A busy weekend for Global Warming stories, so here is a round up.

The Challenge:

In a formal invitation sent to former Vice-President Al Gore’s Tennessee address and released to the public, Lord Monckton has thrown down the gauntlet to challenge Gore to what he terms “the Second Great Debate,” an internationally televised, head-to-head, nation-unto-nation confrontation on the question, “That our effect on climate is not dangerous.”

Rhetoric, at dawn…

Scientists blame Hollywood for increased fears over global warming

Leading climate change experts have thrown their weight behind two scientists who hit out at the “Hollywoodisation” of global warming.

Professor Hardaker warned against the “Hollywoodisation” of weather and climate seen in films such as the 2004 smash hit film The Day After Tomorrow, which depicts terrifying consequences after the melting of the Arctic ice shelf.

Well not like Hollywood panders to the GW movement and gives it awards or anything…oh wait…

GORE FACES HILL GRILLING ON ‘WARMING’; QUESTIONS AWAIT FORMER VP

Temperatures are predicted to reach a high of only 43-degrees on Wednesday in Washington, but look for high-heat to come out of Al Gore’s scheduled appearances on The Hill!

Gore is set to appear before Rep. John Dingell’s [D-MI] all powerful Energy and Commerce Committee in the morning and Sen. Barbara Boxer’s [D-CA] Environment and Public Works Committee in the afternoon.

Both are expected to have overflow seating, and protesters, both for and against Gore.

“Democrat Dingell is a big global warming skeptic, so do not expect him to go too lightly on Gore,” predicts a congressional source.

[Dingell has also invited Gore critic, Dr. Bjorn Lomborg, Adjunct Professor, Copenhagen Business School, to appear at the hearing. Lomborg is author of the book 'The Skeptical Environmentalist.' He recetly wrote: "The cacophony of screaming does not help." ]

That should be interesting.  Mostly to see if any of the skeptics have the guts to actually ask hard questions, or if they will lob softballs at him for a few hours.

About one-third of the people living in the national’s capital are functionally illiterate.

The article does not indicate if the percentage is the the same in the Senate as it is in the House.

Somewhere in Olympia Washington is young woman I have never met, with whom I mourn.  Hers is one of the most unbearable stories I have heard.

The girl is a close friend’s niece, and this weekend she was having a baby shower, being around 3 weeks from her due date.  But in the course of the shower the baby wasn’t moving and friends and family became concerned.

A trip to the doctors office confirmed their worst fears:  Her baby was dead.

This is not an early miscarriage, when the baby was newly formed, this was a near full term baby, already named and eagerly anticipated.  And his cord slipped around his neck and suffocated him.  A tragic accident that no one could have foreseen. 

I cannot begin to understand her pain.  Her baby, that she still carries is dead.  All her dreams and hopes washed away by her biggest fear.

And then I contrast that to women like Jennifer Raper of Boston, who tried to abort her child but it botched and she gave birth anyway.  My friends niece mourns the loss of a baby, she mourns the birth of one.  My friends niece will need counseling and a lot of support from her family.  The other needs a lawyer for her lawsuit for the botched abortion.

I’m sure my friend’s niece would gladly trade her.

Sure, I am a guy and I cannot truly imagine the horror of this…or can I?  Yes actually I can.  There were two issues with my two sons that threatened their lives and it is something that I have to consider occasionally.  My sons may be trials to my sanity, but they are alive and healthy.

Few issues can get us to such raw emotions as childbirth can, and by extension, abortion.

Take Raper for example:  She allegedly sought her abortion because she could not financially handle a child.  Can I judge her on that?  Can I condemn her for her making that choice, particularly when we live in a society that preaches the power of choice?

Being a wee bit Irish, I have to post something in celebration of my Irish heritage.

Here then is Danny Boy.   A toast, with a pint of stout ale.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!   Sláinte!!