An Inconvenient Truth

[Occhidiangela]

I concur.

The message is true, but I would prefer the messenger be more like Rachel Carson with Silent Spring. When a big "R" republican or big "D" democrat, or even a "G"reen start making movies most of the population will see it as propaganda and a ploy for political power. When a reknowned environmental scientist is willing to place their bacon on the line I'm more inclined to listen.

The trouble with activism today is the cacaphony. Pick an emergency and let's stick with it.

I just came back, and I am madder at Al Gore than for any of his previous political stunts. He takes a winning hand, the core science, the data, the decades long trends, and the evidence science has collected --and all the briefs he has done over the years -- and he throws half of it away on petty politics. At least his call to action at the end, what we as people can do to reduce emissions, is a small salvaging of the over all gaffe in presentation.

Some good stuff nonetheless -- I particularly liked the ice shelf discussions, the melting tundra, Lake Chad, and the population graph that showed Malthus to be right for the wrong reasons (earth's population triples in two generations). Some of his points were bolstered with good examples of flawed thinking, to include his shot with the "all doctors smoke Camels" ad of the 1960's. I also like the way he pointed out the politicization of "science," though I note how those were painted. Richard Nixon's little move on speed limits, anyone? Unleaded fuel, anyone?

At too many places in the presentation, he approaches killer points and lets them drop as he wanders off with personal focus on him, Al Franken. Sorry, Al Gore. *grrrrrrrr* Population. Economic choices versus forward thinking versus policy formation. MPG averages by nation. *rends garment* Have you ever seen someone pitched a perfect, down the middle, fast ball that they didn't swing at? He threw himself a medium speed fastball and chose to watch it hit the glove while looking at himself at bat on the Jumbotron.

Unbelievable.

Full disclosure. I am a certified Power Point Commando. I know how to give a brief, how to stay on topic, and how to close out a presentation. Al Gore's power point commando drill put to film was a pathetic case of losing his message in a cloud of self serving BS. *slams head into desk* The Admiral or the General would have thrown him out on his arse if he were on any of the staffs I worked on.

Which is a damned shame. The message is worth sending.

He has the audience, the name recognition, the connections to get the message out, and he is a fine public speaker. I also think that he believes, at least somewhat on a personal level, in the environment as a non trivial issue.

This could have been "The Silent Spring" put to film, as you suggest kandrathe, put into the visual medium for the Generations Baby Boom, X, Y, and Z.

He watered it down with "it's all about Al Gore" and a lame bait and switch appeal to Kyoto. Opportunity not only wasted, but thrown into a toilet and flushed. It could have been an umimpeachable appeal, divorced of partisan garbage. He has the material for that.

Damn that man for not being able to change his leopard's spots as a partisan politician. Damn him to Hell, which is where the road paved with good intentions leads far too frequently.

Occhi