It’s been more than 20 days since summer officially began. Surprise, surprise, the heat is not letting up.

Of course, the heat was the dominant topic of conversation well before summer began June 21, as temperatures were regularly in the upper 80s or low 90s in May.

Somebody mentioned Al Gore the other day at a lunch table where I sat and I glanced over the top of my iced tea glass to see which eyes rolled. Several did.

Conservatives tell us global temperature isn’t rising, but the average global temperature has dropped in recent years, although the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has gone up.

Al Gore is almost as funny. Recently he spoke to students at Oxford and said the threat of climate change is as urgent as the Nazi threat had been prior to World War II.

The former vice president is known for his ability to over speak. We’ve heard all about his creation of the Internet.

But what does global warming mean to anyone in Selma? I would venture to guess not too much. We’re too concerned with other issues: the latest shooting; the proposed bond issue; the rehabilitation of downtown.

And most people don’t care about news issues so much as cooking dinner, staying healthy, keeping a job or finding work.

Why anyone should care about global warming puzzles most folks.

But when we meet up on the street, the first subject usually is the weather.

“Its hot.”

“Sure is.”

“Wonder when we’ll get a break?”

“Don’t know. Feels rough. Hope it rains some.”

Global warming? That’s a fantasy issue between conservatives and liberal.

Down here, on the street, it’s just plain hot.

But November is around the corner.