This is one of my favorite episodes. Donald Pleasence is absolutely terrific.
Also one of the reasons this episode is one of my favorites is its evidence against the global warming/climate change nuts. If Columbo were alive today, he would use this episode to debunk the hoax.
First, this episode was made in 1973. The temperature in LA hits 109 degrees. This is in California where the weather is mild most of the time and rarely gets hotter than other parts of the country. Still it hits 109 which is high, but certainly not unheard of. Nobody is going around saying it is the end of the world because it hits 109 degrees... in mild California.
Second, Pleasance's character asks 'if that was some kind of record' and Columbo explains that it was not. He cites record temperatures in LA that were recorded back in the 1870's 'when they first started keeping records' that hit 117 degrees! How can it be getting hotter when these temperatures were recorded 150 years ago? When was the last time it was 117 degrees in LA?
Third, these temperatures were recorded back before the dubious 'heat index' characterization was invented which places temps today higher than they actually are. You look at today's 'record highs' and most of them will be the 'heat index' high. Not the actual temperature high. Same goes for 'wind chill' but to the other end.
Fourth, these temperatures were recorded in LA, California... where the weather is never as hot as many places in the rest of the country. Presumably, many other places recorded much hotter temperatures from 100 to 150 years ago.
Fifth, these record temperatures were recorded before the 'industrial revolution' and before the age of the automobile and internal combustion engine. Today, we still don't hit these kinds of highs even with all of our cars and factories.
Now, they say it is 'climate change' instead of 'global warming'. Every generation there is a new lie to replace the old, disproved one. It always takes a generation or so for enough time to pass to show the predictions didn't come true... so they make the same predictions again but under a new banner. But don't be fooled. Columbo is on the case.
Also one of the reasons this episode is one of my favorites is its evidence against the global warming/climate change nuts. If Columbo were alive today, he would use this episode to debunk the hoax.
First, this episode was made in 1973. The temperature in LA hits 109 degrees. This is in California where the weather is mild most of the time and rarely gets hotter than other parts of the country. Still it hits 109 which is high, but certainly not unheard of. Nobody is going around saying it is the end of the world because it hits 109 degrees... in mild California.
Second, Pleasance's character asks 'if that was some kind of record' and Columbo explains that it was not. He cites record temperatures in LA that were recorded back in the 1870's 'when they first started keeping records' that hit 117 degrees! How can it be getting hotter when these temperatures were recorded 150 years ago? When was the last time it was 117 degrees in LA?
Third, these temperatures were recorded back before the dubious 'heat index' characterization was invented which places temps today higher than they actually are. You look at today's 'record highs' and most of them will be the 'heat index' high. Not the actual temperature high. Same goes for 'wind chill' but to the other end.
Fourth, these temperatures were recorded in LA, California... where the weather is never as hot as many places in the rest of the country. Presumably, many other places recorded much hotter temperatures from 100 to 150 years ago.
Fifth, these record temperatures were recorded before the 'industrial revolution' and before the age of the automobile and internal combustion engine. Today, we still don't hit these kinds of highs even with all of our cars and factories.
Now, they say it is 'climate change' instead of 'global warming'. Every generation there is a new lie to replace the old, disproved one. It always takes a generation or so for enough time to pass to show the predictions didn't come true... so they make the same predictions again but under a new banner. But don't be fooled. Columbo is on the case.