I have had several interesting discussions recently about global warming. Of course sometimes I run into denial lobby drones who yammer "it's a myth" despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, and I merely deal with them with a slap down, fools that they are. But there also are legitimate discussion of what can we do---as a society, as individuals. We have a 10 year window according to top scientific and economic experts coming at the question from different angles. We have a 10 year window.

It has recently struck me that those who will be most affected by our choices regarding global warming will be too young during that critical 10 years to have any say whatsoever in our choices. We decide but our children will feel the brunt of the consequences.

I originally started discussing the craziness and duplicity of the denial lobby here on Political Cortex (e.g. here). And, after I started writing about it, I notice the term "Denail Lobby" has surfaced in the mainstream media (e.g. here).

More recently I have been just begun to discuss the need to move on, to evolve the discussion, from a supposed "debate" over whether global warming is happening (it is!) to a discussion of solutions. Personally, I do hope to help evolve the discussion. But sadly, the denial lobby continues its supid, suicidal crusade against science. But by now even the most skeptical of scientists are fighting back.

For twenty five years, I've worked in the coal industry.  Most days, I try to reconcile the ill-effects of what I do with the obvious benefits that are demonstrable by flipping on the light switch.  Some days, I just feel sick.  When the original announcement of "cold fusion" was made back in 1989, my boss at the time -- a geologist and staunch defender of coal mining -- actually broke down and cried.  Thank God, he said.  Thank God we don't have to do this any more.

So I hope you'll understand when I say that I'm both very hopeful about  this article produced by an chemical engineer at MIT, but I'm also cautious.  I want to believe, but I don't want to be fooled that badly again.

Could it really be this simple?  Is abundant, pollution free energy waiting right below our feet?

Not long ago I wrote a diary on the validity of global warming. I followed that up with a description of how the right wing in America is attacking science, with an emphasis on the "Intelligent Deception" movement. I now want to put the former in the context of the latter and discuss the "Lobby of Denial," a concerted effort to interfere with genunine science in studying climate change.

Global warming is the biggest issue of our lifetime. And our grandchildren will hate us for ignoring it. And yet ignore it we are...or at least America in general is ignoring it. We are a society in denial and it will bite us in the ass sooner rather than later.

Most likely, it already is biting us in the ass.