Keep calm and carry on

Take a walk this morning in Manhattan, and you'll see the typical Saturday morning Manhattan scenes: dogs, strollers, joggers, Starbucks cups, and combinations of all of the above. You'll also spot the occasional pair of Hunter boots. It isn't raining yet, but someone somewhere suggested it might later on. Manhattanites know that rain means taking their utilitarian-looking but oh-so-stylish $150 boots out for a walk.

There's a good chance Hurricane Irene will hit New York tomorrow. Most projections have New York within the range of possible storm paths. Parts of Manhattan could be under water; some are being evacuated. Buses and subways will start shutting down at noon today, but that for now seems unduly harsh.

After all, it could yet all turn into a slightly more intense rain storm. Dave Matthews may want to cancel his outdoor concert, but otherwise Hunter boots and a good rain jacket would do.

The reason why we are even talking about a hurricane in New York, of course, is because warmer ocean temperatures manage to guide hurricanes ever farther north. But that's not the only link to a changing climate.

We may be staring right into the eye of the coming global warming storm, but other than the occasional hurricane and a few droughts, floods, and drowning polar bears here and there, things seem pretty calm now. Crank up the air conditioner when it's hot, bust out your Hunter boots when it rains. Otherwise, "keep calm and carry on."

The British, after all, did it during World War II—except that they didn't. The poster is much more popular now than it was in 1939. Very few of the originals ever went up.

The design that did go up during World War II looks very different: "Freedom is in peril. Defend it with all your might." Not even the best Scottish-made Hunter boots would do for that.