Santa Monica is all Wet, Even in a Drought

It was another day in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Santa Monica. Another day for the city to steal money from its citizens and another way to control their lives.

"Drop everything! A Forum on Water and Climate Change" was sponsored and organized by a group called "Climate Action Santa Monica". As we entered the auditorium, we were handed a booklet authored by National Geographic and NPR. On the cover it said "The scientific evidence is clear: Surface temperatures on Earth are warming at a pace that signals a decisive shift in the global climate, one expected to last for centuries. Human activity is the main cause." As a bonus, they gave out free low-flow showerheads. The event had not even started, and my head was already exploding.

Before the speakers were introduced, a woman named Katie explained that "Climate Action Santa Monica" was a group formed by the Ocean Park Church. She described the church as "inter-faith, diverse, and dedicated to social justice". This is the third forum they have organized to educate the citizens on the dangers and consequences of "climate change".

The host of the forum was an odd bird named Professor William Selby. He teaches Geography and Earth Science at Santa Monica College. He's a tall, skinny man with a bad haircut, wearing cargo pants, tennis shoes, and a Cliff Huxtable sweater. As a casting director, if I was looking for a "science geek" he would fit the part. His opening statement was that while he rode his bike to the event, he was thinking "what is the popular media talking about? A celebrity's new hair style?" But he was thinking about important things, like air, water, food. He said "We all know climate is changing."

He said we need to think about where we came from, what our purpose is, and where we are going. He mentioned the climate agreement Obama had just made with China. The audience applauded. They were applauding the complete collapse of the American economy because that is what that agreement would mean. Do they really want that?

http://conservativebyte.com/2014/11/obama-takes-1st-step-handcuffing- successor/

Professor Selby gave us a weather update. On a large projection of a satellite view of the west coast, he pointed out an "Omega High" system off our coast. He explained how it could cause rain if it didn't dissipate before it came to land. He got into the weeds of what causes weather, and repeated several times that, really, no one knew. I couldn't help thinking that if they can't predict a coastal system would bring rain, how can anyone believe they can predict temperature or climate 30 years from now?

Selby then introduced Robert Lempert, senior scientist at the RAND Corporation, lead author and contributor of the IPCC report on climate change, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. (Another contributor to the IPCC report who claims HE won the Noble Prize.) Lempert is a member of Santa Monica's "Task Force on the Environment". He is very short, bald, and wears glasses. He spoke very enthusiastically, and very authoritatively, about "climate change" effects on the water supply. From the moment he opened his mouth, I felt from the moment he opened his mouth we were being "Grubered" (yes, Jonathan Gruber has become a verb for all mass deception).

Lempert explained that California had built a system of water management designed for more than we needed, but that we are now using more water than we have. There was no discussion of the impact of illegal aliens on our resources, nor the fact that the government has severely limited where we can get water. Or that the current drought they all spoke about is caused more by government intervention than any climate variable. California has always had limited rainfall. We are famous for having a mild and sunny climate.

In the spring of 1980, it rained so much, my apartment flooded, but, for the most part, California is a desert, and we have never had much rain. In fact, as Mr. Lempert spoke about how we are "destroying the planet", he commented that we were in a dark auditorium, instead of outside in the fresh air, on such a beautiful day.

Mr. Lempert explained that they had tested resource management on almost 4,000 different combinations of future climate systems. They had to do that many, because it's impossible to predict the climate in the future. Hello!! That's completely contradictory to the IPCC telling us what future temperatures will be! Isn't the IPCC pride itself predicting future climate? Lempert said the past was no longer a predictor of the future. He talked about how governments were going to have to work together to get citizens to be "more responsible consumers of water". (Translation: the government will be rationing our resources.)

The next speaker was Debra Man, Assistant General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. She is an attractive woman, clearly qualified for her job. She said nothing controversial, but simply told us the history of the water supply, what the water sources are, how water is transported, and how we can conserve what we have.

I wondered why there was no discussion of increasing the water supply by desalination. We live next to the largest body of water in the world. All our military ships desalinate water, why don't we do it for civilian populations as well? Isn't it government's job to make sure we have the resources we need not restrict our access to them?

The last speaker was Dean Kubani, the Director of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability and the Environment. (Translation: Agenda 21.) He spoke about Santa Monica setting an example for other cities. He explained that Santa Monica has used mostly its own ground water in the past, but had to resort to buying water when contamination from underground oil storage was discovered.

Since then, the city has built a reverse osmosis plant (isn't that how water is desalinated?) and is back to using mostly its own ground water. He projects that they will be 100% self-sufficient in the next few years. But even with those rosy projections, the Santa Monica City Council has imposed a mandatory 20% reduction of water use on every family in Santa Monica! They want people to get rid of their lawns, and replace them with "California friendly" plants. They want people to replace their toilets and washing machines. Residents are being given a water allotment, and, if they use more, they have to pay penalties. The Santa Monica City Council must stay up nights, thinking of new ways to take more of your money!

Mr. Kubani bragged that Santa Monica has reduced its carbon emissions by 14% already, and is aiming for 80% by 2030. This received thunderous applause. I wondered if they would mandate their citizens to exhale on odd or even days. Kubani explained that multi-family buildings were being "required" (forced) to replace shower heads, toilets, and washing machines. I'm familiar with their lovely new washing machines. They stink, and you constantly have to clean out disgusting, slimy gunk from under the rubber seal. Kubani also talked about replacing "turf" with "California-friendly" plants, and shutting off fountains.

The Santa Monica City Council has trying to reduce parking by 75% for several years (and I'm sure they won't stop trying). This would allow grocery stores ten spaces, and apartments would get half a space per unit. They are building new apartments that have no parking spaces at all! If they get their way, everyone will ride a bike, like Professor Selby.

I'm all for recycling and using brackish water for toilets and plants. I have no problem with sensible conservation methods, but I am very much opposed to governments creating a crisis they use to regulate more of our lives.