The Truth About Global Warming

So, what does that mean? So what if the ice melts. What's the big deal? Who cares? Should we care? Why should we care? What does it matter?

Covered by an ice shelf that is more than a mile and a third thick, 7,000 feet, most of the world's ice is in Antarctica. The ice cap is so densely heavy that it provides for stability within the Earth's rotation. The loss of the ice cap will cause for a change in the Earth's rotation on its axis that would disrupt the seasonal cycles. Eventually, this instability will cause the Earth to flip on its axis for it to readjust to a more stable position and that change would create earthquakes equal to 12 on the Richter scale and tsunamis 12 miles high.

If all of this ice disappeared by melting from global warming, the world's oceans would rise 200 feet. Since it is so very cold in Antarctica -35 degrees Fahrenheit, the chance of all the ice melting is unlikely to happen. What is more likely to happen is that some of the ice will melt that will cause the oceans to raise a few feet, even as much as 20-30 feet.

In those areas, coastal cities, such as New Orleans, and low lying countries, such as Indonesia, they'd be totally devastated and submerged by the oceans rising only several feet, never mind dozens of feet. All the new standing water is the ideal breeding place for mosquitoes and other insects to spread diseases, such as malaria. Flooded by salt water, crops and farmland would be ruined making for a worldwide food disaster.

There was no need for debate and even those Republicans sitting across the aisle from their fellow Democrats knew the sad and inevitable truth about global warming. The ice is melting. Yet, for the sake of pocketing monies for their families, in shameful disregard to the future survival of the rest of the human race, not giving a care to the rest of us, the people who elected them to office, our Republican politicians have chosen to put on their blinders and ignore global warming. Not only have their buried their heads in the sand but also they've rallied against those who believe and can make a case for a subsequent dying planet by proving the existence of global warming.

Dave got the call from his friend, Tom.

"Dave, how are you?"

"I'm fine Tom, how are you?"

"Oh, I could be better. My business is off due to this never ending recession. No one has any money to travel anywhere and because we are so far away, Alaska is one of the first places people cut from their list of places to see. Why travel here when they can go to some tropical paradise for half the money? Only, finally, I have some good news to report. My business is about to improve."

"That's great, Tom. Why? What's up?"

"Well, I got a call from some Congressman's aide in Washington. They're using Earth Day to show that there's no such thing as global warming. Can you imagine those clowns? I'd like to take a baseball bat to the back of their thick skulls," said Tom with a serious tone to his voice. "Actually, I wish I could put them all on an ice float and push them out to sea. With the hardships we've had to endure, they couldn't live here for a year. We'd show them a thing or two about the effects of global warming and results of greenhouse gasses."

"You're right, Tom, those political insiders, lobbyists, and city slickers would never survive a year in the rainforest, that's for sure. With the lack of reception where I am, they couldn't live a day without their Blackberries and the Internet," said Dave with a smug laugh.

"Anyway, this Senator is from one of those southern states, I don't remember which one. You know me with politics, we don't mix. Not only don't I have any patience with these blowhards but also I have no interest in what doesn't concern me and what I have no control to change," said Tom

"Yeah, I know. Politics and religion is like mixing oil and vinegar with you," said Dave with a laugh. "I've learned a long time ago not to get in a discussion on either topic with you."

"The good news is that they booked all my rooms for the week and with all the press that's coming to setup their equipment, before and staying on after, and, with all the media coverage, the protestors flying in to protest their visit, I'm booked for three weeks solid," said Tom with an unaccustomed excitement to his voice.

"That's great, Tom. I'm happy for you," said Dave.

"Not to mention, the top executive from the oil companies are flying in on their corporate jets for a meet and greet cocktail party hoping to push for more offshore drilling, no doubt, so my banquet room is booked for the time they're are here, too. It's going to be a circus here for a time. I even called Glen and Joanne back to work to help in the kitchen and help with cleaning the rooms. There are so many people coming that I had to give some of the visitors rooms at Bob's Hunting Lodge. I made Bob's day," he said with a laugh. "You know deadpan Bob, I've never seen him so happy and excited."

"Wow, good for you, Tom," said Dave. "That should give you enough money to survive another long, cold winter. I'm happy for Bob, too."

"It sure will and then some. I'm grateful for whoever stays at my hotel, whenever they stay, everyone is welcome, even if they are a bunch of politicians, reporters, protestors, and oil fat cats," said Tom with a laugh. "It's been a long dry spell."

"Yeah, well, best you keep your political opinions to yourself with that bunch, so you don't ruin a good thing. Even though you say you don't care about politics, we both know better," said Dave. "You can't help yourself from putting your foot in your mouth."

"Don't you worry about that. I'm a changed man. This deep recession has made me see the light. A red Republican or a blue Democrat, I show no affiliation with either party's color, so long as they both show me the green. Yet, the best part of this is that Uncle Sam and Corporate America are footing the bill and you know what that means, don't you?

"What? What does that mean, Tom?"

"It means that I don't have to discount any of my room rates. I can charge my regular rates and, guess what, my prices just went up," said Tom with a laugh. "I told Bob to do the same thing, raise his room rates, too, but not so much that we have a stampede of people looking for a cheaper place to stay, even though there's not another place to bunk down for a hundred miles."

"I hear you. Green is a good color. Green is the color of the forest. Green is what we all need more to be to save this planet. I'm green with envy, Tom," said Dave with a laugh.

"I didn't forget about you, Dave. Spread the wealth has always been my motto and there's a little something in this for you, too, which is why I called you. Whenever the government takes an interest in something, there's always more than enough to go around to help out all of us and you'd do the same for me, if the shoe was on your foot. You know by now, after the Alaskan pipeline, our Kamikaze truckers road up north, and our sweet ex-Governor with her bridges to nowhere," said Tom with a laugh, "that the government has deep pockets when it comes to helping out Alaska, not for the sake of its people, but for the sake of its oil reserves."

"Don't get me started on the government, Tom, and don't get me started on our sweet ex-governor," said Dave. "You know how I feel about that pipeline and about our former governor, not to mention the wasteful spending on unnecessary new bridge construction, when we have roads that are falling apart."

"Anyway, they asked me if I knew of a guide, someone who'd show them around and I thought of you, of course. You know the wilderness better than anyone around here, except for some of the tribal Indians, but too many of them have a mind of their own. They don't trust the paleface, especially those politicians who talk out of both sides of their mouths, while wrapped in the American flag. Do you still have Audrey's old school bus?"

"Yeah, matter of fact, I do."

"Good. Is it running?"

"It can be. All it needs is a full tank of gas, a bit of air in the tires, and a tune up and she'll be as good as old," said Dave with another laugh. "I'll have to clear out whatever critters have been living in it, since I parked it behind my house, after Audrey died."

"Well, I figure you could fit 40 of them or so in that old bus. Counting all the press, they'll be more than 100 in their party. I figure, not all of them will want to go out at once. Some would rather not go out at all, once we tell them that this is bear country," said Tom with a laugh. "Besides, you'd make more money making two or more trips, than stuffing them all in the bus and making only the one run. I'm sure you'll know where to take them and what to show them to give them the most for their money."

"Oh, I know exactly where to take them," said Dave with a sinister laugh.

"I knew you would," said Tom, no doubt, oblivious to Dave's political allegiance to anyone who believed the earth was warming and his dislike for anyone who tried showing the opposite.

"Sounds good, Tom. Thanks for thinking of me. When are they coming?"

"Some of the press, protestors, and political staff are coming this weekend, but most of the others will be here by Monday. They want to be here for the Earth Day celebration that we're having on Thursday for a photo op shoot and to do some live broadcasts. Boy, this is the biggest thing that's happened here since Sarah was announced as the VP candidate on the ticket with McCain."

"This Monday?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I better get busy getting ready for them."

Dave spent the week fixing up the old school bus. When the party of political insiders, protestors, and press people arrived, Dave was there with his bus at their service to give them a tour and shuttle them, wherever they wanted to go. Setting up a broadcast system on the bus, so that everyone could hear him pointing out the sights, between bus fares and tips, he made as much money in that one week than he made nearly all of last year. He took them on a few extended trips through the back roads of the rainforest, roads that led out to the scenic panorama of the coast. He saved the last tour, a special tour, and a private tour that the Senator wanted to take.

"Show me the real Alaska, Dave," said the Senator. "I want to see with my own eyes want all the baloney is about with this global warming and greenhouse gas crap."

"I agree. It's best you see it with your own eyes to believe it, Senator," said Dave with a sly smile.

Taking an alternative road, driving the bus through the rugged terrain and back road country, Dave knew where to go without getting lost or stuck in mud. Using narrow albeit rough sled roads made through the forest hundreds of years ago by tribal Indians, he drove the Senator out to the remotest and most inaccessible part of Alaska, the shore of the Stikine Icefield, the Alaskan panhandle region, where Alaska and British Columbia meet. He parked the bus and walked out on the ice with the Senator. He wanted him to see firsthand that the ice was melting. There was no convincing this stubborn and pompous Congressman otherwise. He needed for him to see it for himself.

"This is beautiful," said the Senator. Those mountains in the distance are breathtaking," he said walking out further on the ice, further than Dave would have dared to walk. "I don't see any signs of global warming. The rainforest we drove through is densely lush and this ice is very thick, safe enough to drive the bus out on, no doubt," he said turning to look at Dave, before turning his attention back to the vista, his once in a lifetime view.

Only, Dave knew better. He knew the ice certainly wasn't thick enough to drive the bus out on, let alone have the overweight Senator safely walk out on. Oblivious to the danger, Dave hung back, while watching the Senator bravely venturing further and further out on the ice, while enjoying the magnificent view. What appeared to be secure ground was tenuous footing at best.

He's such a pompous ass to not even know he's treading on dangerous ground. This wasn't Washington and he surely wasn't on secure footing in the Senate chamber. This brash Congressman was out of his element now. This is Dave's house. This is Dave's country. This is where Dave lives. He knows this land and this ice better than anyone, except for the Tribal Indians, who live off the land and the water, and who thrive here.

Unnoticed by the Senator, Dave watched a fissure crack in the ice and widen, before spreading like a crack in a windshield from the Senator's movement and weight. With the Senator looking out to sea, talking while walking, and enjoying the spectacular view, oblivious to his perilous predicament, Dave took another step back and watched, as the ice broke, and the Senator floated away on a giant city block piece of ice. Now too far for him to jump back to save himself, too out of shape, and too old to brave the icy water and swim back to safety, Dave waved him a final good-bye.

Finally, now more than 100 feet from shore, the Senator turned around and acknowledge his precarious predicament.

"Dave! Help!"

"Bye," said Dave giving him a smile and a wave.

"I get it. I understand, now. The ice is melting and I'll cast my vote accordingly. Help me! I'm a United States Senator, God damn it! Don't leave me out here alone on this drifting piece of ice to die."

"Alone? Oh, you're not alone," said Dave recognizing her from her newly installed monitoring collar. "Aurora is with you?"

"Who? Who's Aurora?"

With that Aurora made her presence known with a growl and a charge. The Senator turned a shade whiter than his hair and whiter than the ice. Made aware by Dave's call ahead to them, two Inuit Indians waited close by in their boat and grabbed the Senator from the ice float and paddled him safely to shore, before Aurora could make good her charge and the ice could take him further out to sea. Dave had pepper spray at the ready, should Aurora turn and come after him, but she didn't. He watched Aurora dive from the ice and swim safely to a much larger and attached piece of ice, before disappearing off in the distance.

Once safely back in Washington, the Senator didn't make good his promise to vote against his party. Even though they all know the truth, what will it take for people to admit that global warming is here and the ice is melting?