Friday, 8:45 AM. 16 degrees, wind W, calm. The channel is obscured by lake smoke, which is rising high into the atmosphere. Yesterday afternoon ice was forming on the channel in broad patches. The sky is partly cloudy and the barometer predicts the same.
For any of my loyal readers who have been wondering why I have gone blogless the last couple of days and have navigated to my new site, the following commentary was uncerimmoniously edited from my Dec. 17 edition:
"I heard again yesterday from Copenhagen the dire prediction that if the arctic ice cap melts (rather unlikely, actually) the oceans will rise, with devastating results. I normally try to resist commentating on this sort of stuff, but can’t help it this time, because it is such patent nonsense and an insult to the intelligence of each of us.
If you believe, or suspect that, the Arctic Ice Cap melting will raise the level of the oceans, please conduct this fourth grade science experiment for yourself: put some ice in a glass, then pour water over the ice to somewhere near the top of the glass. This will model the Arctic Ocean and its floating ice cap. Mark the water level with tape. Let the ice melt, and observe the level of water in the glass. It will be the same as it was before the ice melted.
When water freezes it expands, because of its crystalline molecular structure. The ice being lighter than liquid water, it floats. But, once it melts, it returns to its original volume as a liquid. As an incentive to the scientific process, you can conduct the same experiment with an extra dry martini on the rocks.
If we don’t think for ourselves others will think for us, usually to our great chagrin and detriment."
Since I write as a hobby and do not receive any monetary reimbursement, I feel (I hope understandably) that content should not be edited without my consent. This was done and I rebelled, i.e., quit. Now I am back in business, and promise readers I will not abuse my unedited communication privileges, although I cannot promise to be noncontroversial!
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