Doug and Buddy, pardon me if this information is redundant, but it does fit somehow with the discussion the two of you were having earlier on. The link comes by way of Tigerhawk a few days ago: http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2009/07/resisting-climate-hysteria

The entire article is informative, but this bit is especially illustrative of the coercively manipulative nature of today’s comingling of political and big-business interests:

“Politicians can see the possibility of taxation that will be cheerfully accepted because it is necessary for ‘saving’ the earth. Nations have seen how to exploit this issue in order to gain competitive advantages. But, by now, things have gone much further. The case of ENRON (a now bankrupt Texas energy firm) is illustrative in this respect. Before disintegrating in a pyrotechnic display of unscrupulous manipulation, ENRON had been one of the most intense lobbyists for Kyoto. It had hoped to become a trading firm dealing in carbon emission rights. This was no small hope. These rights are likely to amount to over a trillion dollars, and the commissions will run into many billions. Hedge funds are actively examining the possibilities; so was the late Lehman Brothers. Goldman Sachs has lobbied extensively for the ‘cap and trade’ bill, and is well positioned to make billions. It is probably no accident that Gore, himself, is associated with such activities.”

I take it as a matter of faith that the last sentence is meant as something of a wry joke.