Arctic Vortex Has Laid a Frozen Blanket in the Northeast. However, It Has no Effect on the Frozen Brains of Conservatives.

In the last several days it's been very cold around here, but it gets my blood boiling when the willfully ignorant keep arguing that this situation disproves climate change/global warming. Of course, the usual suspects are conservative voices, like their hired gun, Fox News, which has no credibility other than to reliably serve spiked coolaid to the already converted. 

Jon Stewart effectively mocks the stupid opinions of Fox News

When 97% of climate scientists say that the globe's weather has been adversely affected by human activities, it's most likely true; and it's prudent to act now in order to save our own species. How about the other 3% of doubting scientists? Many of them are paid by the fossil industry and rely on dubious studies or may have a good counter-argument. But, what should a prudent person do? Which advice should they take? At any rate, we cannot afford to be wrong in case our planet goes into a convulsion because of our activities. The opposite scenario, if true, doesn't have the same consequences.

Much of the United States was in the grips of the arctic vortex, or whatever voodoo magic libruls have conjured up.

 

As far as I'm concerned, I do not like the cold, but I don't like extreme heat & humidity either. Besides, with cold weather, even this deep freeze, there are remedies for most of us who can generate warmth and dress in warm layers of clothing. Personally, I can fight this cold, though it limits my activities outdoors.

On the other hand, extreme heat and humidity, say close to or over 100F makes it unbearable. Many hot days are very uncomfortable, almost suffocating. I read somewhere that subconsciously people prefer the very hot to very cold because of other associations, like vacations, longer daylight time, etc. OK. I'll buy that. 

Here are a few pictures I took in my neck of the woods in the last week or so. I checked today, and there's lots more ice everywhere. My fingers almost got a frostbite while taking these pictures as the wind was gusting at 30-50 mph.

The Hudson river, looking south. It's more frozen now.

Ft Montgomery area, where the river is relatively narrow, thus heaving a stronger flow, but still there's lots of ice.

The widest part of the Hudson river, looking north.

It's going to warm up in the next few days. Tomorrow it'll be around the freezing mark and go up a bit over the weekend. I missed my chance to throw a hot water in the air to see it vaporize. Ah, well. Stay warm.