The public discussion of climate change and its potential impacts has placed far too much emphasis on "hair shirt" arguments. Those global warming "alarmists" supposedly want us all to turn our thermostats down to 50 and make our businesses less competitive. Truth be told energy efficiency is exactly that---a more efficient way to do things. Done right, efficiency saves money and makes businesses more competitive. Done right, home energy efficiency also saves money at no sacrifice of comfort.

And even leaving climate change out of the equation, cheap fossil fuels are on the way out, and it behooves us to get on with a vigorous national energy policy that will move us away from what amounts ---globally---to an addiction to substances available mainly from unfriendly people on the wrong side of town.

For a bracing counter to the Washington Times scenario, see the following press release from the American Solar Energy Assocation about a study that points to the potential for huge revenues and 40 million new American jobs from the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries:

http://www.ases.org/...

that's actually a bargin when you realize every man, woman and child in the US owes $8000 toward our national debt.

Think that those that worship at the alter of liberalism won't do or say whatever they think will win you over to their cause that they care so much about that you should too?  Here is what Rush had to say today about one of the drive by media's "heroes," that said the ocean would be dead in 10 years. 

RUSH: Remember back in 1988 when this program debuted, Ted Danson predicted that we only had ten years to live because the oceans were going to be dead and, if the oceans died, then we would soon follow?  He made a big deal out of this, one of the early environmental alarmists, the brilliant oceanologist, Ted Danson.  Back in 1993, on my television show, I implored the Drive-By Media to ask Ted Danson where he got his information on the oceans having ten years left.

RUSH ARCHIVE:  They're always making me justify my existence.  I wish they'd do that to Hollywood celebrities who claim to be oceanographers and so forth.  "Mr. Danson, Mr. Danson, what do you mean we've only got ten years left on earth unless we do -- what's -- what's -- what's your source?"  They never do.  They just -- whatever Ted Danson or Whoopi Goldberg, any of these other Hollywood celebs say, they just accept it as gospel.  When I say it, "Prove it!  Where did you get that information?  You have no right to say that.  You're just a racist, bigot, sexist, homophobe pig."

RUSH:  That's how the media reacts to me, "You can't say that, prove it!"  Ted Danson makes these claims, "Oh, oh, he cares so much."  Well, last Friday on CNBC's High Net Worth, the reporterette Jane Wells interviewed Ted Danson, and she said, "There was a time when you said the oceans are going to be dead in ten years.  They're not dead?"

DANSON:  No.  They're not.  But, I'm sure there was some hyperbole in what I said to draw attention to the issue, but you go to science journals now, 70% of the world's fisheries are at a point of collapse.

RUSH:  Really?  Oh, you lied, it was just hyperbole.  So now after being proven to have lied, but, but, but 70% of the ocean's fisheries or the world's fisheries or whatever are at a point of collapse, 70%.  So he's been proven wrong, throws another figure out there, wow, we're in trouble, oh, no, 70% of the world's fisheries are closed.  So Jane Wells then said -- well, the answer she reported after -- "Danson says some people have wondered, why listen to an actor? They make fun of celebrities taking up causes. He gets that."

DANSON:  Celebrities can be silly, we can take swipes at them, and what the heck, why not, we are silly.  But we do raise money.  You know something, this community raises more money for charity than any other community in the world.  This community is so generous.

WELLS:  He says over the years he's probably given $3 million of his own money to the Oceans Campaign, and just last week he flew to Geneva to urge the World Trade Organization to lift subsidies which may result in overfishing.

DANSON:  I do want to be engaged in the process.  I do not want to be victimized, or embarrassed, or guilty that I haven't done something during this really critical time.

RUSH:  So, once again, after being proved wrong about the death of the oceans, he remains an expert, he remains a go-to guy.  Why?  Because he donates so much to charity to the oceans.  He threw $3 million down the drain if he donated it to an ocean charity.  The idea we can control the oceans is about as absurd as being able to control the climate!  Anyway, I just think that just illustrates the point.  Celebs are silly, he admits all this, and yet we know that you people are going to take us seriously because we're like the big clique in high school, and you all wish you were in our group.