Last Week’s Scariest Newswire Photo (For 81% of Americans and 61% of Republicans, at Least)

The poll found that 83 percent of Americans, including 61 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of independents, say that if nothing is done to reduce emissions, global warming will be a very or somewhat serious problem in the future.

–from: Most Republicans Say They Back Climate Action, Poll Finds (NY Times)

I don’t think the photographer was going for irony here. I think the intent was more informational — documenting Lainey, Joya and Anna out playing, not a care in the world, when otherwise, the average temperature for January in Bismark is a high of 23° and a low of 2°.  (The caption states that January 27th saw a record high.)

What is ironic is the way the children skip forward leaving us to wonder at what rate over their lifetimes the environment will deteriorate. If the statistics from the Times/Stanford/Resources for the Future survey are positive, it still emphasizes a pace apart from Mother Nature on the way to critical mass.

(photo: Tom Stromme – AP Photo/Tribune. caption: In this Jan. 27, 2015 photo, from left: Lainey Swenson, Joya Martian, and Anna Martian enjoy record high temperatures set Tuesday in Bismarck, N.D. Warm Pacific air blanketing the Dakotas continues to set records in the two states, with temperatures reaching into the 50s, 60s and even 70s. )