Formulating public policy in Roman times

In Roman times one way of determining how to proceed on matters of national concern was to slaughter and examine its entrails. The future, it was believed, could be foretold in this manner and public policies thereby formulated. This was practice called haruspicy.

We have advanced since those primitive times and are much wiser. We no longer slaughter animals in order to formulate public policy.

Nowadays we can use old trees and count their rings. This is called dendrochronology and some of its practitioners have been behind some of the most expensive public policy decisions of our age.

Apparently the tree rings are telling us that the North Pole is going to melt in 100 years and the polar bears are all going to die.

And to appease the Goddess in the hope she will prevent this calamity we must all go on a strict low carbon diet.