Opinion: In today’s pages: Bovine-based global warming, keeping up with Fabian
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The editorial board sheds light on a major yet rarely acknowledged source of global warming:
It’s a silent but deadly source of greenhouse gases that contributes more to global warming than the entire world transportation sector, yet politicians almost never discuss it, and environmental lobbyists and other green activist groups seem unaware of its existence.That may be because it’s tough to take cow flatulence seriously. But livestock emissions are no joke.... Seldom mentioned is that cows and other ruminants, such as sheep and goats, are walking gas factories that take in fodder and put out methane and nitrous oxide, two greenhouse gases that are far more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Methane, with 21 times the warming potential of CO2, comes from both ends of a cow, but mostly the front. Frat boys have nothing on bovines, as it’s estimated that a single cow can belch out anywhere from 25 to 130 gallons of methane a day.
Columnist Niall Ferguson notes that labeling the Armenian genocide as such won’t accomplish a lot, and won’t stop a potential genocide in Iraq. Columnist Gregory Rodriguez says Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez has finally laid to rest the image of Mexican American politicians as working class heroes. Writer John Kenney offers cocktail-napkin TV pilot ideas that could compete with ‘Cavemen’ and the New Republic’s James Kirchick argues that it’s unfair to use affirmative action against Clarence Thomas.
Readers respond to the Southern Baptist Church’s take on women. Los Angeles’ Don Belcher says, ‘Just one more little thing is missing -- burkas.’