It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
No wait, that's the wrong column…
It's beginning to look a lot like global warming…
No wait, that's the wrong theory…
It's beginning to look a lot like the winter of 1996-97 despite the optimism of a recent Inter Lake headline.
Oh yeah, that's it.
Fact of the matter is, we haven't had nearly as much snow as we did in late '96, but who cares? Short of a few blowing drifts, it is just as deep an accumulation as we had then, and just as hard to drive in.
Fortunately, we have avoided most of the collapsing roofs and cracking trees so far, but those could still be on the way, as more snow is expected in the next week.
There is one thing worth remembering, however, as we curse about shoveling snow and complain about horrid driving conditions: A snowy winter in Montana really isn't that bad. In fact, it's kind of wonderful.
So grab a camera and put on your boots. Make snow angels or make snowmen. Throw snowballs or build a snow fort. This is a good opportunity to take some photos for the family scrapbook. It's also a great opportunity for the kids to make some money shoveling snow, or just do a favor for an elderly neighbor by keeping the porch and steps clear.
If you don't want to venture outside, it's still the best time of year to have a hot cocoa and dream about summer. If you have a fireplace, by all means put on another log. If you have a deck of cards, deal yourself a game of solitaire, or if you have family at hand, now's the time to renew your love of pinochle, bridge, rummy, hearts or spades.
Oh yes, and it may also be time to reconsider the theory of global warming after all. It's impossible to use anecdotal evidence to confirm or deny something as huge as global warming, but it's also grossly irresponsible to extrapolate the end of civilization based on a few years of increase in temperature in the northern hemisphere, as some scientists (and Al Gore) have done.
No doubt about it, there was an increase in global temperatures between 1980 and 1998, but since then there has been a standstill in temperatures, with some recent declines virtually erasing the so-called precipitous increases at the end of the last century. It makes you wonder whether somebody just panicked, or decided to make a quick buck off panicking everybody else.
I mean, after all, it's also a fact that there was global cooling from 1940 to 1979, but we seem to have survived that "crisis' just fine. Maybe it's time to rethink the power of puny man, and to consider whether "man-made" global warming is the result of CO2 - or just an overactive imagination.
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Frank Miele is managing editor of the Daily Inter Lake and writes a weekly column. E-mail responses may be sent to edit@dailyinterlake.com
smood
Now that Al Gore and his gang of global warming tax promoting sell out scientists have been completely exposed on their fraud, it's time to move Marine Mountain School to Montana. Just think of all the cool bar fights we could get into (when they aren't building snow caves and starting fires) when they're visiting the local watering holes. Heck, maybe CIA Rob can take a few Viagra and come share a hot toddy with us active and retired jarheads...share stories about cutting up gooks and dem dern ali baba fellows, not to mention throwing puppies off cliffs. Fetal position Rob, you up for it, or too busy counting your stash of gold bullion?
Rob123
smood: I'd rather discuss alimony payments with my Ex than sit in an ice cave with a bunch of jarheads telling war stories. Of course, if she was in the Ice Cave, she'd have you Marines on your knees crying for relief in a couple hours. Everyone of you would ask to be transferred to an Aircraft carrier so the Navy guys would have someone to dance with on Saturday nights.
Woody
Sailors dancing with Marines. I am out of here.
Rob123
Bronco....Be Careful, it's smood. He can turn on a dime and bite his own back! Or humor us with the brilliance of jarhead war stories. I remember the time North of Pleiku, and a bunch of marines and arvns were standing by the side of the Hiway begging for food. I had some extra cases of rations on my gun truck, so we heaved them over the side. Brilliant dudes! Leave home without an American Express, and wait for some nice Army dude to feed you, so you could get back to the coast and Mama Navy.
smood
20 oz of gold and alimony no more thar Duke...call 406 555 2345. On October 11th, I heard some of you were ordered to participate in a joint maneuver operation with the SVA and elements of the 1/503rd Airborne, along with scouts from E Troop, 17th Cavalry. Outrageously ambushed in the vicinity of BR898840 by SV unit you were working with. (that's friendlies gooks to you civilian pukes readin) Automatic weapons fire peppered your tanks, sounding like a heavy hail storm. Initially assuming under attack by the NVA, but perspicaciously, Rob determined that it was friendly-fire and that ARVNs were the ones firing. "Permission to return fire".., but Pappy said no. Finally contacted the US adviser who accompanied the ARVNs and rather calmly and politely asked to have the freakin ARVNs cease fire. After several minutes, this was accomplished. Ridiculously, ARVNs would fire on every US unit involved in operations. hmmm?? Fortunately, their marksmanship was oh so poor, there were nil US casualties.