I finally got around to reading my latest Nature Conservancy Magazine. The organization has had my support for decades, ever since it took the lead in restoring the San Pedro River in my home state of Arizona. With hands-on acquiring and trading of properties, the organization achieved the miracle of restoring this marvelous Riparian area. Rather than just lobbying, they did the hard work. Imagine my shock finding the Conservancy is involved in building windmills in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

Still on our bucket list, the Valley is a top tourist attraction for wildlife safaris and migratory birds. The flights through the Valley feature flamingos, vultures, pelicans, and others high on birdwatcher lists. Windmills are known as mass bird killers. Putting them right in the path of essential migration routes is folly. One might expect important conservation groups to be up in arms. Still, the well-known Nature Conservancy promotes putting windmills in the best position to wack these magnificent birds.

How does the Conservancy justify its support? It will help set up observation towers for thirty-two people with binoculars to look for “priority species” like vultures. If they see any, they tell the windmill operators to turn off the ones in the birds’ path. What could go wrong? What if several flights arrive from different directions at the same time? What happens to the “lesser birds?

I tried to imagine putting these windmills by the San Pedro River. Birdwatchers and conservationists would be up in arms. But the elites say Africa needs clean energy more than birds. Getting rid of coal and wood used for power is worth a few million birds. 

What about the effect on the other animals? Can we be sure a mass of these towers won’t mess with their life patterns? Do we have a handle on this rush to windmills?

First, Maui, then Florida, and now Morroco disasters dominate the news. The media quickly linked the first two disasters to climate change. This analysis isn’t surprising; we link almost every crisis to climate change. However, connecting a 6.8 magnitude quake to climate change is a stretch.

Never fear; journalists can take courses and attend seminars at the “prestigious” Columbia Journalism School. According to the school’s website, “Columbia Journalism School has been training its students to become leading climate change reporters. With changes in the climate endangering lives, ecologies, and economies at global and local levels, the work of journalists is vital for effectively and accurately explaining the science and implications of climate change to the public.” 

If you are not enrolled, you can attend its seminars. A series is coming up, “Climate Changes Everything – Creating a Blueprint for Media Transformation,” to be held September 21 and 22, 2023. The tagline reads: “Join leading journalists from around the world for an unprecedented conversation about how to cover a world on fire.” With the proper training, almost anything can be tied to climate change. Maybe even earthquakes. If there is a way, they’ll find it.

 Have you wondered how the progressive media and politicians always seem on the same page? Academic and other elite gatherings are a great place to get everyone to align. They can discuss the latest scholarly papers at the gatherings, often appearing in prestigious journals. Of course, these have trained editors.

Those papers have to support your positions. No problem. Scientists and others know their papers have little or no chance of making it into “prestigious journals” unless they’re tailored to the views of progressive editors.

Patrick T. Brown tells us how he had to adjust his work to get it into a journal. Mr. Brown explains, “So why does the press focus so intently on climate change as the root cause? Perhaps for the same reasons I just did in an academic paper about wildfires in Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious journals: it fits a simple storyline that rewards the person telling it.” 

Facing the dire scenario I laid out in the last post, Republican Presidential wannabes will attend their first debate on Wednesday, August 23rd. Former President Trump may or may not show. I believe he won’t. Why take incoming from the likes of no-chance Chris Christy? Let the former New Jersey Governor and others continue to beat up on Trump’s closest challenger, Ron DeSantis.

As I’ve pointed out, the Florida Governor has faced an unprecedented attack from all sides since he scored a resounding reelection victory. Trump spent millions on negative ads long before DeSantis could wind up his Florida duties and declare. Democratic allied media never let a day go by without several negative stories. When given a chance, other Republican candidates joined in.

While several of the debaters have executive experience as successful governors, not unexpectedly, the two getting the most pre-debate buzz are the two without government administrative experience: Senator Tim Scott and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Besides echoing some standard Republican boilerplate like “energy independence” and sealing the border, Scott offers little of the toughness to turn the government away from its present anti-democratic course. Having a sunny disposition and trying to be everyone’s friend indicates more of the same.

Joining Vice-President Kamala Harris in her phony attack on Florida’s Slavery curriculum to play the race card on DeSantis shows that under his likable guy persona is a dark side. It reminds me of Joe Biden.

Ramaswamy is auditioning for vice president on Trump’s ticket. Promising to pardon Trump is a giveaway. Writing and talking about being “anti-woke” and being in the trenches getting actual legislation and policies to combat the movement is a different thing. A governor has to do stuff. Vivek is this election cycle’s, Mayor Pete. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s record is far more impressive if you want a successful tech tycoon. 

So long as Trump dominates the news with his endless indictments and court appearances, any story out of the debate will have a short life. The Democratic plan is working perfectly. The candidate they fear most is Ron DeSantis bloodied with plenty of Republican help. Trump will lock up the Republican nomination on Super Tuesday or earlier. As soon as he’s locked in, Joe Biden, either for health reasons or because of a smoking gun proving he’s a crook, will throw open the nomination.