Promoted from the diaries.  Turn those lights on tonight, kids!

Never heard of earth hour? Me neither until I read this article in the LA Times online edition:

Get ready to fade to black. Millions of people around the world are expected to turn off their lights at 8:30 p.m. local time Saturday — no matter what time zone they’re  in — to observe Earth Hour. Never heard of it? It was started in 2007 by the WWF conservation organization to make a statement about energy overuse and how it affects the planet.

Times Square, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Las Vegas Strip, Niagara Falls, the Opera House in Sydney, and many more landmarks around the world plan to douse the lights, according to Earth Hour’s website.

In Southern California, the Queen Mary will blast its horn at 8:30 p.m. to indicate the beginning of Earth Hour. Then the Long Beach landmark will turn off lights on its smokestacks, the string of lights atop the ship and other areas as well as encourage guests staying in staterooms to do likewise.

I’ve decided to celebrate earth hour this year in a slightly different way. I’m going to turn all my lights on. I’m celebrating man’s emergence from darkness. Man’s use of technology that has saved millions from poverty and starvation. Won’t you join me this year in the ritual lighting of an endangered species; the incandescent light bulb?

All kidding aside, no one will be hurt by this silly event designed to make liberals feel good about themselves but the same can’t be said about other liberal policies. From the millions of African children who have died of malaria because DDT was effectively banned to starvation increasing in the third world because we have decided to turn food into fuel. Even something as simple as not allowing people to clear brush around their property which creates a fire hazard. (See this tragic story in the Australian Press) The progressives never give a second thought to the unintended results of their policies.

At least for one hour on Saturday they won’t have to look at themselves in the mirror.