Summing Up the Copenhagen Conference

Victor Davis Hanson does it in just a few words. I agree with him. I can't think of any reason to take this conference seriously, other than the power it confers on truly terrible governments. And upon an opaque, unaccountable UN.

Illustration of an obsessive mindset: "So we cheated a bit" - Climate Art meets Climate Science:

Taking his cue from discredited ClimateGate "scientists," Danish artist Jens Galschioet came up with an arresting way to precisely illustrate the soggy dangers of climate change. High above the heads of Copenhagen's pedestrians, Galschioet strategically placed a series of red, flashing lights: With the blinking red lights placed all around Copenhagen, including near the Bella Center that currently hosts the climate change talks, he hopes to stir images in people’s minds of what the Danish capital will look like when the Greenland ice melts. . .{That is, if sea levels don't drop}.

"Technically and pedagogically it is a sound idea. The problem is that they are hanging at incorrect heights by the city lakes, where they currently sit at 11.34 metres," said architect Ole Oerslev.

The city lakes are already 5.89 metres above sea level, so the flashing lights should have been put up at 69 centimetres height.

"The rest of the lights put up around the city and out by the Bella Center are in the correct elevation. We wanted to display something downtown as well and even though we knew that the lights should have been at 69 centimetres, we didn’t really feel it looked like much. So we cheated a bit and decided to explain if anyone found out," explained Galschioet.

"For all of you hateful Metric Deniers out there (I'm looking at you, America), 11.34 meters equals 37.2 feet and 69 centimeters is a little over 2 feet. Since I missed out on all the fun of reconstructing ClimateGate data, here's my groundbreaking contribution:" . . Graph at the link. Plus another piece of really weird Climate Art. Go ahead. Take a chance. Follow the link.

Other Climate Change art, science and rhetoric brings to mind in an ironic way examples of too much government power, in particular for me: Nazi concentration camps and Rwandan torture/death squads. Robert Mugabe:

When the capitalist gods of carbon burp and belch their dangerous emissions, it's we, the lesser mortals of the developing sphere, who gasp and sink and eventually die.

A representative of Mugabe's government wants to reduce the population of the country by half. They have been busy doing this by killing people from the wrong tribal background, as well as their political opposition. And by terrorizing and kicking out of the country the Indians, Asians and Caucasians who knew how to run things. Now, Mugabe is highly dependent on aid from "the capitalist gods of carbon", whom he needs to maintain the power of his murderous regime.

From the comments:

Funny how environmentalism shades into socialism over time.

Given the exemplary environmental record of socialist countries, this make total sense.

Yes: no rich capitalist country has ever come close to the environmental destruction wreaked by the USSR, particularly in its lesser republics and satellite countries. Once they're in power, socialist governments justify all sorts of damage to "lesser mortals", and to the environment, for the "common good". Or as some might put it, for "Climate Justice".

Think President Obama has the power to convince China not to build a new coal-fired plant every 10 days? Think Again.

Think that carbon in the air will be reduced if aluminum production moves from Australia to China so that Australia can reduce its "carbon footprint"? Think again.

Many on the Left went home from this conference discouraged and disillusioned, especially with President Obama, whom they had hoped could bring the world together on the issue of carbon reduction and "climate justice". Many government representatives went home to try to figure out how to use the next conference, in Mexico City, to further their own interests.

Music of Zimbabwe from a group now apparently living in Austria. Liner notes for #16:

16. Vinqo (Trad., arr., Dumisani Ramadu Moyo) – “Ama Vinqo Vinqo” are skin ripples of fat that are characteristic of bulkiness. Fatness in Ndebele society is a desirable sign of success and good health. This song is dedicated to Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo, the late great former vice-president of Zimbabwe who founded the ZAPU liberation movement. He was affectionately called “u ma Fuku fuku” in reference to his large frame. Insingizi lament that since his departure, Zimbabweans have faced unimaginable suffering and despondence. We miss him greatly.

Check out the samples for #5 and #10, too. CD also available at highly capitalist Walmart as "Spirit of Africa: Insingizi." Recommended.