Thanks Vice President Al Gore

The Carbon Disclosure Project convinced officials in twenty American cities, New York City included, to measure their carbon footprint. This will be done to find ways to curb dangerous emissions. Each city is required to collect specific data and assess citywide emissions. The CDP is scheduled to publish the study’s results in January 2009. Perhaps this information is important. Perhaps of equal importance, we'll get to see direct evidence linking mankind to this latest of many global warming cycles in our planet’s history. Think we’ll find that missing proof in their report?

Two Times To Times

First it was Alain Robert, 45 (aka “French Spider-Man”). Hours later and not connected with Monsieur Robert's deed, Renaldo Clarke, 33 of Sunset Park, Brooklyn did it too. What they each did still boggles the mind and stretches the imagination beyond normal limits. Both of these men climbed, by hand and foot (without any special tools or safety gear), the façade of the 52-story New York Times building in Times Square! Mr. Robert ascended to the roof in about an hour; unfurling a banner along the way to "end global warming." Mr. Clarke's climb was motivated to end malaria (sporting a “Malaria No More” t-shirt) and also because he saw Mr. Robert doing what he had long been making plans to do. Both climbers were taken into police custody. Both were later sent to Bellevue for psychiatric evaluation. So, who is really crazy here? Mr. Robert and Mr. Clarke for daring to promote causes in which they believe? Or perhaps, many of us for believing in causes and not going above and beyond like the two of them. Or maybe, not taking any action at all.

New York City Has Become A Winter Wonder-Where-Is-It-Land

Remember when November’s and December’s here were filled with snow that seemed to be on the ground until February? Remember when winter’s here were really cold? If you do, you must have a very long memory. Reminisce about those days and you show your age ... maybe you're displaying some “snow on the roof” too. New York City hasn’t had many cold, snowy winters for a long, long time. Those who joined the NYC Department of Sanitation thirty years ago to collect great overtime by plowing and shoveling our snowy streets never got rich off their paychecks.

Perhaps global warming is to blame. Perhaps not. Let scientists and meteorologists debate the issue. The temperature is expected to hit 50 degrees today in Central Park. That’s 50 degrees … not 5 degrees. I'm glad. I’m older now with some “snow on the roof.” I don’t miss the cold or snow like I would were I still a kid. My apologies to the polar bears in the local zoos and our sanitation workers but, “Hooray for global warming!”