Google Blacks Out Homepage During 'Earth Hour' to 'Combat Climate Change'

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Want some more proof of Google's political leanings.

Well, consider that the websearch giant is participating in Earth Hour, "a global event created to symbolize that each one of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change - no matter who we are or where we live."

Here's what Google displayed at its website moments ago (h/t NBer Wilbur747, emphasis added):

Google users in the United States will notice today that we "turned the lights out" on the Google.com homepage as a gesture to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort called Earth Hour. As to why we don't do this permanently - it saves no energy; modern displays use the same amount of power regardless of what they display. However, you can do something to reduce the energy consumption of your home PC by joining the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. [...]

Given our company's commitment to environmental awareness and energy efficiency, we strongly support the Earth Hour campaign, and have darkened our homepage today to help spread awareness of what we hope will be a highly successful global event.

Why did Google choose this specific organization?
We believe in doing our part to help combat climate change, and found the Earth Hour initiative to be a timely, important event. Further, we think the "lights out" idea's individual-centered nature is something that millions of people worldwide can participate in. In short, we really like it. So we did something about it.

Isn't it comforting to know that the leading search engine in the world believes in manmade global warming, and is willing to use its influence to focus attention on this as yet unproven climate theory?

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.


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Do you think they realize...

...that this makes them look like a pack of pandering moonbats, reduces their credibility and makes a portion of the population far less likely to use their services, accept their proposals or support them when politicians get around to regulating their goofy butts?

They lost me with the Veteran's Day thing...

 

heldmyw, In this instance a GAGGLE is more fitting than a "pack"

"..that this makes them look like a pack of pandering moonbats,"

A gaggle of pandering moonbats.

Good one hmw LMAO

<wake up>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !

IranianUranium<sleep>Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO

 

Al Gore is a Google Senior Advisor

I am not surprised by Google being in on the AGW hysteria considering they take advantage of the Goracle's "services":

Al Gore is a Google Senior Advisor

The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource

Earth Hour

One television news channel here is promoting the Earth Hour idea, complete with showing a compact fluorescent bulb as an icon on their website.  I plan to participate.

At 7 p.m., my eco-conscious neighbors will turn out their lights to combat manmade global warming.  The problem is that it will be dark and there will be a great potential for injury from walking around in the dark.  So, in the interest of safety, I will turn all the lights on in my house as a beacon of safety and a refuge from lunacy.  The CO2 these brain-dead "neo-environmentalists" think they are saving will be "spent" by me!

And I have a lot of light fixtures!

Any chance they'll make a real sacrifice?

Wow. So much sacrifice from these guys. That's much better than giving up all, or even one, of their many private jets.

Al Gore's mansion

The real question is what is Al Gore doing at his 221,000 kWh/year mansion -- he, of the "you are all flat-earthers" fame?

___________________________________ 

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber

I Just Switched to Yahoo Search!

Well maybe we can get their attention by going to their competition!  These idiots are only doing this because theythink there's money in it.  Just show them that the money goes to those who use their brains and not their emotions when it comes to science!

Yahoo - Liberal Bias?

 

Has Yahoo Caught the Liberal Bias Virus?

http://www.newsbuste...

Giles

Giles,

For a change, I like your source. Far better than the normal liberal swill you link to! :-) ns

Lights Out Liberals

There's just something hilarious about liberals boasting that their lights are out.

Sure Lefty -- we knew that already. You don't have to make a special event to prove it.

But thanks Google for another pointless sacrifice in a cruel cruel world. And thanks for all the fish too.

Tonights code is "RU A LIGHTS OUT LIBERAL?

Can you imagine having to work at the Godawful Google? I bet you don't mention you're a conservative or a Republican in that bastion of conformity.

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

C'est La Vie...

I don't care why they're doing it; Earth Hour, Aliens Are Coming Month, We're Owned by George Soros Day, We Censor Only Conservatives All Day and Every Day - I prefer a black screen.

Easier on the eyes, and on the old computer system.

What Google didn't tell you

So Google is going black for one hour, earth hour. How do we know? Well, as google probably hopes, hundreds of millions of computers will be fired up, sucking up otherwise unused energy to visit their homepage.

So let me get this straight. Google advertises their good faith jesture, requiring untold amounts of energy to do so, saying they are "going black" on their homepage. But for anybody who cares, they will have to use untold amounts of energy to witness what Google is doing to save the earth. Can you say paradox?

I think the whole thing is a scam.

Google

Morons...dangerous morons...

Happy Trails...

How is it a scam? Did they

How is it a scam? Did they ask you for money?

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

"The lady doth protest too

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Good going Noel. They yipe.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Google users in the United

Google users in the United States will notice today that we "turned the lights out" on the Google.com homepage as a gesture to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort called Earth Hour.

Exactly. It is a gesture. No one's pretending that Google is accomplishing anything significant by doing this. They are, indeed, a corporation like any other. But how does participation in an innocuous and well-meaning gesture (turning lights out for a day - oh, the bias!) reveal one's political leanings per se? When Google puts four-leaf clovers in their homepage for St. Patrick's Day, does it mean they're propagandizing for Catholicism? What about their Halloween motif; does it mean they're promoting Druidism?

Your (typical) overreaction to this harmless gesture is nothing short of curmudgeonly. Imagine if a search engine did some small graphical thing to honor US soldiers last week for the 5-year anniversary of the Iraq invasion. Wouldn;t it be absurd of me to say that that site is dmeonstrating its imperialist, pro-war leanings?

As far as I'm concerned, environmentalist concerns are only politicized as leftist because conservatives have constured them as such.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Hey.. Lights Out Liberal..

Hey.. Lights Out Liberal..

I say go for it man. But let us know first.

Wear the the T-Shirt...

"My lights went out... but nobody noticed, maaan."

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

"My lights went out... but

"My lights went out... but nobody noticed, maaan."

I love it.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

"My lights went out... but

"My lights went out... but nobody noticed, maaan."

I love it.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Like the UK

If someone switched the light off in the UK. Would anyone notice?

Actually, I heard Republicans read better in the dark.

Save a whale, harpoon a conservative!

-

Oh so clever! 

He'll be at the Comedy Connection all next week, folks.  Let's give him a hand.

If someone switched the

If someone switched the light off in the UK. Would anyone notice?

 

Sure, about a gazillian members of the "peaceful" religion of Islam, who will soon be needing plenty of light to change all those signs that currently read "London" to "Londonistan."

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

they're already living in

they're already living in the dark ages, with the clock turned back to the year 8oo.

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

Pale African speak with forked tongue

Hey Pale African (a Palican?)

I made the gag. You made the lame reply. Congratzzzzzzzzzzzzz. You know funny like Mugabe knows economics.

Try coming up with something original.

Oh -- like I give a crap about the ex-Great country formerly known as Britain.

As a barb, that's like being savaged by a dead Thompson's Gazelle.

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

I like that

Name calling - very sharp. Like that will win wars - action do baby. But I like it - I might use it at some stage to identify myself.

On the gag - I was trying to see the funny side. But couldn't see it. Must have lost that infamous English humour rather quickly. Sounds like you are stright from a Little Britain sketch without the funny bits.

Jack Bauer - like hell you are. That takes balls and not cute little words.

Save a whale, harpoon an English expat!

If they were serious...

JasonC--

Good faith gesture or not, by publicizing this event Google is defeating the purpose of conservation. If you think people aren't aware you've been living under a rock. How many people who otherwise wouldn't have turned on their computers, thereby using more energy than they otherwise would have, did so just to see what Googles homepage looked like? Probably millions. So by announcing they are going dark they not only didn't help save the earth from certain disaster. They encouraged it.

You think people went to

You think people went to Google just to see what it looks like in black? Thrilling lives they must lead...

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

As Danbo asks/says below:

As Danbo asks/says below: "Aren't you supposed to have your computer turned off? More meaningless retoric."

One more time: not

One more time: not particularly interested in Google's or Gore's message. Just in pointing out conservative hypocrisy/paranoia/inconsistency/stupidity (choose one).

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Aren't you supposed to have

Aren't you supposed to have your computer turned off? More meaningless retoric.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Why, Danbo? I'm not any

Why, Danbo? I'm not any more into this stuff than you are. I'm just commenting on the rank paranoia of people who think that participating in such a harmless gesture means taking a hard-left political stance.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

amnesiac

much? 

Jason, i would agree if this were an isolated 'tell' but with the many, many you have commented on here there comes a point where the brain does this thing called 'pattern recognition'.

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Actually, I hardly ever

Actually, I hardly ever comment on AGW. Note that I'm not trying to delve into the science that 99% of us don't even fully understand, but discussing the unfortunate politicization from both sides.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

jase

you think this is about AGW and not Googles on-going support of liberal dogma?

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Calling attention to an

Calling attention to an event that can only possibly do good (at worst, it might accomplish nothing) is hardly radical liberal dogma. Other than failing to display an American flag motif on Veteran's Day, what else exactly has Google done to put itself in league with the hard-leftists of modern America?

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Anything you want to do

Anything you want to do voluntarily to prevent "global warming" is just fine with me.

It's when you libs try to get the government to coerce us into wasted effort that I have a problem with.

We just spent the last 5 months freezing our &^%$#@! off here in NJ. Global Warming my arse!

 

Pledge to not support RINOs ever again!

Exactly. So what about

Exactly. So what about Google's cute little gesture aligns with vigorous political lobbying?

What environmental efforts are automatically wasted?

Really? In New England we've had the two warmest consecutive winters in decades. Of course, anecdotally relating the idiosnycratic weather patterns in our particular region hardly makes for any sort of compelling case one way or the other. That's why it was hard not to just laugh whenever Noel posted a story to the effect that (put down those potables!) because some island off the coast of South American had snow for the first time in 20 years, AGW is clearly not real!

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Wasted Effort

Wasted effort?

  • NJ recycling - huge piles of aluminum cans, and the state has to pay to get it hauled away. That's an old one.
  • How about cutting CO2 emmissions when it only effects  0.2856% of the greenhouse effect (Carbon Dioxide accounts for about 4.2-8.4% of the greenhouse effect. - Source // Humans can only claim responsibility for about 3.4% of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere annually. - Source)  Go on and knock yourself out for 0.3%

Those are just the obvious ones.

Now, how come you Libs are against Nuke Power Plants?!  They give us cheap and CLEAN power.

I'm not against nuclear

I'm not against nuclear power. I'm wary of it, but not against it.

I'm not against them. Who

I'm not against them.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Bal JasonC

Bal, JasonC;

I'm glad we agree then. Building more Nuke Power planst would be much better for the environment than coal fired plants.

Much cheaper, and much cleaner. Something for everyone! ;-)

 

Pledge to not support RINOs ever again!

Just an observation

I don't want to get into a global warming debate here. I don't know the science, but I don't want to be like Condi and say that I saw the memo but thought nothing of it. I'll rather play it safe and try and deal with it even if it is "just in case".

More interesting though. Google's own little stunt actually did nothing for global warming. Their own study of last year showed that a black screen actually chews up MORE electricity. So the black screen might have been a publicity stunt, but a bad one if they are serious about the impact on global warming.

Save a whale, harpoon a conservative!

So I'll mark you down as

So I'll mark you down as "Against Nuclear Power" :-\

When did you decide that coal fired plants were a good idea?

Nooo

No-no. I agree with you. I was just making an observation that the Google stunt wasn't actaully a very good one at that. I agree with you that nuclear is better than coal. We will have risks no matter which way we go. I agree that nuclear is just less of a risk. Even though the impact might be higher if something goes wrong - the chance of that happening with the technology we have today makes that risk worthwhile. So - we agree.

On coal though. I agree it is bad, but we have a problem in most developing countries - China and South Africa for example - where they have so much of it that they continue to use it and expand on it. It puts us in a dilema - should we give them the nuclear technology to not use coal or suffer the consequences of coal. Don't have the answer - just raising the question.

Clean Coal is perfectly fine

jase

nice invention that 'radical liberal dogma' claim when i clearly claimed ongoing support for liberal dogma.  Just keep making up what i post as if no one can check.

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Sorry for the adjectival

Sorry for the adjectival editorial license. I didn't realize you meant the unradical kind.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

 Unfortunately, now anyone

 Unfortunately, now anyone who dares believe in anything from recycling to conservation is deemed a liberal kook.

Exactly my point. And in

Exactly my point. And in typical knee-jerk fashion, it's become common among conservatives to say things like "I don't recycle anything...and I can't wait to buy that Hummer," just to make sure no one mistakes them for a bleeding-hear lib.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Yup, and it's done in such a

Yup, and it's done in such a way to antagonize any liberal that might be reading, when I could really care less if someone doesn't recycle or drives a Hummer (although, truth be told, that's a stupid car). EVERY issue suddenly comes to political sides. 

It is a stupid car. Though

It is a stupid car. Though I think "compensatory" might be the more fitting adjective.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

Lol. Yup. That's the way I

Lol. Yup. That's the way I feel when packs of "dudes" drive by on their crotchrockets, popping wheelies and revving their engines. 

JasonC

"Exactly my point. And in typical knee-jerk fashion, it's become common among conservatives to say things like "I don't recycle anything...and I can't wait to buy that Hummer," just to make sure no one mistakes them for a bleeding-hear lib."

Arent you doing the same thing your complaining about?Lumping everyone together?The problem is too many extremist in the evironmental movement.That and Limo Libs.Hypocrites who expect others to sacrifice but wont themselves.It has given environmentalist a bad name.Stupid laws put on the books because of politicians catering to these idiots.Oregon in the 60s had recycle laws.You pay a nickel deposit or something and got it back when you turned in the bottle also heavy fines for littering.Which was fine.The problem is states like mine cant clear dead,diseased trees or brush to help keep down forest fires.I been to two forest fires and the rangers have said that was a major problem yet that cant do nothing about it.Common sense needs to be applied.It isnt.Glad to hear you and Bal werent against nuclear power.Your alright for bleeding heart liberals.Just kidding...maybe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4qGqEb-t98&feature=related  For group harmony..Ohhmm Ohhmm .

All I said is "it's become

All I said is "it's become common." That phrase does not equal "All conservatives do X." Look around this site, especially at comments made on stories about suggestions that environmental groups make for every-day things a person can do (or do less of) to "make a difference." My statement is demonstrably true.

But that doesn't mean I believe or follow all of those suggestions myself. There are environmental extremists, obnoxious ones, no doubt about it. My point is merely that the mode of backlash that I've observed in many conservatives only serves to exacerbate the problems, both environmental and political.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JasonC

So it becomes common for liberals to set up death watchs like Kos Kids?As far as obnoxious well tree spikers and people that burn down houses are more than obnoxious.The problem is the hypocrisy of these do as I say not as I do liberals.How many Ed Begleys compared to Al Gores,Lenardo DohCicaprio or Sheryl(one tissue)Crow.Ed practices what he preaches.The others want us to while they dont.There does need to be discussion about environment/conservation.The problem is the left says the debate is over.

Point well taken. You're

Point well taken. You're right, a smattering of impolitic comments or jokes on a message board of any political persuasion should not be automatically construed as representative of that entire ideology.  Your DailyKos example was spot on.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

bal

i do conservation and recycling you do it would seem strawman

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

What? Who can revolt if

What?

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

jase

i was saying that i indeed conserve and Balboas post was a strawman argument

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

jase

"nevermind"  --- Emily Latella

"you do it would seem

"you do it would seem strawman"

?

If you were new to this board, people would say "liberal!" But since people know you're a conservative, they say, "Ah, look, evidence of just how wonderful the conservative movement is and how little liberals really know about us. We do SO care!" 

ah the classic 'you

ah the classic 'you people'

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Doesn't make it any less

Doesn't make it any less true.

what part of conserve-ative

what part of conserve-ative don't you get?

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Uh-huh...that's why I see so

Uh-huh...that's why I see so many conservatives on this board talking about what they're going to do for Earth Day...

i don't do feel good

i don't do feel good nonsense

lets build lots of mid-sized nuke power plants

lets build some up to date refineries

lets avoid bio-fuels since they are more pollutant than gas

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

bal earth day is in April

this is a one hour twiddle with the power grid .

 

<wake up>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !

IranianUranium<sleep>Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO

 

»→ Earth Day

You're right bal.

Far better they pay lip service one day out of the year than live as a conservationist.

♣ a seal

Well CA

It is about being responsible citizens.I agree that it shouldnt be one day a year or Ooooh dark hour but year round.It shouldnt be about political view or party.It should be about taken care of our country.You can drill for oil build nuclear facilities and it be done right.There are laws in place to take care of it.Make sure they are enforced.Hopefully better than laws against illegally entering this country or overstaying visas are.We need to get off this dependency on foreign oil.We also need to bring down the cost of utilities.That makes life alot easier on working people.

Quite untrue, Bal

Recycling and conservation are not deemed "liberal kookism".

I have a book on my coffee table, Green to Gold...about driving the "green agenda" in a business mode to improve the bottom line.  How is that "liberal kookism"?

I am a conservative, I know all about recycling (it's part of how I make my living), as well as being an avid outdoorswoman.  Conservation (and proper use) of natural resources is of huge concern to me.

Warming and the warming agenda is quite another story, however.  So don't make the mistake of conflating a disdain for the warmer agenda for an aversion to recycling or conservation....that's just plain stupid.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

Blonde. I found this.

Blonde. I found this. Thought you would like it. 

With your orchids, and my crinums and gingers. We may be entitled to burn off a lot more carbon.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Thanks, danbo!

That was great!  A tax return for the warmers....figure out your carbon credits.  You really ought to post that on a forum.  It deserves it's own thread.

I particularly liked the system of measurements.  How big is your home?  Ted Kazynski size?

Are you a minimalist?  Do you wear the same clothes for two weeks?

The instructions were a riot, too.  Unfortunately, couldn't copy/paste my favorite bits from that.

Must run....I have to attend a picnic, although it's raining right now.  Command performance, sheesh. 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

Carbon Credits for sale.

I have 3 day lilies, a rose bush, a Mexican marigold and a crinum on my patio, ready to plant, as I write. These plants will remove that deadly CO2 from the air and replace it with good old  healthy killer O2.

Buy the credits that these plants will provide. Sooth your guilt. 

 

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

"I'm not any more into this

"I'm not any more into this stuff than you are. I'm just commenting on the rank paranoia of people who think that participating in such a harmless gesture means taking a hard-left political stance."

Sure?

They can speak. But not us. You protest seems....

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Who says you can't speak?

Who says you can't speak? Go ahead. And when it presents itself as contradictory or petty, I'll point it out. the 1st Amendment is a grand thing, ain't it?

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

I'm going to behave. I'll

I'm going to behave. I'll let you continue.

 

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

This was a meaningless gesture

and meanigness gestures ARE harmfull as they distract attention from meaningful gestures

JC

JC,

"Curmudgeonly?" You're suggesting I'm a grouch?

Give me a break!

Regardless, it is indeed fascinating how telling your indignation is. First, you seem oblivious to how belief in manmade global warming divides strictly along Party lines, and that the vast majority of Democrats believe it whilst the vast majority of Republicans don't.

As such, any company participating in an international climate change awareness promotion is indeed tipping its hand concerning its political leanings. I'm very surprised this was so easily lost upon you.

Of course, maybe more telling was this comment:

Imagine if a search engine did some small graphical thing to honor US soldiers last week for the 5-year anniversary of the Iraq invasion. Wouldn;t [sic] it be absurd of me to say that that site is dmeonstrating [sic] its imperialist, pro-war leanings?

Fascinating. Aren't you admitting here what most Republicans believe: concern for the troops is INDEED exclusive to those on the right, and folks on the left view such as "imperialist" and "pro-war?"

You must be a FABULOUS poker player, JC!!! Thank you for playing my game. :-) ns

You're not the only

You're not the only curmudgeonly one on this issue, Noel. Note the poster below here who plans on switching search engines due to Google's crime of "believing in global warming." But it is not an inherently political issue. It has been made that way by opportunists and stubborn party loyalty. And I have no dog in this fight. I'm neither (D) nor (R).  Nor do I give two s--ts about Google.  I find extremist AGW activists who bother me on the street corners of Boston for donations just as irritating as those who think that a harmless little gesture about energy conservation is grounds for determining one's political stance.

If Google had put a banner on their site proclaiming that those who don't believe in AGW are on par with Nazis, or that everyone should vote Democrat so as to save the planet, then you might have a point. But it is divisiveness of the kind that is propagated by Al Gore on the one hand, and those who proudly proclaim they will turn on every electric device they have just to give the proverbial finger to environmentalists on the other, that perpetuates the unfortunate binarism that to believe (or not) in AGW automatically situates one with Dems or Repubs. It's a very unfortunate thing, Noel.

My above average number of typos aside, I'm not sure what to make of your remark about my counterexample. You're not to familiar with this kind of ironic, reductio ad absurdum argument, are you? Look it up. It's the same kind of thing that went over your head with Cleverpig's comments on your story about how poor people have no one but themselves to blame. My point, since you've so dramatically misconstrued it, is that it would be ABSURD to claim that a tribute to the troops on Google is in favor of imperialism and warmongering and so forth. That it would, in fact, be little more than a liberal paranoid fantasy. Just as the very suggestion that energy conservation might be a good thing is construed as hard-left pinko socialist propaganda.

Yes, Google should have just shut down all their servers if they really wanted to "make a difference." A big congrats to the brilliant minds who suggested that; your exposure of Google's hypocrisy is just breathtaking. That's why it's called a "gesture," geniuses.

And my poker game is just fine, thanks very much. I have a system.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JC

JC,

And you're suggesting I'm curmudgeonly? It's Saturday. Get a sense of humor, will you?

As for irony and sarcasm as a tool to make a point at message boards, having participated in forums like this since the mid-90s, my experience has been that it doesn't work, and often leads to irreparable misunderstoodings. After all, it's tough to see someone's tongue in their cheek through their keyboard. As such, most sarcasm is indeed misunderstood.

In fact, you totally missed my ironical quest in the post you just responded to. "Aren't you admitting here what most Republicans believe: concern for the troops is INDEED exclusive to those on the right, and folks on the left view such as "imperialist" and "pro-war?" was intended to be ironic.

You seemed to miss that, and, instead, took it quite literally. So, you might want to point that reductio ad absurdumitis finger at yourself. :-)

Finally, I think you must have missed this fabulous NB article by yours truly concerning a Congressional poll done in 2007:

Called a “Congressional Insiders Poll,” the study asked 10 Senate Democrats, 48 House Democrats, 10 Senate Republicans, and 45 House Republicans: “Do you think it’s been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-made problems?”

The results:

  • 95 percent of Democrats said “Yes”
  • 2 percent of Democrats said “No”
  • 84 percent of Republicans said “No”
  • 13 percent of Republicans said “Yes”

So, this issue, like so many, does fall strictly along Party lines. ns

I don't disagree that the

I don't disagree that the leeches in the legislative branch have dramatically bifurcated the issue. That's what they do. See Iraq, abortion, etc. I reject your premise that any private individual or group who does or does not believe that AGW exists or should be worked against has automatically staked out some political territory. The D vs. R bulls--t does not apply to everybody's personal take on the issues.

Apparently we're in agreement that my counterexample was "absurd".

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JC

JC,

Actually, from my experience with this issue -- and as one of the more prominent conservative AGW writers in the blogosphere, I have a lot! -- it is one that identifies Party affiliation potentially more reliably than anything else.

After all, there are pro-choice Republicans, pro-gun law Republicans, and anti-Iraq war Republicans. However, with some notable exceptions, the vast majority of Republicans are indeed climate realists, while the vast majority of Democrats are climate alarmists.

Where moderates and Independents fit in this is anyone's guess.

That said, I believe quite fervently that if an organization is willing to publicly support and advocate something like Earth Hour, it likely is led by liberals. And that was the point of this post.

I'm not sure why you turned it into more than that. ns

"...each one of us, working

"...each one of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change - no matter who we are or where we live."

And the conservative reaction to this is: "What a horrible, un-American idea! This so merits my outrage."

And I'm showing MY cards? At least mine was sarcastic.

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JC

JC,

You're still missing the point. This isn't about conservation. I'm all for conservation. Do it all the time. What's outrageous is using global warming to beat people into doing it, for I don't believe for a second that average global temperatures would change one bit if Americans ceased emitting carbon dioxide tomorrow.

Not one bit.

As such, it is really you that are getting outraged over a false assumption that folks here are opposed to conservation and believe it to be somehow un-American. That's not what people are saying at all. ns

How is Google's inversion

How is Google's inversion of their trademark colors "beating" people into environmentalist submission?

And there are indeed people who think that simple, everyday acts of environmental consciousness are for losers. For instance, those who drive SUVs they don't need (usually festooned with Patriotic sentiment, ironically) and brag about their levels of wasteful consumption. It's all over this site. I have a hard time believing it's all done sardonically...

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JC

JC,

But, you haven't seen me express or support such behavior, have you? In fact, irrespective of my position on AGW, I'm actually pretty green in my lifestyle, and part company with a lot of my conservative brethren when it comes to things like energy conservation. I actually lost a pretty good friend a number of years ago because I "protested" his family's gas-gluttony.

I'll take this a step further: I think CAFE standards should be MUCH higher than where they are, and am appalled by how little our nation's energy policy has changed since the first oil crisis in 1973.

Here's an article I wrote on the subject almost exactly three years ago that I think you'll find rather surprising: http://www.americant... ns

Fair enough.  So may I

Fair enough.  So may I assume that your problem with the current AGW issue is not one of environmentalism but of individualism vs. socialization in trying to find solutions to energy problems?

Who can revolt if man has become a simple conglomerate of organs, a person barely free enough to use a remote control to choose his channel? -J. Kristeva

JC

JC,

Not necessarily individualism. Instead, capitalism versus socialism. Carbon dioxide IS NOT a problem. CO2 is good. Ask plants and trees whether they like it. There are also human biological functions that require CO2. Most life on this planet would cease to exist without it.

Furthermore, this idea that a greenhouse is a bad thing is also preposterous, for without our atmosphere's "greenhouse," we would burn to death during the day, and freeze to death at night.

Beyond this, if there ever came a point when it seemed the greenhouse was becoming to "strong" so to speak, we would look at the more primary greenhouse gases such as water vapor, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide as the possible culprit rather than CO2 which actually plays a very minor role in this equation.

With this in mind, the only reason CO2 is labelled as the problem by climate alarmists is because it can be tied to fossil fuels and, therefore, taxed. After all, you can't tax water vapor and methane, can you?

As such, Jason, climate alarmism is indeed a hoax perpetrated to levee additional taxes on energy companies, car companies, and consumers. Period. And that's what I so strongly protest. ns

Good, but not clear

You make some good points here. I don't agree on all, but less interested in getting into that debate. Just didn't get the link socialism link to all of this. Can you clarify?

-

What's outrageous is using global warming to beat people into doing it, for I don't believe for a second that average global temperatures would change one bit if Americans ceased emitting carbon dioxide tomorrow.

Exactly, Noel. There are good reasons to edge away from burning fossil fuels. The problem is, Al G and James H are trying to trample us towards ... nothing.  They want to panic us into swearing off petroleum.  But there is no replacement at this point.  Yet, according to their own theory, a wholesale abstention is the only cure for this (non)problem.

Sorry, I'm not willing to go without lights and/or heat and/or my car and/or food.  And it's patently unfair for them to expect the third world not to aspire to these basic comforts.

Their service sucks too !!

Try finding a conservative posting via Giggle...

I gave up on them long ago, as soon as I caught them deliberately discriminating against conservative websites. Yahoo is no better.

 

You might try Ice Rocket.

You might try Ice Rocket.

Ice Rocket is a Blog Search Engine

And it is owned by Mark Cuban who financially backed the anti-war Redacted movie.

If you do not want to use Google or Yahoo try Microsoft's Live Search.

The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource

As today is my 44th birthday (darn it) I am going to participate

As today is my 44th birthday (darn it) I am going to participate in this completely empty gesture by turning on every light I have between 8 and 9pm, just for the fun of it.  :-)

Who knows? Perhaps I will discover a few burned out bulbs that need replacing.

I wish I had thought to rent one of those huge trailored search-lights, too. Of course, I have been smoking a huge piece of pork since 8:00 this morning, so I guess that will have to do.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

Is this trite today?

Is this trite today? Remind me to turn all our lights on this evening. Including the porch lights and the outdoor flood lights. 

And have our putters set for Icecap.us or newsbusters. Maybe a page for both. The TV on Fox.

Let's light the way.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Hey you could use your cake

Hey you could use your cake as a beacon. lol.

Very funny, mjg.

LOL-Yeah, 44 candles could probably be seen by the shuttle crew orbiting the planet.

Good thing they aren't still up there.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

RD, do you know how many

RD,

do you know how many CO2 emissions there are in 44 burning candles? For the sake of the planet and global warming, why don't you pretend you're 39 and counting!

 

dbo,

LOL-I have been doing that every morning for the last five years.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

D

happy b-day.  just remember you'll alway be younger than me. 

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Thanks, botg.

I'll try to keep that in mind. :-)

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

no prob RD

here's a picture for ya to remember me by

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Happy b-day Helm; no doubt,

Happy b-day Helm; no doubt, if you are smoking some meat, there are also copius quantities of adult beverages being consumed.  Did the same thing last weekend myself; did a pork butt, small brisket and a rack of baby backs!-----and of course the brews---some Newcastle's.

Back to dork day; I am going to do absolutley the same thing myself.  Turn on all the lights, run the dishwasher, the washer and drier; start up both vehicles and turn on all of the water!  What a joke this thing is.....

"Controlling carbon is a bureaucrat's dream. If you control carbon, you control life," Richard Lindzen - March 2007.

RD Helm, A happy birthday to you!

It's diffcult to store electricity.

So at 8:00 O clock, wham a voltage spike..

The dark zealots may flip their main breaker, shutting off hot water, refrigeration, AC etc.

At 9:00 a voltage drop will occur, while these devices power up.

Nightmare for the hard working utility folk.

I think I'll do my part to dampen these voltage issues.

<wake up>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !

IranianUranium<sleep>Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO

 

ucw,

I was wondering about that myself. Though I doubt enough people are going to participate in this lunacy to have any real impact, wouldn't it be kind of funny if power grids started blowing out at 9:00pm in each time zone, when everybody turned everything back on?

Bet that would make the alarmists real popular.

I wonder if any media outlets will have choppers up, burning lots of fuel while lamenting the fact that so many of us uncaring ignern't types still have our lights on between 8 & 9pm?

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

RD, yea the chopper guys flying by candle light.

Now that would be good.

<wake up>SAVVVE The Whales N' Earth; conserve N' recycle !

IranianUranium<sleep>Infrastructure/repair?/ROFLMAO

 

Happy Birthday R D

44 to be young again.Pork sounds good but Fried chicken is how I celebrate on my bday.Just the white meat though.Maybe hanging some christmas lights would be a nice gesture.

Thanks, everybody.

It's been a good day.

well99, actually, I took my Christmas lights down about the second week in January (finally). I should have left them up. It would be fun having then on tonight.

Of course, those six halogen flood lights I have will be much better, anyway. I think they will be able to see those shadow-etching scorchers all the way up in Chattanooga tonight.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

We think alike. I was

We think alike. I was debating going out and putting some of the christmas lights back up.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

lol

Yup those flood lights will do the trick.

Only The Lights?

Has anyone noticed that none of the Television stations "participating" in this thing have suggested turning off your TV, some of which consume much more power than a 100-watt light bulb? Oh please don't turn off the TV, dude.

Or, why isn't Google suggesting we turn off our computers? Mine has a 600-watt power supply, and although it never pulls the maximum wattage, it could be considered the equivalent to six 100-watt light bulbs burning for that whole hour!

Typical liberalism/leftism. Don't do anything important, just symbolize something important, so we can all feel better about ourselves and our "carbon footprint." Meanwhile, keep watching TV and stay on the Internet, clicking those ad-money-links!

Bye, Bye Google

Looks like it's offical. I was right. Google is loaded with hippie, greenie, progressivists who believe in global warming.

I'm moving to Ask.

Google

Notice that Google will not turn off their servers around the world. They use up the most energy - 5 megawatts per googleplex server farm

Here is an idea of the size http://www.nytimes.c...

Pubic Service Notice

Anyone who did not take part in Earth Hour must turn in their Conspicuous Altruism wrist bands and ribbons.

 

"We are going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."... Karl Marx? Nope, it was Hillary Clinton.

Man, I’m glad I did not

Man, I’m glad I did not miss it. I thought it was last night. Not only am I going to turn every light on in the house I’m going to start up my F250 diesel and run its lights, (high beam). The really great part is the town I’m in (New Bern, NC) has a core of nut cases that is pushing for New Bern to become a “cool city” one of the main ring leaders lives right across the street from me, right in line with the lights from my truck..

 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Romney / Jendil  2012 (if,we survive)

Liberals have been in the

Liberals have been in the dark for a long time now. What's one more hour to them?

LOL- ckc1227

So true..

www.ScottOnCapeCod.com

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation"... until they get fed-up enough to finally say something about it!

I find the entire Google

I find the entire Google Blackout concept annoying as hell.  I like my screen white, not black.  Already in process of finding comparable search engine.  Amazing how a little thing like this will be enough to make users switch, but that's how the web is.  I think Google has forgotten that they never have been and never will be the only game in town.

Ok, all the lights are on,

Ok, all the lights are on, even the ones in my wood shop, and my attic..

I have my headlights on my truck shining on the lib, house across the street..

I love it. 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

Romney / Jendil  2012 (if,we survive)

That's showing...somebody.

That's showing...somebody.

bal

you a Shawn Merriman fan?

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

Not particularly. I don't

Not particularly. I don't dislike him, but I don't follow him or anything. Am I missing some reference?

shawn merriman

does the

"Lights Out" dance

 

"Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house."       Groucho

When I heard about this

When I heard about this "Earth Hour" thing on the way home from visiting my mother, I knew there was only one thing I could do when I got home.  I turned on every single light (porch light and the light over the stove included) in my house.  I also turned on every appliance in the house.  Why?  Because I'm an evil "flat earther" who wants to destroy the earth of course.  Actually, I figured the only thing it would affect would be my electricity bill and it would only affect that by a few cents.  God, liberals are morons.

That's an even dumber

That's an even dumber gesture than Google's.

All of you ecologically

All of you ecologically conscious, politically correct, morally bankrupt, mentally deficient idiots who buy into all this man-made global warming crap, how about you call your local electricity provider and have your house removed from the power grid?  Then, you can sell your car and walk everywhere, do your laundry in some stream so you don't use all that much water.  Don't use any laundry soap or detergent, though: you don't want to pollute the water supply.  You also need to stop buying produce from the grocery store.  The production, processing, transporting, storing, and display of the produce results in carbon dioxide emissions.  You have to go back to a hunter-gatherer existance.   Oh, that's right: a lot of you fools are also animal rights idiots, so you just have to get out and grub for enough nuts, roots, and berries to supply all your protein and vitamin needs.  But, be careful, you don't want to harvest so much that you cause your food source to die out.

C'mon, you AGW true believers!  It's time for you to excrete or get off the pot.  Turn off your lights for one hour?  Male bovine feces!  Live your faith!  Quit emitting greenhouse gasses, or shut up and leave the rest of us alone.

"A communist is someone who reads Marx.  An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx."  Ronald Reagan

Mike B,

Well said.

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

NBers

NBers,

The following was sent to me by e-mail:

Hi Noel,

I wanted to post this on the NewsBusters Website, but am not sure how to do so, so I am just writing to you to see if you would like to post in NewsBusters website and raise the proper “awareness”.

I wanted to write you a quick note to talk about the hypocrisy associated with Earth Hour.

I was working this Saturday, when I had to use Google with regards to a search I had to conduct. I noticed that they had moved away from their traditional white background to a back background "as a gesture to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort called Earth Hour" (a Quote from their website). Being an Electrical Engineer, I happened to wonder if the display of “Black” in LCD Monitors would expend more energy than traditional CRT monitors as the LCD monitors actually have to display the color black by expending energy . To research this a bit further, I search this matter in Google, when I came across an interesting article (link: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-black-is) that happens to recite the following quote by “Google green energy Czar Bill Weihl”: “We applaud the spirit of the idea, but our own analysis as well as that of others shows that making the Google homepage black will not reduce energy consumption … To the contrary, on flat-panel monitors (already estimated to be 75 percent of the market), displaying black may actually increase energy usage”

So, if Google’s position in late 2007, which they say is based on “analysis”, is that black will not reduce consumption, but would in fact “increase energy usage”, is it not a hypocritical gesture by Google to actually use an all-black background “to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort”, when their little “awareness” stunt is actually going to increase energy usage by their own admission? Good job Google for raising awareness during Earth Hour by raising energy consumption.

Best regards,

Ram Soundararajan

Thanks, Ram.  ns 

Noel, thank you for posting this.

It has made my day complete. :-)

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

See we can agree

hey RD, See we can agree - and I SOMETIMES have something interesting to say. I tried to make that point earlier up the thread. ;)

That's ironic, Alanis, but,

That's ironic, Alanis, but, still, it was a gesture to raise awareness. Not an effort to save the earth. 

»→ Alanis

Somebody watched too much "You Can't Do That On Television"

♣ a seal

I don't know. [slime falls

I don't know.

[slime falls from sky]

:-) 

»→ Slime me

WATER

♣ a seal

" ironic"? But people who

" ironic"? But people who know the AGW issue is far from settled, turning on their lights in protest is dumb?

So, only the guys you like can get credit for a "gesture to raise awareness". Everyone else is dumb.

Good going there Bal.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

I didn't say Google's

I didn't say Google's gesture was tremendous, either. 

So?  "There is a clear

So? 

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

So I'm not "giving them

So I'm not "giving them credit" just because I like them.

Bal. I like you. But you

Bal. I like you. But you said. "but, still, it was a gesture to raise awareness."  But everyone else was dumb.

I may have erred in saying it's because you liked them. But there does seem to be a wee  bit of a double standard here.

Just like I think you'll point it out to me when I do it. I'll point it out to you.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

That's fair enough.  What I

That's fair enough. 

What I was saying was that, yes, it is ironic that "going black" cost more energy, but that the goal was raising awareness, which with their broad reach they probably did. 

Even with the counteractive irony, somebody turning on every light and appliance in their house in opposition doesn't seem like a very worthwhile response. 

You mean like flying around

You mean like flying around the world in a private jet. To lecture people about their lightbulbs? 

Turning on outside floodlights as a statement on blackout night isn't a worthwhile response? But turning off all the lights at home and sitting in the dark is? 

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Just my opinion. All you're

Just my opinion. All you're really doing is wasting a lot of electricity.

Yep. That it is.  "There

Yep. That it is. 

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

Google Admits Turning Black Wastes Energy on their Blog

Is black the new green? (Google)

"One idea, suggested by the site called "Blackle" (which is not related to Google, by the way, though the site does use our custom search engine), is to reduce energy used by monitors by providing search with a black background. We applaud the spirit of the idea, but our own analysis as well as that of others shows that making the Google homepage black will not reduce energy consumption. To the contrary, on flat-panel monitors (already estimated to be 75% of the market), displaying black may actually increase energy usage. Detailed results from a new study confirm this."

Fact or Fiction?: Black Is Better than White for Energy-Efficient Screens (Black isn't the new green) (Scientific American)
Does a Darkened Google Really Save Electricity? (The Wall Street Journal)
Blackle vs Google power savings – the final test (Techlogg)

The Anti 'Man-Made' Global Warming Resource

yeah, but these are the same guys who fly in private jets!

And we are all the usefull idiots who fund them!

Google goes over to the ~DARK SIDE~

Google goes over to the ~DARK SIDE~
---
Communist vs. Statist '08

Q. Is Panamanian born John McCain a "Natural Born Citizen"

60 Minutes of candlelight

Last time I checked, that black stuff rising from the candles was carbon, so I hope all the participants sent AlGore payment for their carbon credits... otherwise he will get you, don't believe me, check this out: http://thumbsnap.com...

www.ScottOnCapeCod.com

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation"... until they get fed-up enough to finally say something about it!

Well no surprise there

Since he has come down with a severe case of talkingouthisass.The debate aint over.

Was at a friend's house last

Was at a friend's house last night as the hour approached. Since it is her house, I am not one to question what she should do. She had about ten candles lit in the small room where were sitting . At about the 45 minute mark, the dog's tail caught fire. So I used the Blackout search engine known as Google to see what the carbon emissions are for a candle. By my estimate, considering we have decently efficient electric production, she had the equivalent of 30 100 watt bulbs burning  in a small room. It's a moot point I guess, as 100watt bulbs are getting hard to find.

Thats why I don't use Google

Yahoo, search.com & others are just fine. Even if google is a drop better, why support such people?

Starve the Plants & Starve the Algae

this is the real agenda of the "Green" freaks.  If they can kill off enough of the plants and algae there won't be enough oxygen to support the evil invasive human species and we will slowly die off.  The world would be better off right?

 Freakin wackos