Warm

Can't believe the weather we're having in February. This is easily the mildest February I've ever experienced in Chicago. I remember when Chicago had true winter, like back in the 90s. Nowadays, it feels more like we're living in a greenhouse, or something (har har). If only there were some way of systematically documenting evidence and accumulating data to be able to get information on what is happening, and possible reasons why this is happening, so that people could form theories about it, and maybe influence policy and make changes that might improve things. But, I know, that's crazy talk, right? It's scary when people trust the judgment of a groundhog more than they trust science. "Science" has always been a four-letter word in the US -- hell, it took Sputnik scaring the hell out of the country to even make Americans realize there was a need for scientific teaching among its populations. I think we're losing that thread again in a big way. It stuns me that people claim not to believe in evolution -- but there's nothing for them to believe in with it; the evidence is simply there, and they are simply unable to accept it. The one I always like to trot out is albinism, just because that mutation manifests across the plant and animal spectrum -- mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, insects, amphibians, snails, plants -- while you could believe that angels with white paintbrushes periodically dollop albinism on all of these species, it's far more logical to accept that somewhere in our common ancestry, the albino mutation kink in the DNA occurred, and has ridden quietly on those genetic coattails ever since, as species diverged and diversified (just one example among many; I mean, mitochondria, hello?) Anyway, it's not a matter of believing in evolution, because the evidence is simply there. It's like somebody not believing in gravity -- their failure to believe in it doesn't actually change the outcome when they go toe-to-toe with gravity. I wonder how many increasingly warm winters people will endure before they get it that our climate is changing. How many droughts and wildfires? Freak weather? Etc. Or maybe they'll be likelier to believe that the Mayan Calendar (eyeroll) is responsible? Lordy.