Da Nile

Apparently the air in Beijing today is worse than is was before they started rationing vehicle use. But hey, there aren't scads of Chinese lying in emergency room wards, now, are there? It's just a nuisance, an ant in the afterbirth of industrialization, so accept it. Rather not see across the street than not have a job, I say.

Along with the the columns of smoke we've been getting from the California fires, we are also seeing an uptick in pollution denier's thoughts on local air quality regulations...in blogs, public forums, letters to the editors...

• When are we going to penalize and fine Mother Earth for all her pollution?
  
• Spare the Air is just a ploy to restrict my choices, to tax me more.
  
• This only shows that the Earth is a far larger polluter than people.
  
• On the worst pollution days, I'm driving my car with the AC on. What, do you think I'm stupid?
  
• In the nineteenth century, fires and smoke were commonplace in the Central Valley, so it's no different now than it was then...except we now have these damn environmental laws, too!