Rep. John Boehner cites cows' flatulence to defend his sacred carbon emissions
By John Amato Sunday Apr 19, 2009 5:00pm
You know, sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face when I watch the Sunday shows. Did a Republican strategist actually come up with this one? Case in point: Rep. John Boehner used cow farts to defend global warming deniers' spurious claims that carbon emissions do not cause climate change.
I believe that's what he meant, anyway. In this segment, he is incoherent as ABC's George Stephanopoulos tries to get him to explain to the American people what the Republicans will offer -- if anything -- on the energy problems our country faces.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So what is the responsible way? That's my question. What is the Republican plan to deal with carbon emissions, which every major scientific organization has said is contributing to climate change?
BOEHNER: George, the idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know, when they do what they do, you've got more carbon dioxide. And so I think it's clear...
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you don't believe that greenhouse gases are a problem in creating climate change?
BOEHNER: ... we've had climate change over the last 100 years -- listen, it's clear we've had change in our climate. The question is how much does man have to do with it, and what is the proper way to deal with this? We can't do it alone as one nation. If we got India, China and other industrialized countries not working with us, all we're going to do is ship millions of American jobs overseas.
So he's telling us that Republicans have no energy policy except to just say no to the administration. Can someone please write a few words into the threads about carbon emissions and what they do to climate change? I'm tired of linking and writing sentences to offset conservative climate-change deniers. Is it any wonder that Americans think the Limbaugh National Committee is out of their collective minds?
Transcript via ABC's THIS WEEK
NOPOULOS: Let me ask you then about energy. We showed your statement on the president's decision through the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Also, you've come out against the president's proposal to cap-and-trade carbon emissions.
So what is the Republican answer to climate change? Is it a problem? Do you have a plan to address it?
BOEHNER: George, we believe that our -- all of the above energy strategy from last year continues to be the right approach on energy. That we ought to make sure that we have new sources of energy, green energy, but we need nuclear energy, we need other types of alternatives, and, yes, we need American-made oil and gas.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But that doesn't do anything when it comes to emissions, sir.
BOEHNER: When it comes to the issue of climate change, George, it's pretty clear that if we don't work with other industrialized nations around the world, what's going to happen is that we're going to ship millions of American jobs overseas. We have to deal with this in a responsible way.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So what is the responsible way? That's my question. What is the Republican plan to deal with carbon emissions, which every major scientific organization has said is contributing to climate change?
BOEHNER: George, the idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know, when they do what they do, you've got more carbon dioxide. And so I think it's clear...
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you don't believe that greenhouse gases are a problem in creating climate change?
BOEHNER: ... we've had climate change over the last 100 years -- listen, it's clear we've had change in our climate. The question is how much does man have to do with it, and what is the proper way to deal with this? We can't do it alone as one nation. If we got India, China and other industrialized countries not working with us, allSTEPHANOPOULOS: But it sounds like from what you're saying that you don't believe that Republicans need to come up with a plan to control carbon emissions? You're suggesting it's not that big of a problem, even though the scientific consensus is that it has contributed to the climate change.
BOEHNER: I think it is -- I think it is an issue. The question is, what is the proper answer and the responsible answer?
STEPHANOPOULOS: And what is the answer? That's what I'm trying to get at.
BOEHNER: George, I think everyone in America is looking for the proper answer. We don't want to raise taxes, $1.5 to $2 trillion like the administration is proposing, and we don't want to ship millions of American jobs overseas. And so we've got to find ways to work toward this solution to this problem without risking the future for our kids and grandkids.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you are committed to coming up with a plan?
BOEHNER: I think you'll see a plan from us. Just like you've seen a plan from us on the stimulus bill and a better plan on the budget.
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It's the horseshit that you and failure of a your party call meaningful dialogue and policy.
What's carcinogens have to do with green house gasses? And the green house gas that cows(filthy nasty creatures!) expel out their asses is methane. And what Boehner expels out his piehole is shit.
and what does shipping jobs overseas have to do with global warming?
He must have dozed off in the tanning bed one too many times. The guy is completely screwy.
But for the love of God, stop claiming that man-made climate change is a myth.
And trying to belittle the problem by bringing up cow farts isn't exactly smart. Cows DO contribute a major portion of man-made CO2--not just from methane, but from deforestation to create grazing land--and decreasing beef consumption would go far toward alleviating the problem of greenhouse gasses.
Jesus, he's stupid.
They also happen to have populations that are artificially inflated by HUMANS. Shipping in feed? Humans. Killing off predators? Humans. Building structures for holding and rendering? Humans.
they eat maize and soybeans, and are not very good at converting the protein in these grains to beef. In fact, the amount of grain fed to livestock in the US is about enough to feed the human population of the world. The fertilizer used to make the grain grow is mostly oil based, so what beef cows represent is a grossly inefficient mechanism for converting oil into food.
Tax carbon offsets, companies will ship jobs overseas to countries that do not have the tax.
ETA and decreasing beef consumption will reduce methane how? If we quit eating them they will just continue to live and produce more methane, and co2 for that matter by just breathing, you know that whole inhale o2 exhale co2 thing. If we kill and eat them that is less of them to continue their bodily functions. I think I'm going to go eat a nice rare steak and save the planet now.
Cow populations are high due to humans eating a lot of them. If the demand for beef etc decreased "farmers" (as well as the federal gov't)would be less willing to spend the money required to breed and raise cows.
The cows need not be bred, you know. And you can, after all, tariff stuff coming in for climate burden, as well, and why wouldn't we do that, too? I sure as hell would.
painfully embarrassing! I am a firm supporter of Obama but do believe that we need balance in the Congress and this man and his buddies like Mcconnell, Kyl, Cornyn, Saxby et al are horrid! Coherant thought anyone! Stringing things together with no relevance!---This group can not even come to the table with solutions let alone ideas!
The incendiary double speak is a waste of time...makes no sense --has NO MERIT!
at Boehner's grasp of the science.
I agree with the comment that the UVB tanning rays are starting to fry his synapses.
Thankfully, carbon dioxide isn't a carcinogen. Regrettably, Boehner is still and idiot.
Courtesy of my old alma mater:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/factsheets/ccbackgro...
And no one, except Boehner, has claimed that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen. The man is a moron.
What a load of crap!
Check out the video at about 1:45, Boehner looks like he's ready to belch. Too funny!
May give you indigestion--in which case Boehner probably has a terminal case.
Indeed!
Our planet is at stake and he makes comments like that? The man sounds like the complete dumb ass that he is. Why do everything but put a fricking sign on your back. Jeez.
But I will give him this. Methane gas near slaughter houses is a MAJOR form of pollution. And another type of change that humans need to take seriously. We have to stop eating so much beef. Major issue. I'm glad he brought it up.
You're right.
Rumen fermentation does contribute to green-house gases (via methane). With all the grazing sheep and cattle do (especially in India), these emissions are currently estimated at 11-14% of all green-house gases, and it is a problem. And it is man-made (so to speak). The argument disproves the aforementioned point he was trying to make – greenhouse gas emissions ARE contributing to man-made global warming.
Now what does this have to do with his lack of a coherent energy policy? Only the incoherency. That Boehner - what a butt-head.
You can't get a hamburger at a McDonald's in India. Hindus are vegetarian, there isn't a lot of livestock for meat production there. Most of the agricultural land is used for growing food for human consumption.
And let me tell you, if you want the best pork you ever tasted, India is the place. Only non-indians eat it, so the pig population is tiny and well cared for. You can get it from the Embassy stores in New Delhi.
The straw man argument that anyone is saying "CARBON DIOXIDE BAD!!" is so silly and typical of Republican spin. The point of course is that TOO MUCH greenhouse gases belched into the atmosphere can surpass the ability of our oceans and plants to absorb them and maintain stasis.
Even WATER - the only substance that's necessary for all life as we know it - can be a poison if you drink too much of it!
Agreed...but your heading reminded me of too many angry discussions.
"But carbon dioxide is plant food! And they up the concentration of carbon dioxide in greenhouses!"
Nitrogen and phosphorous and typically the limiters to plant growth, though water and sunlight can also play a part. CO2 is and has been so abundant that the plant enzyme that incorporates it into sugars is one of the least efficient enzymes there is--there wasn't any evolutionary need for it to do a better job. There is plenty of CO2 for the plants.
I had a discussion with one of my denier friends a few months back; he brought up the levels during the time of the dinosaurs while also admitting that the ice core data indicate that our CO2 levels greatly exceed anything in the last 400,000 years. I got no where with him--he was sure that the CO2 levels were cyclical due to volcanic activity, even though the great increase in concentrations coincided with the industrial revolution.
...who steadfastly deny human enduced climate change. That position is right up there with homosexuality is a choice.
Off topic: The Family Guy's Carter Peuterschmitt just said FOX News holds the rights to the Hitler image and won't permit it to be slandered.
I didn't see them come up with any plan for the stimulus or the budget. All they said was that they had a better plan but never told us what it was.
While it was comical for them to show up with no numbers in their plan, their plan in the end was just the same old crap. Lower taxes on everyone, especially the rich, who would get the biggest tax cut, and lower taxes on business. I could have come up with that in my first 5 seconds of sleep.
Their plan does not immediate create jobs or deal with the shortfalls each State has. Nor does it address the failing infrastructure. I know they expect each person to pay for each street they use, but they also live in a fantasy world of greed
Maybe Boner Head could just stop breathing, period. That would reduce our carbon footprint!
Why do so many people get so defensive when the issue of climate change is raised? And why are so many prepared to take the chance when climate change is potentially the biggest threat to everything?
he was determined to be the best representative of his constituents and elected. Think about that, a group of people actually think this is the best that they have to offer....
If that isn't a clear indication that our education system has failed, I don't know what is.
How does George S keep a straight face.
It is truly upsetting that conservatives have been able to control the direction of the global warming debate by simply claiming that climate change has been "occurring for the last 100 years". Of course the climate has been changing. The difference is, however, that over the last 20 the rapid acceleration of climate change has coincided with decreased agricultural production, coral reef destruction, mass migration and a litany of other terrible environmental impacts. This is distinct from the natural climate change that has been occurring for centuries.
And, George is right. Conservatives (especially the likes of Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity) love to claim that all scientific evidence concludes that either global warming is not man-made or is consistent with historical trends or even that the world is actually getting COLDER (remember, it was really cold this winter, so global warming must not be real). This argument is also BULLSHIT. Hundreds and hundreds of legitimate non-partisan scientific organizations conclude the exact opposite. Unfortunately, wing-nuts from the right would rather listen to the paid-off oil hacks at pseudo-scientific organizations like CO2 Science Magazine. This is such nonsense.
He is right though. Cow farts to put a lot of methane in the atmosphere.
Our local weather personality is certain that the earth is cooling (because 1998 and 2005 were unusually hot). I called him on it on his blog; apparently he doesn't know anything about the effects of La Nina and El Nino on the climate...or he's trying to claim that climate modelers don't think these things have any effect on climate.
You local weather personality is confusing weather with climate.
And he has no idea he's doing it. He's the weather guy, so he must know everything. He's also pretty sure that we scientists don't know as much as him, else we'd be on the tee vee.
Or just a pretty-boy empty suit who reads from a script?
This isn't the first time I've seen Boehner loaded during an interview.
he really does seem totally loaded. hicups and all. wtf?
I thought so too. It could be that he's still loaded the morning after the night before, but oh boy, this is a keeper, his "responsible solution" is constrained by NO NEW TAXES - as usual. What an absurd performance. Pathetic. Stale ideas, no imagination, and unencumbered by pesky facts.
Repubs talking.....cows farting....I really don't see the difference.
well, that explains some of the tears anyway
What the heck is he talking about? CO2 a carcinogen??? Is he high?
I often think that Boner is on something, or he's recovering from a night of heavy drinking. His face is often very red, and moments like this, something has clearly affected his brain. It's like he's got a severe hangover.
Mr. Boner, why do you keep on living up to your name?
He's either an idiot or lying to his constituency to keep them stupid.
I think Bonerhead has secretly been huffing the CO2 he says is harmless and gotten brain damage from it.
Unfortunately, I think it is both....plus, he is STILL high or drunk!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=immdNYQOGt8
Carbon emissions fuelled by high rates of obesity
Well, that and the fact that Vietnam is still a third world country!
Don't tanning beds contribute to global warming :p
My toaster oven contributes to bread warming (but I'm cutting down in order to save the planet).
but unlike CO2, they certainly are dangerous CARCINOGENS.
Let's see...
- CO2 emissions from animal respiration don't have anything to do with anything.
- Methane production by cows IS a real problem
- And so is the massive deforestation that the global beef industry engages in.
What a tool.
Boehner is just another anthrocentric jerk that thinks the world was created exclusively for the human race to dominate and exploit for our selfish pleasure, and that its resources are infinite.
What this psychotic idiot doesn't care to recognize is that the changes that occur in our environment are subtle and slow to develop---but irreversible. The best we can do is to slow down the process as much as possible and learn to live in better harmony with our planet. Like it or not, humans have had a profound impact on the Earth and will continue to do so. Failure to act now will send a huge and unconscionable IOU to the future with the risk that the climate change we helped produce will become a runaway train that will destroy the very roots of our existence and seriously compromise our children's world.
Boehner is the most uneducated Law Maker and even Junior High students know more then him. The District that elected him most really be ahame of their choice. There have to be at lease one person in that Ohio District who is educated and can represent the people. Now wonder the World is getting a good laugh about the US Law Makers. Boehner can do his district a favor and not go on TV anymore. Boehner should let a 7th Grader from his district anwer question for now on.
I think Bachmann's dumber.
the rate of global warming in half if the republicans would just STFU!
If he were in any other Western country.
In Australia, if ANY politician in any party suggested the jury was out on man-made climate change, he would be SHAMED on the Parliament floor and on the front pages of EVERY major newspaper. He would be asked by his party to step down and never come back.
His level of incompetence is shameful.
It shows you how complicit the American MSM is in enabling the GOP's corporatist propaganda by refusing to seriously question it. Small wonder that other countries have so little respect for us if this is our form of world leadership.
He lobbied for Big Tobacco. A little excerpt from Wikipedia:
"In June 1995, Boehner provoked contentions of unethical conduct when he distributed campaign contributions from tobacco industry lobbyists on the House floor as House members were weighing how to vote on tobacco subsidies. Boehner stopped handing out the checks only "after being questioned about the practice by two freshmen who’d heard about the handoff on the House floor".
As I said, shameful.
would much rather cover the "controversy" than report facts.
BOEHNER: I think you'll see a plan from us. Just like you've seen a plan from us on the stimulus bill and a better plan on the budget.
Gee, if their plan is going to be anything like what they proposed for the stimulus and the budget, we'll all be dead and then the greenhouse gas problem will correct itself.
Of course, they could always surprise us an actually come up with a helpful idea: like maybe inflatable bags that attach to each cows' anus!
The RUSHpublican Party.
Dunno...having a hard time connecting to the GOP without some hip hopified lingo. Can we get Steele back out in front of the camera, please? A real representative of the GOP?
He'd be able to take in more of the world as he certainly can't see beyond it.
geeze, how much more can BOEHNER suck before
he has his head between his legs?
But I'm sure he would if he could. Isn't that why dogs like to self-teabag?
there is absolutely nothing of significant value in listening to anyone who utters such total nonsense. The totality of this response is a bald-faced lie by a lobbyist bribed politician representing the major carbon emmitter industries.
Boehner pops out an old Reagan storyline to mock a very serious global problem. These corrupt politicians will go down in history as being responsible for unnecessary dawdling and delay, all for profit
These politicos laugh at the knuckle-heads who vote them in.
that the Republican Party, of which this Bonehead plays such a large part, consider themselves fit to be the leaders of the 'free' world.
What incredible hubris and ignorance these clowns so proudly display.
I never really followed American politics very closely before last year's election, but it is becoming abundantly clear why America is in the mess that it's in.
What a freaking nighmare. I truly feel sorry for all you Americans who DIDN'T vote for them over the last 8 years.
That would be the majority of Americans. On behalf of the majority, thanks for the sympathy.
...and THANK GOD he's a repuke. What a ditzy, classless, clueless moron. GREAT representative to the party of no ideas, no substance, and "just say NO". What a wet used car salesman. Honest to God, did anyone hear anything besides NO from this horse's ass?
Brilliant! Just brilliant. And what fine state has this nutcake for a representative?? He looks like he really needs sleep. How in the hell did he EVER get elected past city council???
"....ah George....." Geeeesh! What a loser!!
As a citizen of one of your national allies (Australia), I'm grateful that there are media outlets such as Crooks and Liars, Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Democratic Underground, The Young Turks, etc. who are willing and able to expose these charlatans for what they are.
Kudos to all of you.
Once again, the Republicans prove that they have NO ideas.
I think he's right. The republican answer does have a lot to do with bullshit.. just not the way he thinks. But does it ever strike anyone else that Boehner appears to be drunk ALL the time?? Watch him!
He always looks soused to me!
When are you going to put someone in office who has at least some small bit of intelligence? This guy is a fricken dolt that isn't fit to lead a chain gang much less the house minority. His party has no answers, only unfounded complaints. What a bunch of losers.
He's stupid too.
Last time I checked. Greenhouse gases were comprised mostly of water vapor(94%)
Methane gas 2.5 %
Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide. Both together around 2%
The rest is a mix of other gases .
Turns out that Methane gas is a huge problem.
Most of it comes from landfills and huge dairy farms. Pig farms too.
Sewage treatment plants. Pretty much all those things that stink to the high heavens. Literally.
One would think that an elected official would know the difference between carbon dioxide and methane gas.
Oh, another culprit is in the manufacturing of cement.
I forget what goes in to making cement. But I know they have to cook it off to change the minerals in it. When they cook it. It releases a toxic gas. I heard they were trying to work out a way to filter the gases by running it through a liquid baffle or something.
Then enzymes clean the water.
When you thing about how much stuff is built with cement around the world. It's a lot.
where has he been the past 10 years?
god...what a doof
Cow Flatulence is about all the Republican Party has offered for the last eight years. I think Mr. Boehner has a future in the used car industry.
unfortunately, it does not help the liberals in government when conservative talking heads are as clueless as this. the nature of public debate is stunted to a level of immaturity that i will find unacceptable in my 4 yr old nephew. we need a strong, articulate opposition. we don't want to wrestle pigs. in a way, the rightwingers have been damn brilliant by being dumb.
who mentioned that our western love of red meat certainly contributes to the production of methane gas in the atmosphere.
My father-in-law visited Texas some years ago, and mentioned that he could smell the stench from the huge cattle feedlots there from miles away if he was downwind from one.
Perhaps the U.S government could initiate a national advertising campaign encouraging people to cut down on their red meat consumption, and encourage them to eat more vegetables, nuts and legumes instead?
With the current recession, I know I've cut down on my red meat consumption, because it saves money (as well as helping to keep my weight and colesterol down). Having said that, Australia is also a big beef, pork and lamb producing nation, and it's difficult to go against powerful industry advocacy groups such as the livestock associations.
National energy awareness campaigns can also prove very effective, when coupled with legislation and tax incentives which encourage the purchase of energy efficient products such as compact flourescent lightbulbs, solar panelling, domestic rainwater tanks, purchasing energy efficient appliances, purchasing compact cars if you don't need a large one, and insulating your roof.
We can and should adopt energy efficient practices in our homes, such as switching off a light when we don't need it, putting on a pair of socks and a pullover when it's chilly rather than cranking up the heater, and closing doors to unused rooms to keep the heating where it's most needed.
There are heaps of things we can all do to cut down on our energy consumption and reduce carbon emmissions. Most of us are just too lazy to do it.
A couple of good websites that discuss some of these issues are;
http://www.auroraenergy.com.au/residential/en...
http://www.energy.com.au/energy/ea.nsf/Conten...
"Perhaps the U.S government could initiate a national advertising campaign encouraging people to cut down on their red meat consumption, and encourage them to eat more vegetables, nuts and legumes instead?"
[snark]
No, that would be:
* Fascism
* Communism
* Socialism
* Social Engineering
* Nanny State
* Can not apologize for our way of life
* The American way of life is non-negotiable
[/snark]
And he's a moron because he has totally fluffed his argument. Yes, the ocean, humans, cows (which, when farting produce METHANE, which is to be fair a greenhouse gas), trees, etcetera, produce carbon dioxide...which is a pointless argument to make to attempt to negate the argument for global warming. The concern is an over-abundance of these gases...and the over-abundance makes them become pollutants. They are all naturally occurring, needed gases, but you don't want too MUCH of them. Duuuh.
And with the cow thing, they are a major contributor to greenhouse gases, and thus that points to the fact that if we ate less meat and thus bred far fewer animals for meat, we'd majorly cut greenhouse gases. Not to mention pigs, which are waste producing power-houses.
As for the validity of the global warming argument, I leave that to others to continue debating. It's just Boehner appears to not even understand what he is supposedly refuting, and that's never healthy.
The 'chilling possibility' that Global warming could plunge North America and Western Europe into a deep freeze, possibly within only a few decades. By disturbing a massive ocean current, melting Arctic sea ice might trigger colder weather in Europe and North America.
The paradoxical scenario gaining credibility among many climate scientists is that the thawing of sea ice covering the Arctic could disturb or even halt large currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Without the vast heat that these ocean currents deliver--comparable to the power generation of a million nuclear power plants--Europe's average temperature would likely drop 5 to 10°C (9 to 18°F), and parts of eastern North America would be chilled somewhat less. Such a dip in temperature would be similar to global average temperatures toward the end of the last ice age roughly 20,000 years ago.
For more information go here:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/05mar...
this could be a huge problem for Europe and North America in the not too distant future
If and when the thermo saline Atlantic current ends, and Europe / North America become colder, you know what they'll say.
"See, this proves that the world is cooling, not warming! Global warming is a myth!"
The intent of the Republican Party is to obstruct, lie, and lay blame on the Democratic Party 100% of the time. Honest, open debate is not in the best interest of business ... not now, not ever!
Business relies on the right to obstruct so they can go about their way un-obstructed. Pollution is not their concern, and as long as we Americans continue to elect leaders (?) such as Boehner, Bachmann, Delay, and Cornyn, we will continue to see the slow, intentional destruction of our planet for profit.
Just tie lit candles on cows and fat peoples asses and when they fart it will burn the methane. just dont stand close behind them with your hamburger and cigarette
is fried from all that time in the tanning bed.........to quote the great philosopher, Bugs Bunny, "what a maroon!!"
this is right out of the republican playbook. The point is to make government as useless and incompetent as possible so that people will lose confidence in the government's ability to solve any problems. That way, corporations can just do whatever they want without any of all those anti-American regulations. The vacuous points they make about carbon dioxide being perfectly natural and evolution being wrong because of irreducible complexity, etc., is not supposed to convince you or me. It's supposed to be plausible to enough ignorant jackasses out there to keep electing these know-nothings to office so they can continue to dismantle what's left of the New Deal system. They are nothing more than corporate shills.
The Movie (is what we need right now)
Methane reserves deep in the ocean and in arctic permafrost might trigger runaway global warming.
But they've also got the potential to provide huge amounts of power, a possibility that is attracting the interest of energy companies. Methane hydrate, a strange form of natural gas, has recently become a fascination for energy-hungry nations from the United States to Japan and India.
Methane is found in oceans across the world, where the gas is trapped in icy structures below the seabed, and also lies beneath the Arctic's permafrost. A paper published this week in the science journal 'Nature' suggests that the release of methane hydrates, also known as clathrates, may have triggered a very rapid period of global warming 635 million years ago -- and may do so again. But those same hydrates are also a tempting target for energy production...
Researchers romantically call methane hydrates "the fire in the ice," since the frosty chunks burn if you set a match to them.
The most recent abrupt climate change occurred 55 million years ago during the Eocene greenhouse event, when ice disappeared from the poles and trees grew in Antarctica. From analyzing the fossil record, researchers determined that there were very high levels of methane in the atmosphere at that time. Some paleoclimate researchers hypothesize that a gradually warming climate brought oceans to a temperature tipping point around 55 million years ago, which caused icy methane hydrate structures to melt and let the gas bubble up to the ocean's surface in a long, enormous burp.
Since methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, if it were released into the atmosphere in a huge gush, it may have caused temperatures to spike dramatically. This theoretical precedent has led to speculation in popular science books that our current bout of man-made global warming could cause another catastrophic methane release.
http://wotnews.com.au/like/methane_poses_clim...
I hope Boner likes the smell of cow farts, because that's what he might be smelling all too soon.
One thing's for sure though, if we DO experience another sudden catastrophic release of methane hydrate due to rising global land and sea temperatures, he won't be needing his tanning bed anymore.
If one thing can be said about Boehner it is that for every issue that requires thought he will always start his reply with a question and it is usually along the lines of 'is it real or is it memorex?'
Is this leadership? In my mind the only intelligent response to his 'blame the cow' is to ask him how often he eats beans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6dm9rN6oTs
Wait....WHAT?
Actually, it is methane that is produced in quantity by cows. However, most is coming from the front end in the form of burbs ... because they chew their cud.
wear green ties and talk shit non-stop.
Not just for St Patrick's day anymore...
It's my understanding a lot of rain forest has been cut down to raise beef, so our love of McDonalds over soybeans _is_ contributing to the ecological problems.
carbon emission if it bit him in the ass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48QuBPL8dPg&fe...
Funny and poingnent.
I especially like the David Attenborough style narration.
theres a man that inspires change.
theres a man that inspires change. oh and Carbon Dioxide isnt a carcinogen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDR3HoyPNpU&fe...
He's channeling St. Ronnie!!
One thing I believe for sure, verbal flatulence such as this on the public airwaves kills brain cells.
I've killed my few.
John Boehner IS a cow fart...with a side order of tears.
Who has called carbon dioxide a carcinogen? And it's methane, you moron.
This guy is such a perfect example of why we can't make any progress.
This reminds me of the debate over the hole in the ozone layer the Clinton Administration almost single-handedly "fixed" by banning CFC's in the 90's.
Conservatives argued "how can we need more Ozone when we have all this ozone smog in our cities?"
They didn't seem to understand that "ozone in the stratosphere where it blocks radiation: good - ozone close to the ground where we breath: bad".
...is like arguing "water" is "breathable".
Yes, plants need CO2 to survive, but there's such a thing as "too much" CO2. Plants can breath it, people can't. Amazing these Luddites can't grasp this simple fact.
When the party of NO Reslugs don't have any ideas or plans then they change the subject and again throw taxes out there and make a fool out of themselves in front of millions of people. Reslugs really are in big trouble.
I love this talking point. It's not people who are causing global warming. It's cows. Only problem is: Why are there so many cows? Duh. Humans.
This is one of their spokesmen. Other than wanting to hurl while seeing and hearing him I guess I can take comfort in the fact.
I have an idea that might help the climate change problem, and also eliminate a growing concern among thinking, rational people. Employ a "cap-and-trade" system for Republicans and other climate deniers, and send them to the space station, where they can release it(their b.s.) into deep space.
...Beavis and Butthead.
How on earth does this guy get away with calling himself a senator?
The cow farting excuse was pulled from a Boston Legal episode!! Maybe Boner can find something more exciting to talk about after watching Law & Order...
know-nothing could ever be the house speaker for any party, minority or majority, when he is so fucking stupid? Do his constituents know just how stupid he is? How could they possibly have elected him? Maybe they are attracted to his year-round tan, I don't know.
First, carbon dioxide is NOT carcinogenic. But it can kill you if you do not exhale it and it builds up in your system. That's called acidosis and it's deadly. It can also build up in the atmosphere and wreak havoc because it blocks the escape of radiated heat from the planet. It also makes the oceans more acidic which then is dangerous to the animals that live in the oceans and upon which the planet's ecology depends. This happily ignorant politician apparently has never familiarized himself with or read any of the voluminous amounts of scientific proof that human activity, indeed, is the major cause of the build up of greenhouse gases and therefore he can't answer the simple question of whether or not man is the cause. All he would have to do to admit it is to let his mind be open to incontrovertible scientific proof that verifies the claim. What a fucking dork!
In the meantime, he spews large amounts of carbon dioxide (and methane). I suggest that Congress should act now on capping and taxing his emissions before it's too late and he does irreversible damage to the planet!
You know the funny thing is .... he is so stupid and so disengenuine that anyone who didn't know who he is would tune into the middle of this interview and think that someone from SNL was involved in pulling a prank on Stephanopolis. It's surreal.
I believe the offending ingredient of their flatulence is methane (not carbon dioxide).
FROM THE GUARDIAN (U.K.): "Burping cows and sheep are being targeted by UK scientists to help bring down Britain's soaring levels of greenhouse gas pollution. Experts at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in Aberystwyth say the diet of farmed animals can be changed to make them produce less methane, a more potent global warming gas than carbon dioxide. Farmed ruminant animals are thought to be responsible for up to a quarter of "man-made" methane emissions worldwide though, contrary to common belief, most gas emerges from their front, not rear, ends..."
SOURCE - http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/jul/10...
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