This is being written on Saturday and it is hot today. I have a meeting this afternoon in Ligonier so I decided I to walk into town. I knew it was supposed to be hot, so I started early, before the heat of the day became oppressive. There was a nice breeze as I walked in, but it was still hot. I passed a man who was walking his dog. He greeted me with the cheery news that today was predicted to be the hottest day of the year so far. With that news in mind, I continued my walk. Actually, it didn’t seem that bad. There was a good deal of shade on my route so I wasn't at all uncomfortable.

I heard a report that the current hot weather is due to global warming. I heard another report that assured me that it certainly is not; the phenomenon is cyclical. I firmly believe that we could be dropping like flies and then frying on hot sidewalks and still be arguing as to whether or not the hot spell is due to global warming. Actually, what's the difference? If the roof of my house is blown off in a storm, what do I care if the damage was done by a tornado or a microburst? Similarly, does it really matter what is the cause of the hot weather?

Apparently, it does matter to some people, but only to the extent that they object to the possibility that mankind is being accused of causing global warming. If man could be declared innocent of any responsibility, I suppose global warming would be acceptable to all. I believe the basis of the argument is two fold: 1) people don't like to be thought of as being wrong in anything, and 2) such culpability would cost some people money (or potential loss of money), the latter being tied up with our use of fossil fuels.

When you look at it, the whole argument is ridiculous. There is a possibility of our being able to acquire energy from renewable natural resources. Why shouldn't that be done? The standard response to that question is that the processes for doing so are, at present, inadequate. So? The first airplane flew some forty feet on its first flight. Maybe the problem is that we're looking at the matter from the standpoint of emotion rather than actually thinking about it.