Climate Confusion

I marked so many pages in this book, that I hardly know where to start!

I thoroughly enjoyed Climate Confusion: How Global Warming Hysteria Leads to Bad Science, Pandering Politicians and Misguided Policies that Hurt the Poor by Roy W. Spencer. That's a really long title, but the book is quite readable.

The title was so long, in fact, I hestitated in picking it up at my library when I saw it on the shelf. But I couldn't help it when I saw the 'pandering politicians' and 'hurt the poor.' I decided to give it a try at least.

Spencer is the Principal Research Scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. A title which would make you think that you'd go cross-eyed reading a book he's written unless you, too, were a climate research scientist. Au contraire!

Spencer is smart, no doubt about it. He's thoughtful, logical and, can you believe it?, funny too. He's a scientist who hasn't let his intellect go to his head. He writes in a very accessible style, rather sarcastic at times, but very clear. I easily followed his logic, and his humor. Many times I laughed out loud at his characterizations of the media and politicians. They were so true - I know because I was a political reporter for a short while, and was a TV news producer for several years.

Throughout the book, Spencer makes his case about the climate confusion - how our society and world is getting caught up in the global warming hysteria, but the science behind it is anything but solid. And, when our society bases policy on bad science, we hurt more people than we help.

I would highly recommend Spencer's book. You'll enjoy reading it, and learn something too.

My Sweet Husband

My husband loves me. He really does. He showed me just how much this week when he went to Sam's Club for me. I gave him a specific list of what we needed: milk, OJ, eggs, cheese and a few other things. He came home with several more items, one of which was a big, I mean HUGE, bag of Dark Chocolate M&M's.

"What's that?" I asked him, trying to be oh-so-nonchalant and calm.

"Oh, honey, I got these for you, because I know how you love them," he replied, giving me a hug. "I can take them back if you don't want them," he added with a knowing smile and a twinkle in his eye.

I wanted to scream, "YES! Take them back! Have you not noticed I've been up early every morning for the past week & a half working out? Have you not heard me when I told you I'm trying to watch what I eat?"

But I couldn't. He loves me enough to bring me an XXL bag of Dark Chocolate M&M's.

So, I smiled and said, "Wow, thanks for thinking of me."

I put away the rest of the groceries, leaving out 'the bag,' and left the room. I thought I'd leave them on the counter and take them to my mother's, where I could share them with the rest of my family.

But every time I went into the kitchen to refill my water, they were just staring at me - big purple M&M bag. I swear I saw the yellow one wave at me and beckon me closer.

I ended up putting them in an empty Cinch shake canister (a meal replacement shake - catch the irony here? - but a handy hiding spot), so my kids wouldn't get on a sugar high in the morning. They wouldn't all fit though, so I had to eat a couple of handfuls before I went to bed.

I put them in a custard dish to eat out the different colors - the only way to eat them! - and by the time I got through with brown, blue & yellow, I didn't want any more.

Seriously, I didn't want anymore. I was really quite shocked. I put the rest in a baggie for later. Which ended up being much later. Like over 24 hours later. And that wasn't a huge self-control issue for me either. I went through my day, knowing I had a handful just waiting for me - all green, orange and red - and it didn't tempt me.

So, in all honesty, I think it was the best gift he ever gave me. It taught me that life IS GOOD without dark chocolate M&Ms. Who knew? I sure didn't.

Tonight, I'm taking them to share with a lot of other people - Cinch container and all. Whatever's left over goes to my mother's. Just in case.