Posted on 01/15/2015 11:10:33 AM PST by Kaslin
In an article provide from the archives of the Chicago Tribune we see a cautionary tale with happy ending. The article written by Michael Smith in January of 1969 quotes Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, then chairman of the Atomic Energy commission:
“For 21st century Chicago,” Smith wrote in summary of Seaborg in 1969, “the price could be the creation of a city in which the sun never shines because it cannot penetrate the tons of airborne pollutants and a city where rainfall strikes terror because it drenches everything with destructive and deadly acids.”
Growing up in Chicago the sun often never shined, but it wasn’t because of pollution. It was because of gold, gray Januaries and Februaries where the clouds sat on the city like a steel lid. And as to acid, the biggest acid came from alderman who never missed a meal in Chinatown, Greek Town or any other of the greasy haunts close to city hall.
The article also predicted a closed, sealed environment where air must be washed before it can be used and water re-cleaned at home-- just to be made potable. And whatever might be said about water purifiers, THAT industry is driven more by the ability to add purification at LOW cost than it is about the quality of water available to us versus Cro-Magnon man.
Clean water is the result of modern technology, not the price we pay for it.
It’s amazing that after a century of exploding technological progress that those people who are supposed to understand the benefits of technology—that is the scientists themselves—don’t see the progress that real science has made in the 46 years since Seaborg predicted wrongly.
"There are still too many… who believe that even if we do nothing, something will turn up,” said Dr. Seaborg. "Considering the rate of change we experience today, such an attitude can be catastrophic."
Well despite the gloom and doom predictions from scientists we yokels did a pretty good job making sure the sun still shines, the air is still breathable and that politicians from Chicago still produce unacceptable amounts of stomach acid no matter where they are billeted.
On balance, the world is a much better place today than it was in 1969.
And we were able accomplish much of it despite scientists, governments and others always crying wolf.
"The warnings about global warming have been extremely clear for a long time,” said Al Gore ten years ago. “We are facing a global climate crisis. It is deepening. We are entering a period of consequences."
Well…maybe not.
If there are consequences, they really aren’t very obvious to those of us without an inside investment in the Chicago Climate Exchange… like Gore had.
I mean really?
The Chicago Climate Exchange was the greatest failed scam a former vice president perpetrated on the country since Aaron Burr attempted to lead the Great West into Spanish possession in 1806.
I don’t know why Dr. Seaborg took up the environmental crusade, but he was clearly wrong about what the 21st century would look like.
And why?
Because over long periods of time the American people aren’t stupid. They do the right thing given time.
And time is our side.
For over 25 years the climate debate has raged, mostly in place.
And thus far, the American people have made the right decisions.
“Our oil-based society depends on non-renewable resources,” says the climate scientist Leonardo DiCaprio. “It requires relentless probing into vast reaches of pristine land, sacrificing vital bioregions, and irreplaceable cultures. The possibility of catastrophic climate change is substantially increased by the 40 million barrels of oil burned every day by vehicles. We must all move shoulder to shoulder in a unified front to show this [Bush] administration that the true majority of people are willing to vote for a cleaner environment and won't back down.”
Yep.
The right thing.
We've ignored it, mostly. Like we did in 1969.
“For 21st century Chicago,” Smith wrote in summary of Seaborg in 1969, “the price could be the creation of a city in which the sun never shines because it cannot penetrate the tons of airborne pollutants and a city where rainfall strikes terror because it drenches everything with destructive and deadly acids.”
Bwahahahaha
The current reality:
“For 21st century Chicago the price could be the creation of a city in which it feels like the sun never shines because it cannot penetrate the tons of liberal policies that infest it and a city where nightfall strikes terror because gangsters loot everything with destructive and deadly illegal weapons while the citizens have no legal means to procure weapons to protect themselves with.”
I knew these Hollywood actors were experts in just about every conceivable area, but I did know they were climate scientists.
I also noted the alternate headline "Beyond Detente: Why we can't beat the Soviets". Well of course in 1977 Jimmy Carter was president and he wasn't even trying to beat the Soviets. Little did they suspect that a real American President was in wings ready to do economic battle with the Soviets and bring them to their knees.
I gave it all up and traded the Porsche on a new 1976 Mercedes 300D since diesel fuel was so much cheaper than gas. I guess a lot of people had the same idea because in no time, diesel became more than gas. I couldn't win.
“Atomic Message to 21st Century in 1969: “Sun Won’t Shine!”
The poor Walker Brothers got ripped off again!
(See how many people get that one.)
I recall as a young adult, the Left was saying that capitalist air pollution would block out the Sun and cause an Ice Age. Then it was Global Warming. Then they switched to Climate Change so no matter which way the thermometer went, it could be blamed on George Bush and the Original Sin of private property.
A walk down memory lane:
“Why we can’t beat the Soviets”
Time was as wrong then as they are now..
And it's not just America. My first trip to London saw all of the historic buildings practically black from all the soot and pollution. Today, their limestone has been cleaned up, probably a sight not seen for centuries.
Not to fear, however, the doomsday left has come up with another hoax.
ANOTHER Ice Age ? We’re still IN one, just between continental glacial advances. . .
(Way back when, I was a geologist. . )
That Time cover might be appropriate for 2015 and beyond, at least for the next 15 years or so....
Notice another wrong prediction in the top bar: “Why we can’t beat the Soviets”
Good thing we didn’t listen to them, eh?
Never heard of that one, but Danny Boyle is a pretty good director. Weird, but good.
Yeah, parts of Sunshine are weird, too. The movie is one long mind-game :)
The ending (for my tastes) could have been better, but overall enjoyable.
“Smith wrote in summary of Seaborg in 1969”
Not a summary of Seaborg. A couple of out-of-context quotes embedded in a leftist article.
I saw another of his movies recently that is like that, where he plays tricks on the viewer throughout the film. It was called “Trance”, about an art thief with amnesia who has to get hypnotized to remember where he hid some priceless piece of art.
Thanks, I’ll look it up!
Off the top of my head, my 1973 Mustang had 160 SAE Net HP with the 2V 351 (5.8 Liter) Cleveland. About the same as the slightly hopped up 2.0 Liter SOHC in my 1997 Neon. Current engines, even the mom-n-pop ones, with variable intakes and direct injection, have much higher horsepower per displacement.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.