The San Francisco Chronicle carried an extensive package of opinion this weekend (Sunday, June 7) on energy and global warming and the economy that’s worth a look-see.

They led with the head of Chevron, possibly because he was outnumbered, out-argued, and out flanked by what followed. His piece (read it for yourselves) was empty, vapid, and one wonders who in the PR department pulls down six figures to write this pap. "We must work together," "we’re all on the same side," and like that.

Next came Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, and one very smart dude. His piece was a little heavy on numbers but did a good job of outlining how the green energy future will be an economic boon.

Then they trotted out George Will, who used to be a solid and interesting conservative voice but has been getting crankier and less compelling over the years. He leaned heavily on a piece by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger in The New Republic. They’re "The Death of Environmentalism guys," and they’re still hammering away on the conservation movement for not melting away into the larger progressive movement. At least I guess that’s what they’re ranting away about.

Lastly, our own Trip Van Noppen, who explained succinctly why Pope is right and Chevron is wrong—the answer being that the oil companies deserve much of the credit for getting us into this mess and are now trying to sound all reasonable and cuddly.

All taken together, I expect the package probably left most readers rather baffled, though our side came out ahead. Way ahead. Check it out.