Why I Try not to Read the Letters Section of the Edmonton Journal

The "Letters" section of the Edmonton Journal should be changed to the "Laughs" section, because it gives a venue for all the ill-informed wannabe environmentalists to remove all doubt as to their complete ignorance to current event issues.

Heres a little economic primer to help them absolve their errant ways. Carbon dioxide production equals riches. A few examples proving this point. China's increase in GNP progresses in lockstep with its increase in carbon dioxide emissions. As a corollary, when the Communist economies collapsed in 1991 so did their emissions. United States is the richest country in the world - their emissions are also the highest. Alberta is the richest province in Canada, guess what? So are their emissions.

On January 21, Michael Haack made reference to California's low carbon standard which calls for a 10% reduction in carbon emissions, but he forgot to mention that environmental champion Arnold "I have my own private jet to fly me to the ski hill and five Hummers" Schwarzenegger proposed "steep cuts to schools, health-care programs and other state services... for closing a 14.5 billion budget deficit." as reported in the January 16 Journal on page A4.

J.C. Taylor on the same day pointed out that "the American economy moving to a reduced dependence on not just foreign oil but all oil". J.C. come out from that cave, the sunlight will do you good. Even the White House predicts that U.S.consumption of oil, gas and coal (and their associated carbon emissions) will soar by 20% by the year 2020 (Edmonton Journal March 4, 2007, page A4). The only way that consumption will fall is if the U.S. economy falters (read recession) as it did in following the Arab oil embargo in 1979.

I got two more big laughs from the American "Keep your dirty oil " protests against the Alberta Oilsands mining operations. The first was the people dressed as polar bears. While I understand the American knowledge of geography outside of the United States is similar to Mr. Taylor's knowledge of American oil imports, and that the range of the polar bears is more than 1500 kilometres from the oilsand mines, I was happy to see that they were able to spell Canada correctly.

The second laugh is a little more cerebral (this leaves out both Mr. Haack and Mr. Taylor) but isn't Americans blaming Canada for selling it oil a little like an alcoholic blaming the liquor store for selling him booze?