Readers Write: Skepticism on climate change, skepticism of vaping concerns, Trump's veracity, donating blood

As predictable for every extreme weather event, the climate-change advocates are having their time in the sun. The concept that people are controlling the weather with their lifestyles is void of any supportive data. Please tell us, exalted "scientists," what is "normal"? In the 3.6-billion-year history of the Earth, what is an average climate? This leap of faith substitutes man for the real climate driving force — the sun. The devotion to "climate change" is that it is firmly attached to a political agenda. What is purposely ignored is that it would be happening even if mankind did not exist. Any "denier" willing to spout such heresy is summarily stricken from the conversation. So much for objectivity and an opportunity for a "deep dive" into the topic. Many of us see right through your fog of blind acceptance.

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Minnesota's changing climate is documented (editorial, Sept. 13). The warmest summer in North America, record forest fires and now Hurricane Florence remind us of our future. And the draft of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report due out in October indicates we are not making progress necessary to limit climate change.

The Earth is a paradise! A fireball 93 million miles away provides energy and light. Gravity to keep us grounded. Air to breathe. Water everywhere. Food growing on trees. Designed for our well-being, or we designed to thrive in it. And we, as products of evolution over millions of years, are conscious, thinking, knowing beings.

How can we not be in awe, so grateful to be living beings at this time in this place to be motivated to save our world? Time is running out!

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"Catastrophic flash floods … ," "Hunger worsens — climate blamed," "States taking lead — on climate" (all in the Star Tribune on Sept. 12)! And the West is on fire, Norfolk's low neighborhoods flood monthly with saltwater, etc. Climate change is unfolding generally as the climate scientists predicted, starting 35 years ago (rising temps, melting ice, rising sea levels, torrential rains, wacky weather). And they predict that all these will just keep getting worse, if we do not reduce CO2 emissions soon.

Believe the deniers and fossil-fuel-paid pundits if you will, but all the observable evidence and published scientific research says we should be listening to the climate scientists and taking action. Even some oil companies say they prefer action and specifically a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend, as the fastest way to reduce CO2 emissions. Some Republican lawmakers are bringing this type of legislation forward now.

An old saying: "Experience teaches a dear school and fools can learn in no other." Do we have to wait until our own house burns down or is ruined by flooding before we get smart and decide to do something? Will we be the frog slowly boiled, or get smart and take action before it is too late? This fall, vote for candidates (of any party) who acknowledge that climate change is an urgent problem and who pledge to take action — candidates more concerned about that next generation than the next election! If you want to get involved to make a difference, join the nonpartisan Citizens' Climate Lobby (www.citizensclimatelobby.org) and add your voice toward real solutions.

Is this hysteria regarding e-cigarettes really necessary? ("FDA moves to snuff teen vaping," front page, Sept. 13.) The Food and Drug Administration is so self-righteous about reducing the numbers of people smoking that it begs the question — is the Nanny State out of control?

Smoking is bad; fewer people smoking is good, but at what cost? It seems stress levels are at an all-time high, and smoking tends to relieve stress. Maybe smoking is not so bad. How about backing off the anti-smoking crusade? It's great that people aren't dying from lung cancer, so people are living longer to die of something else — what is the win? Living longer is not always living happier.

Perhaps if the FDA would get off its high horse and stop trying to control too many aspects of our lives it could focus on reducing the financial terrorism being inflicted on us by the pharmaceutical companies.

President Donald Trump's assertion of a conspiracy regarding last year's hurricane impacts on Puerto Rico — that Democrats are lying about 3,000 deaths — is no different from people accusing President George W. Bush of plotting 9/11 or from Alex Jones stating the Sandy Hook shootings were staged. We have the president of the United States making an official statement spreading a conspiracy that unfortunately millions will believe (tinyurl.com/hurricane-factcheck). It's time for Republicans in office to simply not "disagree" with his statement, but clearly and definitively state that the president lied. This deserves no sugarcoating.

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On June 20 in Duluth, President Donald Trump said that North Korea has sent back the remains of 200 U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.

That statement was untrue. On Aug. 1, North Korea returned 55 boxes of remains and one set of dog tags. Two of the remains in the boxes have been identified as those of U.S. soldiers. The remaining 53 boxes may have the remains of U.S. soldiers in them or they may not. We might never know.

So, why did Trump lie about the number and timing of the returns? Probably because he lies all the time. He lies about big things and little things; it doesn't matter as long as the lie makes him seem great in his own mind and in the mind of his "base."

I thought lying politicians were what America was tired of. Guess I thought wrong.

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Yes, 3,000 people did die in Puerto Rico after the hurricanes. No. 45 is denying this. His callous disregard for people who died and those who love them astounds me. This is not a head count at a rally. These are people who are no longer here and deserve respect. The harsh realities in Puerto Rico after the hurricanes last year are heartbreaking. To add to that despair and deny that people perished is simply cruel.

How many North and South Carolinians alive today are wondering: "Will I not count in this administration's toll after Florence if I die?" Which names is 45 eliminating from the death list in Puerto Rico? They all have faces, names and family who miss them every day. The cruelty and absurdity of his statement is one more bullet point in the long, long list of reasons this man is not a leader — of anything. To all those who lost family and friends in Puerto Rico, we acknowledge that loss. All of them. We know they lived and died despite what this administration of falsehoods might claim.

With the hurricane upon our friends in the Southeast and, in view of ads on TV pleading for blood donations, upon my visit to a blood center yesterday to donate platelets, I got the following information: Out of the U.S. population, only 38 percent are qualified to donate desperately needed blood. Of the 38 percent qualified, only 12 percent actually donate — and many not regularly.

It's such an easy and painless thing to do for others. Please do your part by donating, volunteering, recruiting, etc. The good feeling giving to others — overwhelming.