So, I wasted HOURS of my life today (which I can never get back) listening to the most boring and contradictory drivel ever on a live stream for the Heartland Institute’s 10th annual climate denier’s extravaganza in Washington, D.C. It was so monotonous and nonsensical that I actually had one fleeting moment of interest when Christopher Monckton piped up (off camera, but I knew it was him) to ask a question after one of the mind-numbing “panel dissuasions” had ended.

Imagine THAT?! Me, who has absolutely no use whatsoever for Monckton, found momentary solace in an unnamed, off-camera question “asker” who I clearly dislike because these other people were that bad.

Whining, whinging, mixed-metaphor slinging complainers who pretended they were either victorious warriors or innocent victims under siege.  Indeed, the presenters, were intermittently either a) lauding record breaking oil and gas production in the US under Obama or b) hurling insults at the President who didn’t seem to love oil and gas ENOUGH to their liking, while c) bragging that they had won over the hearts and minds of America on the science of climate change, and simultaneously d) begging senior citizens and anyone with a few hours a month of free time to promptly begin proselytizing to children and any unaccompanied person about the evils of the EPA, the UN, environmentalists, etc.

I am left disgusted that anyone pays attention to these people. How lacking are environmentalists (who, by the way, have actual science and facts on our side), that these people at Heartland, with their pseudo science and half truths, can drown out everyone else in America? Anyone with a decent hairpiece, the ability to string a few smart sounding sentences together, and a spray tan can be a rock star at this event. AND, there would be serious monetary incentives if you wanted to get on their gravy train. Personally, I’d rather eat cat food and greet people at Wal-Mart than be associated with these people.

Here is a poster board created by Heartland with the background on those celebrating their shared passion about climate change denial. I’d add them, one by one, to my murderer’s list, except that they’re so pathetic that I can’t be bothered to waste my time.

Updated: I have to admit that there was one speaker at this Heartland event who fell outside the worn and predictable parameters set up by “think tanks,” like this which are paid for by fossil fuel petro dollars. He is on the poster below, but he’s different than the rest. His name is Myron Ebell and he is with the Competitive Enterprise Institute. I listened, and then re-listened to his presentation and I have to say that he not only thoroughly understands the policy implications and the way that things work (or not) in Washington, and he also absolutely believes that what he stands for is “right.” I may totally disagree with where he “started” and where he ends up, but I have respect for the veracity and truthfulness of his comments. He’s the only one, though, so far, that I could say that about. And if you listen to his panel discussion and then compare it to literally all the rest, you can see what I mean. He is knowledgeable, thoughtful and has conviction. And I’m talking about conviction not fostered by self preservation. If anyone wants to see more about this, here is a link.