A few thoughts about the future of this planet
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@andybot said:
@stinkie said:
Still can't believe that mean-spirited bigot got elected. A buffoon who believes climate change is a Chinese hoax, is going to run the most powerful country in the world.
Here we were in the US all these years laughing from a safe reserve at all those tin-pot dictatorships across the globe. Now we'll get to see it up close and personal
Yeah and I thought Bush was as bad as it would ever get. I feel guilty not seeing it coming--like global warming--though for so long it was off the average person's radar. I can't look. I'll just try to do good in my world and ignore him. Protest yeah, but don't expect reason from that ... let me stop here.
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@andybot said:
Here we were in the US all these years laughing from a safe reserve at all those tin-pot dictatorships across the globe. Now we'll get to see it up close and personal
The US won't turn into a dictatorship overnight (I hope!). But the country might very well become even more of a plutocracy over the course of the next few years than it already is. In any case, the amount of sheer stupidity Trump and the GOP, which has become a downright caricature of itself (Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, the list goes on), will inject into the system will, I fear, be unequalled. There will be considerable damage. And the average Joe, will he come out on top? Nah.
Things over here -Europe- are somewhat better, politically speaking, but not that much. Right-wing nationalism is on the rise. As are anti refugee sentiments, and, of course, islamophobia. And Trump's weird bromance with Putin is causing skittishness in the east of the Union. The EU, which, yes, is imperfect, seems to be slowly crumbling. I don't like that one bit. I am critical of the EU, but its advantages don't evade me.
Am I optimistic? No. Climate change, war, refugees, terrorist attacks, Pegida, Alternative für Deutschland -there's a sh*t storm coming. Do I nonetheless believe we, the people, should adhere to morality and decency? Yes, oh yes. There's nothing else that stands between us and downright barbarism.
Aspire to kindness, help those who need help, don't be a d*ck. That pretty much sums up my moralischer Imperativ. Good God, I sound old. And unlike Baz I only turned 40!
Music used to be better.
Here's a pic:
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**By uninhabitable I mean...
Europe freezing because of the ocean currents.
Equatorial becoming arid.
3 to 5 metre sea rise.
Massive climate migration overwhelming others.
Mass extinction OF Flora, Fauna and Humans.**Each of these has happened in the past. And the earth survived.
Note: I am not a denier, I just think that some of this doomsday crap is overplayed. I really get tired of hearing that climate change is settled science. When not to long ago Italy sent a satellite into orbit to determine if Einstien theory about gravity affecting different masses the same is correct or not. If you can challenge Einstien, we should be able to challenge climate change without being made a punching bag. There is no settled science, none, nada.
To my knowledge, there has never been a good discussion with scientists from both sides on climate change. If your not a believer your and ignorant ass. Kind of reminds me of the Pope and Galileo.
Also, all the carbon in fossil fuel in and on the earth started out on this planet as CO2. The planet survived. Plants grow, large ones at that, animals came and went.
Now, I am ready for the sticks and stones and name calling. Have fun.
Ken
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@unknownuser said:
Each of these has happened in the past. And the earth survived.
The earth will survive climate change, sure. But we might not.
@unknownuser said:
I really get tired of hearing that climate change is settled science.
Science, by its very nature, is never 'settled'. Which is a good thing.
@unknownuser said:
There is no settled science, none, nada.
There's data and hypotheses. Science doesn't deal in certainties.
@unknownuser said:
If you can challenge Einstien, we should be able to challenge climate change without being made a punching bag.
There isn't anyone stopping you from challenging anything. If you were to provide irrefutable evidence the climate isn't changing, your name would end up in the history books. Go for it.
@unknownuser said:
To my knowledge, there has never been a good discussion with scientists from both sides on climate change.
You're joking, right?
@unknownuser said:
If your not a believer your and ignorant ass. Kind of reminds me of the Pope and Galileo.
To equate scientific consensus to religious dogmata, is to belie the vast difference between science and religion.
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There ya go Ken, very civilized people around here. Stinkie got you on every point.
So deny this...
The planet, by any scientific or empirical measure, is damaged now.
Do you accept that? -
The thing is, I sort of understand where he comes from. Scientists are telling us two sides of the same coin is going to happen. We are moving into a new ice age and at the same time global warming is right under our noses. Scientists will say different things, at the same time and wonder why people are skeptical. The religious zealots of all kinds are just politicians with a different version of the same message too. Believe in what I say or you will go to hell in a hand basket, perhaps a prettier one than the next faith but all the same. With a bit of luck and squinting with both eyes, perhaps we can unite enough to make a difference, just not under a political, nationalistic, scientific or religious singularity. Perhaps we should all go to the pub, but, wait a minute.......
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Did someone say 'pub', as in 'beer'?
Non-related pic:
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backspace backspa
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When it all comes down to it, the most eloquent politicoreligiouspropogandacult statement ever was made by Homer J Simpson, "Beer, Arghghghghghghghghghghghghghghghghghgh". Make mine a ten gallon hat.
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Ah, H. Simpson.
My second favorite philosopher. Number one is Bender. Would've made a far better prez, too.
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Problem SOLVED!
Donald Trump: US must greatly expand nuclear capabilities
Donald Trump calls for the US to "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear capabilities.
BBC News (www.bbc.com)
You're welcome.
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I'd laugh if I weren't too shocked. What an idiot.
It's going to be an, er, interesting four years.
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Sorry but.....
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Just a quick clarification. The post above is aimed at the only practitioners of the dark arts that I know and have experience of, Those in the UK.
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Climate Change screwing the world up! I think so but only for most of the world's current four limbed species, us included.
Our distant ancestors crawled out of the seas on fins that gradually became arms and legs. When we are gone by whatever means, I imagine Nature will fill the gap in her own time.
As TIG says it's simply good manners to leave the Earth as we found it or better again, improved.
One means of us Joe Soaps gaining some political clout is to push for Direct Democracy. This link shows how we nearly had it as envisaged by Michael Collins, http://www.reinstate48.ie
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That is a very powerful clip. Perhaps it demonstrates a major problem with out current political systems, that the politicians really do not want a real voice for the people. It is an acceptance that politicians lie without recourse to judgement. Short of a revolution, NOTHING will change. I do not want to see another civil war in my country and anybody eles's. I just see no recourse other than the removal of those who run my country.
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In the so called 'Western World', Direct Democracy is quite workable now that we have this high level of telecommunication all around us. Ordinary citizens are more than capable of making informed and sensible judgement votes over their mobile phone on a daily basis if needed.
We no longer need career politicians telling us loads of lies in order to get their snouts in the trough and then start figuring out how they can remain in power getting brown envelopes from big business along the way and finally golden hand shakes and big pensions.
What we need are high calibre answerable and sackable Civil Servants and short term leaders that have proven track records in business / industry / the professions etc with bright ideas that 'we the people' endorse on an ongoing basis for their term of their leadership. Once their term is complete they go back to their previous lives / jobs.
Oh, hold on! We might be seeing this happening in the USA with The Donald. It will be interesting to see how he handles things. I am not a great fan of the man but he's sorta growing on me.
He is no fool when it comes to choosing a team! The latest move I see him making is to bring Elon Musk (of Tesla and SpaceX) and the CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick onboard his economic advisory committee.
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So disagree Mike.
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@mike lucey said:
Ordinary citizens are more than capable of making informed and sensible judgement votes over their mobile phone on a daily basis if needed.
Ordinary citizens voted for the brexit. Ordinary citizens support Duterte. Ordinary citizens voted for a man who, as president-elect, has stated he 'doesn't need' daily security briefings because he's 'a very smart person'.
Show me an average citizen who's willing to wade through 300 pages of esoteric tax legislation.
@mike lucey said:
He is no fool when it comes to choosing a team!
Really?
Mike Pence has stated condoms don't sufficiently protect people against STD's. David Friedman, Trump's ambassador to Israel, called liberal American Jews 'worse than kapos'. Rick Perry isn't exactly an advocate for gay rights. Andy Puzder is opposed to raising minimum wages. Scott Pruitt, who is to head EPA, is a climate change denier. Ben Carson believes Egypt's pyramids were built by Jesus' stepdad to store grain.
I could go on.
I respect your right to an opinion, Mike, but surely, you're peddling utter nonsense.
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@mike lucey said:
In the so called 'Western World', Direct Democracy is quite workable now that we have this high level of telecommunication all around us. Ordinary citizens are more than capable of making informed and sensible judgement votes over their mobile phone on a daily basis if needed.
Depends on where these ordinary citizens get that information and if they're willing to research what they read and not take it as gospel. Fake news was a big problem with this election not only on Facebook but all over the internet. I think this set a new precedent for future elections where there will be information overload and be harder to distinguish fact from fiction, very effective.
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