It went ok, I guess. I was a bit hazy from my bout with the plague and I clearly ticked off some folks. The professor from Berkeley in particular was vexed by me. He kept saying how everything I said was wrong, but I didn’t really hear him say much to back up his charges. I did think it was interesting that when I said the global warming crowd thinks it will take 30 Kyoto treaties to adequately remedy global warming, he said I was wrong and that it would probably take a good deal more than 30 Kyotos. A caller also told me I was misinformed and then went on about something I never said. One of the producers told me that the bulk of the email was from listeners who wanted to know why I don’t believe in global warming, even though the whole show began with the disclaimer that I agreed that global warming is real. I think there’s just something about global warming that causes the other side to turn off their ears once they learn you’re not on the bandwagon. Anyway, a reader who listened sent me the following, for those of you unmoved to listen to the whole thing:

Jonah,
Never written before, admire your work and thought as a way of saying thanks for all the thought-provoking work that I’d take a few minutes and save you the trouble of listening to the tape of your TOTN appearance. I’ve prepared an abridged transcript below.
Host: Our guest is Jonah Goldberg. He’s got a provocative idea.Jonah: Global warming is happening. Sea levels are rising. It’s a significant issue, but there’s not much scientific evidence that it’s going to be Gore-a-strophic. In a nutshell, I don’t think we should blow out our economies and destroy our chances of lifting millions out of poverty through economic growth by adopting draconian and oppressive Kyoto-style solutions. Instead, we should move forward in small-step ways that promote innovation and experimentation and entrepreneurship and adaptation.Michigan guest: California embraced research into alternative energy and rules about energy use and its economy is strong. Michigan hasn’t embraced those things, and our economy’s in the tanker. What about that, Jackie?Jonah: Um, Michigan’s economic woes are caused by obscene healthcare and pension obligations, as well as auto industry union rules. Did I mention that I was in favor of technology research? I’m in favor of small-state experimentation, too.California guest: I’m flabbergasted by how ignorant Jeremy is. He talks about global warming like he’s never even heard of a little thing called Katrina which killed a gazillion poor people. Doesn’t he know that countries like Sweden and states like California and even some capitalist-pig companies are making wonderful progress with small-scale programs and entrepreneurial research experiments that might be a model for the future?Jonah: Um, Katrina wasn’t caused by global warming.California guest: How dare you accuse me of saying that? I never said that!Jonah: Sorry. Um, did I mention that I’m in favor of technology research and small-state experimentation?Caller: This Jerald guy you have on says he trusts humanity. How would he know? He sounds completely inhuman! How dare he say we should we do nothing!Jonah: Um, I didn’t say we should do nothing. I said we should not go down Kyoto Avenue, because that’s the road to economic doom and it will condemn millions to death and poverty. Instead, we should move forward in more measured and less catastrophically costly ways with technological research and small-level experimentation.Caller: I’m a geologist, and I’m calling to inform Johnny that he is ignorant and that sea levels really are going to rise. We can prove it. We’ve taken core samples! Don’t you care that New York and Miami are about to drown?Jonah: Um, I never said sea levels wouldn’t rise. Though I think it’s safe to say that the notion that New York and Miami are about to drown is not quite endorsed by a consensus of climate scientists yet.California guest: What we need to do here is bow down at the altar of Saint Rachel Carlson and do something brilliant and dramatic and transformative like banning DDT!Jonah: Um, the ban on DDT condemned many tens of thousands of poor people to death by malaria.California guest: Dear Saint Rachel, help us in our time of need!Michigan guest: Let me sum up here. Global warming is happening. Sea levels are rising. What we need to do is abandon old-school draconian Kyoto-style approaches in favor of moving forward in small-step ways that promote innovation and experimentation and entrepreneurship.Jonah: Um. Whatever.California guest: I agree completely. I think it’s important to add, however, that this Jordan guy is a complete idiot and a global warming denier who is personally responsible for Katrina as well as for accusing me of saying that Katrina had anything to do with global warming.Host: That’s all the time we have.Jonah: Um. It’s been a pleasure.