opens onto outer space. The temperate of outer space is nearly absolute zero or 459 degrees below zero. Heat rises. No matter how hot the Earth’s atmosphere becomes, the heat will be drained off into space. This is sort of how your travel mug of coffee will get cold really quickly in the car this morning.

It is all well and good to be concerned about good stewardship of our world’s resources. It is ridiculous to make far reaching government rules and regulations based on speculation and not on facts. Alarmists are willing to deprive developing nations cheap energy from fossil fuels in their quest to “save the planet”. These same alarmists are willing to cede national sovereignty to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats at the UN in the name of climate change.

About 12,000 years ago, the Earth began to warm and the last period of glaciation began to end. Our human ancestors adapted to the changing climate. Are we less able to adapt than they were. About 100,000 years ago, the climate of Earth began to cool and glaciers developed and moved across much o the Northern Hemisphere. Our pre-human ancestors did what our human ancestors did 90,000 years later – they adapted. And they did it without governments, without Progressives and without a ruling class. I have to believe, I have to have faith “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” that modern man will react, adapt and thrive regardless of what the climate does.

Enjoy this first hard cold snap. It’s not even winter yet!

Think Before You Vote

It is not alarmist to say that the fate of our nation depends on the outcome of tomorrow’s Presidential election. Should the American people, or a rigged election system, put Hillary Clinton in the White House, America as we have known it, America as it was Founded will cease to exist.

Our nation has suffered through 8 years of horrific, lawless rule by the ruling elites led by President Obama. We have seen our Federal Government ignore laws that it did not like, use the force of the IRS against people and groups opposed to the Government, and force us to buy health insurance that we cannot afford and hat does not pay for services. We have watched as Moslem terrorists have come to the US and wrecked their havoc across out nation. Under the current leadership, America has surrendered it’s role as world leader and we are seeing violence and Moslem extremist set the world aflame.

Here at home, we have become one of the most taxed and regulated people in the world. Our so-called leaders have turned us against one another – there is more racial unrest today than at any time since the early 1970s. Our cities have become war zones where police are accused of randomly murdering black men and police are the targets of ambushes and sniper attacks.

Our cultural heritage is under siege. Television and movies are awash with filth and degredation and all manners of perversion. Christians and Christian beliefs are routinely attacked in schools, universities and in the press. The freedom of worship protection is the Constitution has been warped, twisted and raped into being a “freedom from religion” right – banning free Christian expression in public. Behaviors that Christians believe to be sins are celebrated in pop culture; and Christians are demonized when they object.

People supporting Donald Trump have been attacked by Clinton supporters. Republican campaign buildings have been vandalized and burned. There does not seem to be any respect or empathy for those with whom we disagree.

Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton are people who I would want to sit and share a meal with. Neither of these people are people that I would hold as role models for my grandchildren. But, this election must be about more than personalities. It is essential that anyone who possibly can, think long and hard before voting. What do you want the future to be for your children and grandchildren? Do you want a vibrant nation, a growing booming economy, a nation respected around the world? Or, do you want more of the same; nearly 50 percent of all American adults are not working, continued violence in our cities, more terrorist attacks, continuing invasion of illegal migrants across our borders, continuing attacks on our Christian, American culture?

You need to think about it. The ruling class, the elites, Mrs. Clinton, and the whole Washington establishment must be brought down and it has to begin tomorrow with this election.

Vote, but vote America and her future.

The Empire Will Be For Sale

This Presidential election has generated more anger and angst and, yes, violence than any other in my lifetime. I find it amazing that the Progressives, the radicals, the “wanna be in the cool kids club” and others have become so unhinged, so deranged at the Trump candidacy.

I am not a Trumpeter and never have been. He was not my first, nor second, nor third choice in the very wide, deep and highly qualified Republican field. I spent my formative years in New Jersey and Mr. Trump reminds me of a lot of the kids I was in high school with. I didn’t like a lot of those guys then and I really don’t care for Mr. Trump now. But, there may be very good reasons to support and to vote for Mr. Trump.

One can look at the situation in the United States and in the world and get the unpleasant feeling that things are not going well for America. The world is aflame with radical Islamic violence. Our nation is aflame with attacks on police officers and rioting every time a cop uses a gun. There are 94 million Americans without work. And, our government is allowing unrestricted entry into our country. The economy is not growing and the government is borrowing ever more money that someday will have to be paid back. Many Americans may feel that things are spinning out of control and that someone must take hold of the reins before it is way too late.

Let us consider the candidates position on immigration. Mrs. Clinton claims to be in favor of border security, but her party (and the Washington Republicans) have proven that they will not enforce the border. Mrs. Clinton favors amnesty for illegals; full citizenship, rights and benefits for people who broke our laws to get here. Mr. Trump claims to favor building a border wall, enforcing existing laws and removing criminal immigrants.
There may be several really good reasons for supporting Trump’s position on immigration. Consider that there are already 94 million Americans without jobs. It does not make sense to bring more people into a country with no jobs. Common sense, here, please. One can favor immigration control without being a “racist”. In fact, calling Trump Deplorables “racist” keeps Progressives from having to engage in meaningful dialog, defending their indefensible position.

Consider, for a moment, the candidates positions on taxes. Mrs Clinton wants “the 1 percent” and corporations to pay more taxes. Half of Americans already pay no income tax at all. The top 1 percent of earners pay over 35% of all income taxes. When is enough enough? The average corporate income tax (federal and state) is 39% in the US. Ireland, on the other hand, taxes corporations at 15%. There are economic laws that are as immutable as the law of gravity: and one of these is that money goes where taxes are lower.

Mr. Trump wants to cut income taxes, corporate taxes and the estate tax. The Progressives, the radicals, the “wanna be in the cool kids club” wail about cutting taxes on the rich. Hey! Poor folks don’t pay income tax! History is clear on this, whenever a government cuts taxes, revenue to the government increases. Queen Victoria cut taxes in the British Empire and her reign became the Golden Age of Empire. President Warren Harding cut income taxes in the 1920s and the result was the great economic expansion known as the “Roaring 20s”. John Kennedy cut income taxes in the 1960s and the resulting revenue flood allowed LBJ to fund both the Viet Nam war and the Great Society socialist programs. President Reagan cut taxes and the county enjoyed a 20 year economic boom.

Those who forget history are damned to repeat it. Facts is facts, and cutting taxes spurs economic growth.

If one considers American foreign policy under the Obama presidency, one might seriously think that there is a need for change. After 8 years of Progressive control, American foreign policy is in shambles. Russia and China are tweaking the US with impunity. The world is aflame with Moslem violence, one group of murderous Moslem thugs have even gone so far as to have established a “caliphate” in territory they captured from US and its allies in Syria and Iraq. Mrs. Clinton was one of the architects of the Obama foreign policy. Mr. Obama himself has said that he does not want to talk about “defeating” an enemy as that just leads to further conflict. Current Secretary of State, John Kerry claims that man made “climate change” is a greater threat than Moslem violence. Lunacy is rampant in this administration and Mrs. Clinton is part of it all and would simply continue the lunacy..

Should Mrs. Clinton become President, there is no reason to think that she would change the current course at all. Many Americans believe that Mr. Trump would, at a minimum, put American interests ahead of those of other nations and peoples. That would be a major foreign policy change. Foreign leaders know that they can bully, or buy, Mrs. Clinton. That would be a bad thing.

Voters can consider personalities, but I think that is rather childish. Mr. Trump is a potty mouth, blow hard, braggart who can be annoying, but we are voting for President not for Preacher. Mrs. Clinton is no saint, either. If one reads the things that her security people have written over the years, Mrs. Clinton has a mouth just a bad as Trump’s. One can question Donald Trump’s business ethics, but there is no shortage of ethical questions surrounding Hillary Clinton. Voters need to focus on issues in this election. 

Lastly, I think voters need to consider the questions surrounding Mrs. Clinton and her fund raising. It truly appears that Mrs. Clinton favored nations and individuals who contributed to their so-called charity. If I may interject a personal thought here, I truly believe that every decision Mrs. Clinton would make would favor who ever paid her the most. Should she be elected, I truly believe that we will see the end of the Republic. 

With Mrs. Clinton in the Oval Office, the Empire will truly be for sale.

Of Roasting Peanuts and Coal Smoke

Memories are interesting things; especially those we can recall, which seem to become fewer and fewer for me as time goes by. Memories are those visions that remind us of where we came from to get where we are now, whenever and where ever now may be. They can be set in concrete or as ephemeral as a will o' the wisp, or as ground mist dissipating after a summer rain shower. I have trouble remembering what I did day before yesterday, but I can remember seeing the rainbow over the hen house almost 60 years ago.

As we made our plans to move back to New Bethlehem, I started wondering what things I would remember from my previous 10 years residence here. I wondered if I would remember people, or buildings, or roads, or the shape of the land. I have never moved back – so this was (and is) a new experience for me. As it happened, I did remember some people, some buildings, some roads and the shape of some of the land, but much of what I have been seeing seems completely new, as if I were, once again, a stranger in strange land.

I am not complaining. It is refreshing, and maybe a bit exhilarating to be in a new experience at my age. As we get older, we sometimes find ourselves becoming a bit jaded – we think that we have seen and done it all and we sometimes think that we don't have the heart or the strength for new experiences, even if we could find them. I think that is one of the ways that we impose “aging” on ourselves: we lose the will to experience new things. While one cannot escape physical aging, I am convinced that we can keep our minds and hearts young and vibrant simply by choosing not to get mentally and spiritually old. These are some of the “mind forged manacles” (to quote my favorite radio guy) with which we shackle ourselves.

Early March morning snow in New Bethlehem

And so it was that one of the first mornings here in New Bethlehem I encountered a couple of aromas that brought back memories of my previous sojourn in this land. I was walking the dogs just before dawn in a light falling snow. In the wind, I suddenly smelled two smells that are definitely unique to New Bethlehem – the smell of roasting peanuts and the smell of coal smoke. These two aromas in the cold, March air, reminded me of being here before.

New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is home to one of J. M. Smuckers' peanut processing facilities. When the folks over at Smuckers are roasting peanuts, the mouth watering aroma fills the Red Bank valley. It is almost impossible not to rush home and fix a PB&J sandwich when you smell it. It is a rich, earthy smell that reminds me of my mother's kitchen in that old farmhouse in the hills of Virginia.

The smell of coal smoke is a different critter all together. This area was once, long before the EPA and progressive idiocy, one of the great coal producing regions of the country. There are massive beds of soft coal here, no longer allowed to be mined. But, the smell of coal smoke reminds me of that era of commerce; when the hills and hollows reverberated with the roar of big machinery and train whistles echoed down the valley. It is a strong smell; dark and oily, the smell of machinery and shops and manufacturing and work. It is a smell of a younger, more vibrant America, building a nation and building a world.

It is the smell of time now gone and the world is poorer for that loss.

I stood in the alley that morning, drinking in this combination of smells that is completely unique to New Bethlehem, My memory was swept with images of our children, our dogs, our earlier life here. And they were good memories, and I found myself excited about being here again, about starting a new life here, even with the remnants of the roots of that previous life.

We can, if we choose, continue to be excited by life, even as we age. The choice is ours. I realized that again as I smelled roasting peanuts and coal smoke in the early morning snow.

The Dumbest Dog I Have Ever Owned Taught Me a Lesson

Scotty is our 8 year old Maltese dog. Scotty is a good dog, he's extremely loving and loveable, but he is without a doubt the dumbest dog I have ever owned. He seems to be completely un trainable, except for being housebroken. He doesn't know or do any tricks except to dance around on his hind legs when he wants attention. He's not much of a watchdog, relying on Blue, the Dachshund, to tell him when it is time to bark. And, he's spoiled, insisting on being lifted onto the bed instead of jumping on the trunk at the foot of the bed and then up onto the bed. But for all of his intelligence shortcomings, Scotty showed me something profound the other day.

I have my alarm set for 5:30 AM. That gives me a little time to drink coffee, read the headlines on the Internet and get to the gym before someone else takes the Octane bicycle. Scotty and Blue tend to pretend that they don't hear the alarm and stay in bed until it is obvious that I am not coming back. I usually miss them waking up.

Sunday mornings I don't tend to get up that early. I can “sleep in” until 7:30 and still make it to Sunday School or Church depending on which way I turn when leaving the driveway. This past Sunday, I was awake and just laying in bed enjoying the warmth and knowing it was cold as winter out side. (Seeing as how it is winter!) As a result, I was there to watch Scotty wake up.

Scotty started his morning by lifting his head and rolling up to onto his tummy. He looked around the room, studying his “den” to make sure all was well. Or, trying to remember where he was, as I have said, he is not the brightest canine in the world.

Suddenly, he jumped to his feet and began to wag his tail and wiggle his whole little doggie body in paroxysms of pure joy. He came over and began licking my face and tapping at me with his front paws. The dog was just absolutely overcome with the joy of just being.

The joy of just being.

The joy of just being! What a wonderful way to start the day! How can I learn to wake up like the dog and sing in my heart, “This is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Can I learn to wake up each morning with just joy and love and happiness in my heart? How can the dog feel such joy while I have to look for it?

The dog is not burdened with human thoughts and human wants. He is creature of nature, simply one of God's creatures in God's world. The dog does not worry about what kind of a house he lives in as long as his “pack” is there together. Scotty doesn't care what kind of car he rides in as long as he is riding with his people. He doesn't care what kind of clothes his people wear as long as we are here for him to love and to love him back.

And to feed him twice a day. He is pretty insistent on that.

I saw it there Sunday morning. That dumb, simple dog waking up just joyous and happy and in love with life itself. That is how I should start each day. I should start the day with joy and thanksgiving and let the aches and pains and worries take a far distant second place to the joy of being alive. I have to take a lesson from Scotty the dog, life is good, and we should celebrate each day as a gift from God, endless with possibilities. So easy, so simple; just greet each day with joy, love of life and a spirit of thanksgiving.

Thank you, Scotty. Maybe you are smarter than I think you are.