7 October 2009

What Do Climate Scientists Think About Senator Laughing Stock?

Posted by Dan Satterfield

In Oklahoma Tuesday, my wife and I found you can still sit and talk and watch a hawk, making lazy circles in the sky...

In Oklahoma Tuesday, my wife and I found you can still sit and talk and watch a hawk, making lazy circles in the sky...

First of all, I write this from my hometown of Tulsa Oklahoma. I’m home because of a sudden illness in my family, and though I have not lived in Oklahoma in 25 years, it will always be home in my mind. That said, the national joke about Oklahoma used to be, and by all rights should still be, the roads.

As my great uncle once put it after driving from California – “For 2000 miles, I drive on great roads and they do not charge me a dime. I reach the Oklahoma border, and the roads fall to pieces, and they charge me a dollar a mile for the privilege of dodging the potholes.

That was in 1970. It hasn’t changed. Just to drive from my hotel to visit my family 11 miles away requires getting on the “CREEK NATION TURNPIKE”. One exit is all I need travel. The charge is 75 cents. I pay though, because I really do not want to buy a set of struts and get a front end alignment.

Oklahoma is also known for football. Having attended the University of Oklahoma for 4 years and even going to one football game, I must admit that we have the best football team money can buy ;).

This in itself seems to be a recurring problem with some organization called NCAA. You might have figured out that I really don’t follow football much. I do though. LIVERPOOL FC rules.

What I don’t understand is why the biggest fans of the Oklahoma Sooners football team have never set foot in a lecture hall there? Then again, I root for Liverpool and  have never lived there! Not that I may not someday!

OK, so I’m weird. If you have read these posts for a while, you likely already know this.

Tulsa, Oklahoma- "Oil Capital Of The World". Senator Inhofe was once the Mayor.

Tulsa, Oklahoma- "Oil Capital Of The World". Senator Inhofe was once the Mayor.

Fortunately, I am nowhere near the top of the heap when it comes to weird Okies! Actually, I may be. Oklahomans are a fairly practical and down home group of people.

Rarely do I write about politics here, especially when it comes to climate change. I try and stick with the science. The reality of climate change is a scientific issue. The effects of it are as well. What we DO about it is a political issue, and I know nothing more, and likely less than most, on the best way to attack the problem.

When a United States Senator from my home state thinks that virtually all of the world’s scientists are perpetrating a hoax, and that it’s all a GIANT conspiracy, then it’s time to say something.

For my fellow Okies, who are also embarrassed, I feel your pain.

A list of some of the statements of Mr. Inhofe would be apropos here, but let’s just say that the words of Dr. Mark Serreze of NOAA’s Snow Ice Data Center really do put it best.

“AMAZING IGNORANCE”

While he was talking about these extreme conspiracy nuts in general, it certainly applies.

Political comedian Bill Maher recently mentioned Oklahoma Senator Inhofe, and summed the situation up in a rather amusing way. Start watching at about 2 minutes into the video. This is probably what most climate scientists think about Senator Laughing Stock. Just don’t think that the rest of the state is that way!

It wouldn’t be fair to label everyone in Senator Inhofe’s political party with his views either.

If you’ve noticed that a lot of Meteorologists come from Oklahoma, you are right. Why? Look at that sky in my photos. There is nothing like looking at an Oklahoma sunset on the great plains, where the winds come whipping down the plains…
The photos are mine. Taken Tuesday afternoon October 6th. Thanks to Climate Sight for the heads up on the Bill Maher video.
Later,
Dan