Stalling tactic delays the day when America will have to confront global warming

Stalling tactic delays the day when America will have to confront global warming
EDITOR:
The triumph of politics at the expense of national and global security? The report in The Vindicator July 24 that the Bush administration plans at least two more years studying what it calls the "uncertainty" of the science behind global warming, instead of deciding how to fix it, was to be expected.
The July-August, 2003 issue of the Sierra, publication of the Sierra Club, has reported that in March of this year a remarkable set of talking points for the Republican leadership was leaked by pollster Frank Lundtz. "Should the public come to believe that scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly," Lundtz advised. "Therefore you need to continue making the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate. ... The scientific debate is closing (against us) but not yet closed. There is still a window of opportunity to challenge science."
Those who favor action on global warming, Lundtz warns, have a very powerful argument which is as he paraphrases it: "The future will be a better place if we take the necessary action today." To undermine this message of hope, he advises the Republicans to talk about how "unnecessary environmental regulation hurts moms and dads." "Those who ignore the clear signs of global warming are in effect pitting this generation against the next," warns Paul Rauber, a senior editor at the Sierra magazine.
One can but wonder if enough of our leaders are so obsessed with politics they cannot identify the suicidal consequences or they cannot hear what the U.S. Biologic Survey Team is reporting and documenting, or what the EPA., the Earth Institute at Columbia, and the consensus of our scientific community tell us.
The U.K., which has been considered among our closest allies, considers global warming an issue of national security. Tony Blair has been quoted as saying, "There will be no genuine security if the planet is ravaged by climate changes."
NORMAN D. DUNCAN
Vienna
Weather station at airport gives area distorted readings
EDITOR:
With the exception of those wonderful people of Vienna Township, NOBODY CARES how much rain fell at the Youngstown-Warren airport! Even if it was a functioning airport, I believe that the vast majority of people living here would still not care how much rain the airport received. Why? Because of the very common, year after year, vast disparity between the & quot;official & quot; reading at the airport and the amounts recorded in places where people actually live and work.
As I watch the weather segments of the local television news, I am amazed at both the frequently huge disparity in rainfall levels between the airport and the local TV studios, and at how we have tolerated it. It's ridiculous. Move the weather station to a "real & quot; location. Or, if not possible for some reason, put another one up. New York City's is in Central Park next to Belvedere Castle. How about having it in Mill Creek Park? If not there, somewhere in Youngstown.
There will always be disparities in rainfall levels in the area, but with a centrally-located weather station, the people who live and work here can get at least a rough idea of how much rain they received.
PLATO KALFAS
Girard
You want fries with that?
EDITOR:
I must take exception to the letter in the July 30 edition from the writer in Boardman who didn't enjoy the & quot;Idora Forever & quot; show at the Youngstown Playhouse. I too attended this show recently. I found it to be a delightful evening of entertainment as did others around me.
The show is well written, fast-paced, has great songs, and brings back wonderful memories to those of us who grew up around here and enjoyed the park. The cast is energetic, fun, very talented, and pulls the audience into the show. This is the second year I've seen "Idora Forever, & quot; and I hope the Playhouse continues to make it a yearly event.
As for the other Idora production the writer refers to, maybe the larger stage of Powers Auditorium is a better place for it and its "real dancing, such as dancing French fries. & quot;
SUSAN WELSH
Canfield