University of Houston professor Larry Bell, a prolific Forbes and Newsmax columnist, has released a new book, Scared Witless: Prophets and Profits of Climate Doom (Seattle: Stairway Press, 2015).  This work can be viewed as a follow-up to his previous book on the topic of climate change, Climate of Corruption: Politics and Power Behind the Global Warming Hoax (2011).

Much of my positive review of Bell’s earlier book can be applied to this new one.  In particular,

As massive natural disasters and momentous geopolitical turmoil continue to erupt, the American public [as indicated by a recent Gallup poll] is continuing to put global issues into perspective.  ‘Climate of Corruption’ [and now Scared Witless] is a book that will buttress intelligent decisions about where U.S. dollars and traditional American ingenuity and compassion will do the most good to alleviate the real environmental and man-made calamities that affect the world community.

As the old saying goes, “forewarned is forearmed.”  And, like Climate of Corruption, the book Scared Witless delivers much forewarning on the nature of the climate-hysteria business, especially for those just entering the climate debate market of ideas.

Written in a quite readable, folksy style, Scared Witless provides an understanding and perspective much needed for the layperson and professional alike regarding the level of human culpability to climate change.  Not that humans have no impact on climate – the real question is, how much?  And then, is human impact enough to overwhelm nature itself?

Five book sections cover the gamut of important topics in the climate-change arena.  Sections include “The Climate Alarm Industry,” “Disastrous Speculations,” “Colorblind ‘Green Energy’ Madness,” “Regulation Run Amok,” and “Truly Scary UN Agendas.”  In general, the thrust of these sections is to stress the idea that increased carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere will produce both “winners and losers,” whether you’re talking about increased ocean acidity, higher atmospheric quantities, or just comfort levels of Planet Earth’s inhabitants.

Scared Witless tackles the major hysterical speculations proffered by climate alarmists with a thoughtful, measured assessment of climate change.  Speculations such as shrinking polar ice caps, drowning polar bears, increasing malaria, and acidification of oceans are countered effectively with references to subject-matter experts and refereed journal articles.

One particular subsection, “For Better and Worse, Climate Changes with No Help From Us,” delivers the long view on the global warming issue.  Regarding the errant environmentalist “good old days” nostalgia, Bell writes:

Realities going back a few hundred years and more reveal a different picture; one displaying widespread poverty, starvation, disease and hardship.  Yes, throughout human history, people have had to adapt to climate changes—some long, some severe, and often unpredictable.  They have blamed themselves for bad seasons, believing they had invoked the displeasure of the gods through a variety of offenses.  High priests of doom told them so, extracting oaths of fealty and offerings of penance for promised interventions on their behalf.  In this regard, at least for some, it seems little has changed.  That penance today comes at a very high cost…our present and future national economy.

Bell goes on to minister succinct scientific absolution for the religious guilt trip:

Climate changes and shorter term weather events are the way nature balances itself, move heat and moisture around, and provide motivations for species to evolve.

Once again, professor Bell has provided a valuable tool that can be used in the deconstruction of the superficial edifice of “settled” climate science.  Scared Witless has put the prophets and profits of climate doom on notice – knowledgeable challengers will not go quietly.

Anthony J. Sadar, a certified consulting meteorologist, is author of In Global Warming We Trust: A Heretic’s Guide to Climate Science (St. Louis: Telescope Books).