Weekly Comments Archive
Archived Issue
Sunday, October 13, 2024
ISSUE #1227
Hurricanes fueled floods and tornadoes. Celebrating Columbus and Native Americans

Columbus: Two hurricanes hit Florida in two weeks. Those of us with no direct experience with a hurricane usually think of it as extremely forceful winds. The worst effects of Hurricane Helene, in destruction and loss of over 200 lives, were the result of 20 to 30 inches of rain 500 miles from the coast. And Milton caused tornadoes that killed at least 17 in Florida.

Millions of victims in Florida and other Southeast states are suffering without electricity, clean water, infrastructure, and other basic necessities.

You can decide whether global warming has made hurricanes worse. A group of scientists concluded that both hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico were 30% worse because the global temperature has risen 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit since the Year 1750. They seem to suggest we return to the Pre-Industrial Age, before we had any machinery or other technology powered by fossil fuels, including electricity. Back then the world population was less than 800 million, about one-tenth the population today.

Here are a couple of questions to ponder. Did increasing the population to 8 Billion cause global warming? Did industrialization, powered mainly by coal, oil and natural gas, result in rapid population growth? If the rest of the world followed our lead in reducing “global warming emissions” would that cool the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and reduce our destructive hurricanes?

I read another science article that says we should expect to cool off with another “Ice Age.” But we’ll have to hang around for 100,000 years to see it.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Columbus Day, which used to be on October 12. Based on the quote below, Will Rogers (one-quarter Cherokee) would applaud the decision to also make it Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

      “Christopher (Columbus) was just a victim of not knowing what was going to happen to him next. Somebody would have found America though, even if he hadn’t, for you couldn’t hardly get around without running into it. Why they didn’t find it sooner is more than I will ever know. Being an Indian, I don’t mind telling you personally I am sorry he ever found it. The discovery has been of no material benefit to us, outside of losing all the land. And I am proud to say that I have never yet seen a Statue in Oklahoma to him. He wasn’t so much of a discoverer as he was just restless and couldn’t stay in one place.” WA #190, Aug. 1, 1926

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