May I ask why you give so many column inches to Billy Fried’s one-sided political column?
He consistently makes false claims. If he desires to have readers of your paper actually read his one-sided rants, then he needs to start fact-checking.
In his most recent article in the July 26, 2019 issue of the LB Indy, he states (the Paris Climate Accord) the “rest of the world has committed $100 Billion … while the U.S. has put up Zilch”.
First off – “committing” or “pledging” are much different than actually spending real money.
Second – China, India and other huge polluters have paid nothing into the Accord – the U.S. – prior to our President pulling support, had paid $1 Billion in US Dollars to this fund.
I realize that everyone has a right to their opinion.
But can’t you relegate Billy Fried to a “Letter to the Editor” status like you do to the rest of us? Or can we ALL get a column in your paper to vent our respective views every other week?
James M. Foster, Irvine
Here is the list of the 196 countries that signed the Accord, including China and India. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but not their own facts. What a dumbass!
Party[12] Percentage of greenhouse
gases for ratification[5] Date of signature Date of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession Date of entry into force
Afghanistan 0.05% 22 April 2016 15 February 2017 17 March 2017
Albania 0.02% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Algeria 0.30% 22 April 2016 20 October 2016 19 November 2016
Andorra 0.00% 22 April 2016 24 March 2017 23 April 2017
Antigua and Barbuda 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Argentina 0.89% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Armenia 0.02% 20 September 2016 23 March 2017 22 April 2017
Australia 1.46% 22 April 2016 9 November 2016 9 December 2016
Austria[a] 0.21% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Azerbaijan 0.13% 22 April 2016 9 January 2017 8 February 2017
Bahamas, The 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 August 2016 4 November 2016
Bahrain 0.06% 22 April 2016 23 December 2016 22 January 2017
Bangladesh 0.27% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Barbados 0.01% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Belarus 0.24% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Belgium[a] 0.32% 22 April 2016 6 April 2017 6 May 2017
Belize 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Benin 0.02% 22 April 2016 31 October 2016 30 November 2016
Bhutan 0.00% 22 April 2016 19 September 2017 19 October 2017
Bolivia 0.12% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.08% 22 April 2016 16 March 2017 15 April 2017
Botswana 0.02% 22 April 2016 11 November 2016 11 December 2016
Brazil 2.48% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Brunei N/A[b] 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Bulgaria[a] 0.15% 22 April 2016 29 November 2016 29 December 2016
Burkina Faso 0.06% 22 April 2016 11 November 2016 11 December 2016
Burundi 0.07% 22 April 2016 17 January 2018 16 February 2018
Cambodia 0.03% 22 April 2016 6 February 2017 8 March 2017
Cameroon 0.45% 22 April 2016 29 July 2016 4 November 2016
Canada 1.95% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Cape Verde 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2017 21 October 2017
Central African Republic 0.01% 22 April 2016 11 October 2016 10 November 2016
Chad 0.06% 22 April 2016 12 January 2017 11 February 2017
Chile[15] 0.25% 20 September 2016 10 February 2017 12 March 2017
China[c] 20.09% 22 April 2016 3 September 2016[13] 4 November 2016
Colombia 0.41% 22 April 2016 12 July 2018 11 August 2018
Comoros 0.00% 22 April 2016 23 November 2016 23 December 2016
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.06% 22 April 2016 13 December 2017 12 January 2018
Congo, Republic of the 0.01% 22 April 2016 21 April 2017 21 May 2017
Cook Islands 0.00% 24 June 2016 1 September 2016 4 November 2016
Costa Rica 0.03% 22 April 2016 13 October 2016 12 November 2016
Côte d’Ivoire 0.73% 22 April 2016 25 October 2016 24 November 2016
Croatia[a] 0.07% 22 April 2016 24 May 2017 23 June 2017
Cuba 0.10% 22 April 2016 28 December 2016 27 January 2017
Cyprus[a] 0.02% 22 April 2016 4 January 2017 3 February 2017
Czech Republic[a] 0.34% 22 April 2016 5 October 2017 4 November 2017
Denmark[d][a] 0.15% 22 April 2016 1 November 2016 1 December 2016
Djibouti 0.00% 22 April 2016 11 November 2016 11 December 2016
Dominica 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Dominican Republic 0.07% 22 April 2016 21 September 2017 21 October 2017
East Timor 0.00% 22 April 2016 16 August 2017 15 September 2017
Ecuador 0.67% 26 July 2016 20 September 2017 20 October 2017
Egypt 0.52% 22 April 2016 29 June 2017 29 July 2017
El Salvador 0.03% 22 April 2016 27 March 2017 26 April 2017
Equatorial Guinea N/A[b] 22 April 2016 30 October 2018 29 November 2018
Estonia[a] 0.06% 22 April 2016 4 November 2016 4 December 2016
Ethiopia 0.13% 22 April 2016 9 March 2017 8 April 2017
European Union N/A[e] 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Fiji 0.01% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Finland[a] 0.17% 22 April 2016 14 November 2016 14 December 2016
France[a] 1.34% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Gabon 0.02% 22 April 2016 2 November 2016 2 December 2016
Gambia, The 0.05% 26 April 2016 7 November 2016 7 December 2016
Georgia 0.03% 22 April 2016 8 May 2017 7 June 2017
Germany[a] 2.56% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Ghana 0.09% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Greece[a] 0.28% 22 April 2016 14 October 2016 13 November 2016
Grenada 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Guatemala 0.04% 22 April 2016 25 January 2017 24 February 2017
Guinea 0.01% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Guinea-Bissau 0.02% 22 April 2016 22 October 2018 21 November 2018
Guyana 0.01% 22 April 2016 20 May 2016 4 November 2016
Haiti 0.02% 22 April 2016 31 July 2017 30 August 2017
Honduras 0.03% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Hungary[a] 0.15% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Iceland 0.01% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
India 4.10% 22 April 2016 2 October 2016 4 November 2016
Indonesia 1.49% 22 April 2016 31 October 2016 30 November 2016
Ireland[a] 0.16% 22 April 2016 4 November 2016 4 December 2016
Israel 0.20% 22 April 2016 22 November 2016 22 December 2016
Italy[a] 1.18% 22 April 2016 11 November 2016 11 December 2016
Jamaica 0.04% 22 April 2016 10 April 2017 10 May 2017
Japan 3.79% 22 April 2016 8 November 2016 8 December 2016
Jordan 0.07% 22 April 2016 4 November 2016 4 December 2016
Kazakhstan 0.84% 2 August 2016 6 December 2016 5 January 2017
Kenya 0.06% 22 April 2016 28 December 2016 27 January 2017
Kiribati 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
North Korea 0.23% 22 April 2016 1 August 2016 4 November 2016
South Korea 1.85% 22 April 2016 3 November 2016 3 December 2016
Kuwait 0.09% 22 April 2016 23 April 2018 23 May 2018
Laos 0.02% 22 April 2016 7 September 2016 4 November 2016
Latvia[a] 0.03% 22 April 2016 16 March 2017 15 April 2017
Lesotho 0.01% 22 April 2016 20 January 2017 19 February 2017
Liberia 0.02% 22 April 2016 27 August 2018 26 September 2018
Liechtenstein 0.00% 22 April 2016 20 September 2017 20 October 2017
Lithuania[a] 0.05% 22 April 2016 2 February 2017 4 March 2017
Luxembourg[a] 0.03% 22 April 2016 4 November 2016 4 December 2016
Macedonia, Republic of 0.03% 22 April 2016 9 January 2018 8 February 2018
Madagascar 0.08% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Malawi 0.07% 20 September 2016 29 June 2017 29 July 2017
Malaysia 0.52% 22 April 2016 16 November 2016 16 December 2016
Maldives 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Mali 0.03% 22 April 2016 23 September 2016 4 November 2016
Malta[a] 0.01% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Marshall Islands 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Mauritania 0.02% 22 April 2016 27 February 2017 29 March 2017
Mauritius 0.01% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Mexico 1.70% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Micronesia 0.00% 22 April 2016 15 September 2016 4 November 2016
Moldova 0.04% 21 September 2016 20 June 2017 20 July 2017
Monaco 0.00% 22 April 2016 24 October 2016 23 November 2016
Mongolia 0.05% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Montenegro 0.01% 22 April 2016 20 December 2017 19 January 2018
Morocco 0.16% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Mozambique 0.02% 22 April 2016 4 June 2018 4 July 2018
Myanmar 0.10% 22 April 2016 19 September 2017 19 October 2017
Namibia 0.01% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Nauru 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Nepal 0.07% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Netherlands[f][a] 0.53% 22 April 2016 28 July 2017 27 August 2017
New Zealand 0.22% 22 April 2016 4 October 2016 4 November 2016
Nicaragua 0.03% 23 October 2017 22 November 2017
Niger 0.04% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Nigeria 0.57% 22 September 2016 16 May 2017 15 June 2017
Niue 0.01% 28 October 2016 28 October 2016 27 November 2016
Norway 0.14% 22 April 2016 20 June 2016 4 November 2016
Oman 0.06% 22 April 2016 22 May 2019 21 June 2019
Pakistan 0.43% 22 April 2016 10 November 2016 10 December 2016
Palau 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Palestine N/A[g] 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Panama 0.03% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Papua New Guinea 0.01% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Paraguay 0.06% 22 April 2016 14 October 2016 13 November 2016
Peru 0.22% 22 April 2016 25 July 2016 4 November 2016
Philippines 0.34% 22 April 2016 23 March 2017 22 April 2017
Poland[a] 1.06% 22 April 2016 7 October 2016 6 November 2016
Portugal[a] 0.18% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Qatar 0.17% 22 April 2016 23 June 2017 23 July 2017
Romania[a] 0.30% 22 April 2016 1 June 2017 1 July 2017
Rwanda 0.02% 22 April 2016 6 October 2016 5 November 2016
Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Saint Lucia 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.00% 22 April 2016 29 June 2016 4 November 2016
Samoa 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
San Marino 0.00% 22 April 2016 26 September 2018 26 October 2018
São Tomé and Príncipe 0.00% 22 April 2016 2 November 2016 2 December 2016
Saudi Arabia 0.80% 3 November 2016 3 November 2016 3 December 2016
Senegal 0.05% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Serbia 0.18% 22 April 2016 25 July 2017 24 August 2017
Seychelles 0.00% 25 April 2016 29 April 2016 4 November 2016
Sierra Leone 0.98%[h] 22 September 2016 1 November 2016 1 December 2016
Singapore 0.13% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Slovakia[a] 0.12% 22 April 2016 5 October 2016 4 November 2016
Slovenia[a] 0.05% 22 April 2016 16 December 2016 15 January 2017
Solomon Islands 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Somalia N/A[b] 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
South Africa 1.46% 22 April 2016 1 November 2016 1 December 2016
Spain[a] 0.87% 22 April 2016 12 January 2017 11 February 2017
Sri Lanka 0.05% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Sudan 0.18% 22 April 2016 2 August 2017 1 September 2017
Suriname 0.01% 22 April 2016 13 February 2019 15 March 2019
Swaziland 0.05% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Sweden[a] 0.15% 22 April 2016 13 October 2016 12 November 2016
Switzerland 0.14% 22 April 2016 6 October 2017 5 November 2017
Syria 0.21% 13 November 2017 13 December 2017
Tanzania 0.11% 22 April 2016 18 May 2018 17 June 2018
Tajikistan 0.02% 22 April 2016 22 March 2017 21 April 2017
Thailand 0.64% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Togo 0.02% 19 September 2016 28 June 2017 28 July 2017
Tonga 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Trinidad and Tobago 0.04% 22 April 2016 22 February 2018 24 March 2018
Tunisia 0.11% 22 April 2016 10 February 2017 12 March 2017
Turkmenistan 0.20% 23 September 2016 20 October 2016 19 November 2016
Tuvalu 0.00% 22 April 2016 22 April 2016 4 November 2016
Uganda 0.07% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Ukraine 1.04% 22 April 2016 19 September 2016 4 November 2016
United Arab Emirates 0.53% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
United Kingdom[a] 1.55% 22 April 2016 18 November 2016 18 December 2016
United States[i] 17.89% 22 April 2016 3 September 2016 4 November 2016
Uruguay 0.05% 22 April 2016 19 October 2016 18 November 2016
Uzbekistan 0.54% 19 April 2017 9 November 2018 9 December 2018
Vanuatu 0.00% 22 April 2016 21 September 2016 4 November 2016
Venezuela 0.52% 22 April 2016 21 July 2017 20 August 2017
Vietnam 0.72% 22 April 2016 3 November 2016 3 December 2016
Zambia 0.04% 20 September 2016 9 December 2016 8 January 2017
Zimbabwe 0.18% 22 April 2016 7 August 2017 6 September 2017
Total 89.38%[5] 186[12]
James Foster, if you live in Irvine, why would you warrant a column in the Laguna Beach Independent. Don’t tell me… you’re one of those Laguna Beach wannbes? Or maybe just another crank from Irvine, eh?
Zeug Thalheimer – I lived in Laguna Beach for 9 years. I had to sell my home for personal reasons. I guess your use of affectionate words like “wannbes” (I think you mean’t wannabes) and “crank” are meant to insult anyone who is not a resident of Laguna Beach? Sad.
Billy Fried August 9, 2019 at 9:46 am wrote:
Here is the list of the 196 countries that signed the Accord, including China and India. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but not their own facts. What a dumbass!
_________________
James Foster writes in retort:
Thank you for proving my point Sir!
I do not believe I questioned who signed the accord to incite you listing all 196 countries.
And please notice – I have not sunk to your level of hurling verbal insults either !
Mr. Foster, you and me against all of Laguna Beach, any time. As to Billy Fried, his calling you “dumbass” is all too typical of the hateful Left. They CLAIM to be smarter than anyone else, and therefore always right, always more moral, just better in every way. Facts don’t matter when you feel good about yourself and all your pals agree with you.
Secretary of State, John Kerry, addressed the delegation and told them that if the European Union and the United States and dozens of other countries as well cut ALL fossil fuel emissions today, it wouldn’t accomplish anything because of China and India. You see, those poor people want to have simple comforts virtually everyone in America takes for granted. They’re building new fossil fuel power plants, new cement factories, running at full speed, and who can blame them! Signing a worthless piece of paper is reminiscent of Hitler signing the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. How did that work out again? Jimmy Carter “negotiated” an agreement with North Korea that if we forked over $5 billion in oil and food, they would disassemble their nuclear bomb program. How did that work out again? This is, by the way, the same brilliant liberal Democrat president who organized a coup ousting the Shah of Iran and bringing into power the Mullahs there today – the ones Obama forked over at least $400 million in cash to. How did that work out again?
You see, Democrats destroy everything they touch. Baltimore, Detroit, public education, illegals pouring through our open borders. But their endless failures never dampen their enthusiasm for grabbing more power through more mendacity and empty promises.
I’ll conclude on a lighter note, as full of humor as it is truth.
Q: How many liberals does it take to change a light bulb?
A: RACIST!
Mr. Zeug Thalheimer, it has been discussed publicly that Billy Fried is not a resident of Laguna Beach.