A few thoughts about the future of this planet
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And thanks for all the Birthday wishes.
Not depressed now that I'm sober, just my usual pragmatic self.
See you all in hell.
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@baz said:
@pbacot said:
I know how you feel. Don't exaggerate regarding timelines, it gives the deniers more ammunition. It looks really bad though, especially since November.
Yes, Trump might prove to be the proverbial straw, tho' Obama couldn't do much against the entrenched interests for denial. Nor can our PM, Turnbull. He has just caved in on a carbon tax.
Really bugs me that they keep calling this proposed EPA wrecker a "climate change skeptic". He's a DENIER of science. Scientists are skeptics, and they work from observations. These guys aren't skeptics they're cynics and opportunists.
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@pbacot said:
These guys aren't skeptics they're cynics and opportunists.
Hear, hear. Me, I am tired of opportunist 'post truth' bs. Don't lie. Don't be a pr*ck. Keep the greater good in mind. Behave bloody responsibly.
Be a mensch, or at least strive to be one.
@baz said:
See you all in hell.
There'd better be beer. And crisps. On a more serious note: the climate thing's got me worried, too. Same goes for the Trump phenomenon, the Brexit, and the rise of the nationalist right all over Europe.
Things aren't looking great. Then again, I turned 40 last week. Could be a case of old man grumpiness.
You kids get off my lawn!
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I'm 26 and I don't want to procreate for this very reason... What's the point of creating a life in this context
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Now would be a good time for those extraterrestrials to show up! Unless we humans stop feeling to be the centre of this universe theres nothing that can be done to stop our reckless behaviour to our planet and to our fellow humans!
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@jiminy-billy-bob said:
I'm 26 and I don't want to procreate for this very reason... What's the point of creating a life in this context
Tahts too sad!!! U should have skattered ur seeds! We could have gotten more talented ruby coders for sketchup!
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You have the forces on one side
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-phony-war-against-co2-1477955418
vs. The forces on the other
http://climatefeedback.org/evaluation/the-phony-war-against-co2-the-wall-street-journal-rodney-nichols-harrison-schmitt/
Each argueing over the impact of carbon dioxide in climate change. What they are arguing is fine except that they are not arguing about Methane.
Methane which accounts for only 14 percent of emissions worldwide, traps up to 100 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 5-year period. This means that even though carbon dioxide molecules outnumber methane 5 to 1, this comparatively smaller amount of methane is still 19 times greater a problem for climate change over a 5 year period, and 4 times greater over a 100 year period.
To put it another way, any methane molecule released today is 100 times more heat-trapping than a molecule of carbon dioxide, or potentially even higher according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
With the UN establishing various tipping points for irreversible climate change damage on the horizon, it’s time that methane enters mainstream consideration. And better yet, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while other organizations like the Worldwatch Institute have estimated it could be as much as 51 percent.
I say we tackle the Methane problem. Let’s all take a mallet and a bag of corks, and drive one up every cow’s ass!
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@futurepast said:
You have the forces on one side
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-phony-war-against-co2-1477955418
vs. The forces on the other
http://climatefeedback.org/evaluation/the-phony-war-against-co2-the-wall-street-journal-rodney-nichols-harrison-schmitt/To put it another way, any methane molecule released today is 100 times more heat-trapping than a molecule of carbon dioxide, or potentially even higher according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
With the UN establishing various tipping points for irreversible climate change damage on the horizon, it’s time that methane enters mainstream consideration.but they are not all arguing with fact.
However statistics show that for food value, calories etc./ per carbon footprint animal products compare well with vegetables. At least I only remember the carbon footprint part... I wonder if the study has taken in account all climate impact, including methane.
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There were these three farmers that wanted to win the state fair contest for having the largest pig. They decide that they should stick a cork in the pigs arse and feed him for a month before the fair. The only problem was that none of them wanted to be the one to stick the cork in. So they bought a monkey and trained him to stick corks in bottles. After a week or two of this, they stick the monkey in the pen with the pig and a cork, and after a minute, the monkey did what he was supposed to do. The farmers fed the pig for a month and sure enough, they won first prize. Once they got home, they realized they still had to take the cork out. So they trained this same monkey to take corks out of bottles. They stuck the monkey in the pen with the pig, and the farmers woke up three days later in the hospital with a reporter sitting next to them. The reporter asked the first farmer, "What is the last thing you remember?" "Shit flying everywhere," the farmer replied. The reporter asked the second farmer the same question and got the same response. When she got to the third farmer and asked him what he could remember, he was laughing hysterically. The reporter asked, "What's the matter? What is so funny about being buried in pig shit" The farmer replied, "You shoulda seen the monkey trying to stick the cork back in."
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Sorry to hear you were feeling down on your milestone birthday, Baz! Gee 65; I hope I get there....
Forget the puppy or cat; head down and guzzle a few beers at Pony Fish Island bar my fav when I come down to Melbourne. For those of you who don't know Pony Fish is a bar built on the pier of a footbridge over the Yarra river.
And if the sea levels rise just walk back up to the bridge.....
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With every disaster comes an opportunity.....
.....if sea levels rise substantially, someone who owns a property 2 streets back from the beach might eventually have a beachside property and the property value will increase...!!
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@gareth said:
With every disaster comes an opportunity.....
.....if sea levels rise substantially, someone who owns a property 2 streets back from the beach might eventually have a beachside property and the property value will increase...!!
I don't think 2 streets back will cut it though (depending on topography), and imagine the view with so many dilapidated structures in the water.
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Happy Birthday Baz and welcome to the pensioners club which I joined last year.
I think its too late to do anything about the sea level rises that are here and will continue. The only hope is to move to high ground and get on with it.
Check out how sea level rise will effect your house here, http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/
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I saw a documentary on the floods in Miami a few weeks ago. It seems the mayor of Miami is doing something about it but the Florida governor doesn't want to know about it.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=miami+flooding%26amp;qpvt=miami+flooding%26amp;FORM=VDRE
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@futurepast said:
Let’s all take a mallet and a bag of corks, and drive one up every cow’s ass!
Mike,
Its possible to collect the cow's methane and power equipment!
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To bring this back onto a more serious footing...
It is sad that some of you don't want to reproduce - just because you see that we are somehow doomed !
If you don't procreate, then the lesser enlightened human-families will continue, potentially with less-desirable results: and when the proverbial-hits-the-fan, then who will be there to try and sort out the mess ?
Your 'good' genes [and your 'nurturing'] are needed to sort out this supposed forthcoming mess [as opposed the the presumably less desired 'others'?] !
As sentient human beings we have a duty [IMHO] to leave the world a tiny bit better that when we arrived - failing that - leaving it 'no worse'.
So giving up on your 'gene-pool' is a cop-out.Mankind has always proved itself to be ingenious is overcoming problems [I admit that many of its own devising!]
Surely 'we' can 'fix things' - if we have the will ?
Politicians are clearly crap at all of this - they are not interested in the long-term - just 'tomorrow'.
The recent sea-change in elections show that the people are not stupid.The whole impending 'global-catastrophe' is perhaps over-hyped [by the media and self-interested 'experts'], but there are undeniable issues that must be addressed...
Even if you explicitly deny global-warming is 'man-made', then if we make sensible adjustments in our lifestyle it would do no harm ?I assume that none of us wants to make things worse.
But making things better [even by a tiny amount] is within everyone's grasp.
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@juju said:
@gareth said:
With every disaster comes an opportunity.....
.....if sea levels rise substantially, someone who owns a property 2 streets back from the beach might eventually have a beachside property and the property value will increase...!!
I don't think 2 streets back will cut it though (depending on topography), and imagine the view with so many dilapidated structures in the water.
yep...and that's why i carefully chose the words 'might eventually'
....certainly wouldn't help if there are rows of multi storey apartments on the beachfront though....the view wouldn't change for a very long time....!!
On a serious note, humans have a lot to answer for and if Futurepast's comments about methane are correct (and I have no reason to doubt it) it is something that should be acted on quickly.
I recently watched a documentary about some scientists here in Australia who have discovered that methane gas can be more than halved by mixing a particular type of algae with cow fodder (and much easier than using a cork...!). The next step is to find ways to commercially harvest vast quantities of the algae...!
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A belated happy B'day to you Baz.
I agree with so much of what has been written but temper this with my Trekkiness. If the human species continues to chuck female hormones into the water table we will affect the reproductive potential for more than just our own species. Politicians will not introduce a method of dealing with this because if they reduce the birth rate, pensions and health care will become luxuries out of reach for the poorer in all our nations. Take an example of London. The prices of renting and buying homes is so high that waste and recycling operatives (bin men/women) will be hard to find soon. Something like 40,000 council and lower cost homes will be lost when HS 2 is implemented, what will happen when they manage to get HS 3 into the plan I could not tell you. On top of that Heathrow airport is going to get another runway taking away whole villages. If we do not get our population under control we will become our own worst enemy. Yes, water too and food production etc etc.
Putting my Trekk head on, I do truly believe that one day we will get off our backsides, kick out the priveledged politicians who cannot find a single cheek with the combined hunting hounds stables, a sat nav, a map AND both hands. THEN we might have a chance...... Cue Star trek theme tune crossed with that of the outer limits...... -
On the topic of algae, I saw something out of the corner of my eye while surfing the web. Apparently there are some who think the blue/green algae blooms that are clogging up waterways COULD be harvested and treated as a food source, that and the Japanese plan of a few years ago where poo was recycled and re sequenced into a steak. Not sure I could afford the thing myself but whatever floats a boat.
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