I took this photo today at a farm in Saratoga County, NY. I just love how relaxed this horse is in the cold snow. Animals are great because they only think in the here and now, never the past or future. One thing this horse is not thinking about is Global Warming.
To me Global Warming is like Synthetic Surfaces-Who really knows what the hell the real truth is? As of late with the economic collapse, it is now become the "hot topic" to talk about the economy at a social gathering instead of global warming. Prior to the economic collapse if I heard one more person spout off about global warming, I swear I was gonna stab myself in the eye with a pencil. Maybe global warming is real, and I will owe everyone an apology, but I think mankind can never alter Mother Nature all that much-she will kick our ass every time.
But Global Warming will win out you think? Sure it will, just like the killer bees in the 1970s that were coming from Texas to sting us to a painful slow death. That was 30 years ago and I'm still waiting for the little buggers to arrive in New York.
Today as I write this it is 2 degrees in Saratoga County, NY and it will be 10 below Zero overnight with daytime highs of 0. In the Midwest they are experiencing their coldest temperatures in 10 years and in New England Ski Resorts closed today as it was too cold and unsafe to allow skiers on the slopes. But I am supposed to continue to worry about global warming because somebody who cares about the planet said the Atlantic Ocean was 1 degree warmer in 2004 than it was in 1904?
Same problem I have with all this drama over Synthetic surfaces-why should I believe it is safer-because someone told me so-with little scientific data? Maybe it is safer. I think with the right engineering and scientific data a real good and safe synthetic surface can be in widespread use down the road, but for right now I am always suspect of when people are so adamant about telling me what is good for me (and our animals) and what is not.
I love reading journalist Steve Haskin. He cuts through the bullshit and writes in such a common sense manner.
In his recent 01/02/09 Bloodhorse column he posed this question:
"Did we perhaps act too quickly in rushing into synthetic surfaces without knowing as much about their complexities and idiosyncrasies as we should have?"
7 comments:
Global warming means more instability in the climate, which in turn means hotter hots and colder colds. Severe cold is to be expected. You have to look at the overall average temperature, not just the day to day.
Anon 9:17-maybe, but I dont know if the actual data supports that theory.
I am no scientist, not even close- I just get bothered by the hysterical banter surrounding the whole global warming issue.
The data absolutely supports what anonymous said. More volatile weather overall--storms, rainfall, etc.--is a result of the instability and extremes in the climate.
Other fairly irrefutable evidence of climate change is the melting of glaciers and ice caps.
Like you, I am no scientist, but the scientific evidence is pretty compelling. One excellent sources that does a great job of clearly presenting the evidence and consequences: Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
Teresa-I will check out the Mr. Gore's film. Many thanks
Well that's convenient, no matter what the weather does, we can blame it on global warming.
The crazy thing is that 20 years from now when the climate cycle changes, these same folks will be taking credit. "We humans screwed up the climate, but thanks to Al Gore we fixed it."
I watched An Inconvenient Truth and the film contained some very compelling visual evidence. Seeing is believing.
Well worth the rental.
As for synthetic surfaces - Woodbine's polytrack seems to be working out safely for the horses, but quite erratic for handicappers. Or maybe, that's just me!
Cheers
Keith
ljk--God willing, 20 years from now I will be sitting at the Adelphi Hotel Bar, saying "whatever happenned to all those global warming theories"
Keith-I agree, some synthetic surfaces are working out well like Woodbine , others not so well (Santa Anita)-let's develop the best possible safest surface we can-whether it is dirt or synthetic
thanks all for reading
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