Starving polar bears shame Bush to act

[Judi Lynn]

Starving polar bears shame Bush to act
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor
Published: 12 February 2006
Starving polar bears are presenting an unprecedented challenge to George Bush's refusal to take action over global warming - and may succeed where environmentalists and other governments have failed in getting him to curb pollution.

Despite the President's obdurate stance on climate change, the US administration last week took the first steps towards officially listing the bear as an endangered species. The Arctic ice on which the iconic animal lives is melting away as the world heats up and, if the listing is finalised, the Bush administration will be obliged to modify its pollution policies to try to save the bear.

The move comes as the President faces attack for the first time over global warming from some of his strongest allies. Evangelical Christian leaders last week took out TV ads urging action, while, in Britain, Tony Blair has warned that the world has less than seven years to get to grips with climate change.

The Prime Minister made his statement on Tuesday, the same day the US Fish and Wildlife Service started the process of listing the polar bear in response to a lawsuit by environmental groups to get government protection for the species. It said the groups had presented "substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that listing the polar bear may be warranted".
(snip/...)

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article344931.ece

[barb162]

1. Well if he's not selling off OUR national forests he won't admit

there is global warming. This guy has no concern about our environment. What a horrible story this is!

[datadiva]

2. What a horrible human being he is

He's brought shame to the US

[Lasher]

3. Remember the days...

When environmental groups didn't have to sue the US Fish and Wildlife Service to make them protect endangered species? Seems now like it was only a dream.

[madeline_con]

13. I remember something to that affect, too.

Time was, global warming was an accepted fact, like freedoms for American citizens used to be ...

[kurth]

4. Whatever happened to "conserve" in conservatism?

The asshole still doesn't believe there is global warming.

[mom cat]

8. He probably does, but just thinks that he and his elite will survive.

He does not care if 90% of the population and 90% of ths species die off. I think that he thinks that he will survive and all the world's riches will then belong to Pioneers and Rangers.
I do not think that he gets it that once the tiping point is reached that it will be too late for him too!

[Solly Mack]

5. I'd much rather have polar bears than Bush's

It's a "no contest" kind of thing. Polar bears are wonderful - Bush's are not. Polar bears are beautiful - Bush's are not. Polar bears are needed - Bush's are not. Polar bears make the world a better place simply by existing - Bush's do not.

Save the polar bears.

Fuck the Bush's.

[flashdebadge]

6. It is sad to see the polar bears in this state. But I also believe that

the earths core temperature has been slowly heating up and this could be the true perpetrator of global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps. Scientists in recent years have also provided photographs of the sun emitting solar flares resulting from some kind of storms on the sun. If these events are true, there is little any of us can do to stop it, even if we stopped all pollution around the world. Rather scary if you ask me.

[pitohui]

7. well if there's nothing to be done there is nothing to be done

if we're all gonna burn up and die, fine, but i don't quite see the point of going down w.out a fight

i've studied geology enough to know that there were eras when most of the land area of the planet was underwater, insects were the size of small airplanes (ok, slight exaggeration there) and what wasn't underwater was on fire because of the amt of oxygen in the air

nonetheless i don't think it is correct to say, oh well, it's bigger than we are, let's just quietly give up and go extinct

we have to fight this thing

the sun has ALWAYS released solar flares, ALWAYS had storms, of course, that is not got anything to do w. the price of rice

but there are indeed other elements that contribute to climate change, we are running out of time to figure out what they are and put a stop to such, life in a space capsule or in a hole in the ground may be a fine life for a mole or a vole but it is not a fit life for humans

[hatrack]

9. "The earths (sic) core temperature has been slowly heating up . . . "

Huh?

Care to offer any evidence, posting or links beyond an "I also believe that . . . "?

:shrug:

[MrPrax]

11. I can't believe this...

There are still people believing this crap in 2006.

And don't reply back either.

[rumpel]

14. solar flares have existed

[NickB79]

17. What geologic studies have supported this?

The Earth's core maintains it's heat primarily due to nuclear decay of radioactive material and the intense pressure it is kept at. Unless a) more uranium, thorium and other low-level radioactive materials have suddenly transmuted from iron, or b) the weight of the upper crusts have increased GREATLY, there is no possibility the Earth's core has been heating up.

[pinniped]

18. Amazing, Earth's core temperature slowly heating up coincides....

with the Industrial Revolution.

I'm interested in all geological aspects of this planet. Please tell me more.

[hatrack]

10. They're not acting, they're starting another study

It's what they do - they call for further study, and then more study, and then, when the awful evidence proves that action may be unavoidable, they question the evidence and demand further studies.

And this is the same Tony Blair who, btw, spoke out on the need for "action" last week and at last summer's Gleneagles G8, but in between, at the Montreal climate conference, said that he was opposed to a further extension of Kyoto post 2012 and that mandatory controls weren't the way to go.

Whatever, Tony.

[Spankydem]

12. The RW's WAR ON SCIENCE continues.....

even some of their own base is repulsed.

[rumpel]

15. also remember all the biological and chemical weapons our millitary

had dumped into the ocean, which is contaminating the whole food chain.

[retread]

16. Bush has NO shame! n/t