Recently read: World On The Edge -- how to prevent environmental and economic collapse

This book from the Earth Policy Institute will not make your day. The forecast here is to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2020 or pay very dire consequences. What is needed, says author Lester Brown, is mobilization like what we saw in WWII, but now it's a fight for civilization itself.

Unfortunately we appear to be going in quite the opposite direction, making things worse, not better. The Republicans don't buy any of this. I'm not a scientist so I don't know if the case is over-stated here but I do know that the vast majority of scientists agree with the urgency and danger of our man-made changing climate. If it's not this bad, it's close enough.

2020 is less than ten years away. Fat chance to change much by then, given the political climate. Even if the environment becomes a major issue in 2012, an election year, and the scientists win, it's a late start. Better late than never, I suppose. Here comes the "by the skin of our teeth" Thornton Wilder argument again etc etc etc.

I've stopped buying it. I'm afraid I see the situation as hopeless. I think we're doomed. I think we'll survive as a species but I think very ugly times are ahead -- and I think I'll be dead and miss them. Luck of the draw.

So I find myself being a puzzled spectator. Puzzled that so many folks can be so loud and so stupid. Puzzled that they don't even seem to want to educate themselves for the benefit of their children. Great family values there. Not so puzzled at the consequences when stupidity becomes a cultural value but puzzled that it actually came to this.

I hope to hell Sarah Palin runs for President. I really want to hear her debate all this.