An Inconvenient Truth About Our Planet

Nan Climate Change, , ,

planet-earth

Timelapse Satellite Pictures 

Videos show how the world has changed in the last 32 years — from evaporating lakes to exploding cities. The Earth is being torn apart by human acts.

A Probing Question:

[A]re human beings capable of assimilating such global perspectives or is our consciousness tragically limited to a pre-space age, even pre-Copernican mentality? Are people only capable of acting on immediate, personal and local concerns, even though images from space can show us the bigger picture?

Source: TheGuardian.com

112 thoughts on “An Inconvenient Truth About Our Planet”

  1. At first I thought that the severest forms of climate change and global warming would be a problem my grandchildren, maybe great grandchildren would be forced to deal with… but now? Nan, I could still be alive and witness the horrors in MY LIFETIME!!! The predictions 2-5 years ago seem to be wrong. 😦 A 225-sq mile sheet of West Antarctica going, going, gone! 225-sq mile! HOLY FUCK! 😮

    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/antarctica-ice-shelf-is-breaking-from-the-inside-out/

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      • Well, speaking only for myself, my life, eating habits, purchases and therefore “trash”… have all completely changed over the last 5 and 10 years Roughseas, and my father raised me to be very eco-aware and friendly — he had deep admiration for the Native American cultures and their reverance for Earth, so he instilled the same in me. 🙂 At least I am one in 7.45+ billion human beings doing something & my part. 😉

        I assume, though, you’ve been doing plenty for much longer than 10-20 years Roughseas, so I applaud you. ❤

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        • Well I joined the WWF (as was) about fifty years ago. Does that count? 😀 I was certainly concerned about animals and the environment even back then. I didn’t have the benefit of such an intelligent father – I had to educate mine to stop throwing cigarette packets out of the car window – so my decisions and conclusions were totally my own.

          Peter says below that we need depopulation or drops in standards of living. As you know, I’ve done my bit in terms of not increasing the population 😉 and I don’t find a drop in standard of living difficult. State of mind though. I had a discussion at work about food, and my colleague said they saw no point in organic food. No interest in the personal value (health), no interest in the bigger picture ie environmental impact of pesticides, insecticides etcicides. A couple came to house sit for us, he was Canadian. ‘We want cheap,’ he said. Didn’t matter what sort of food it was, it just had to be cheap. How can you discuss the wider impact with those sort of attitudes?

          Thanks ❤️

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          • See, that’s exactly why I was applauding you RS. 🙂

            Your point about changing the hearts & attitudes of others is a whole other matter, isn’t it? I know you remember that I am in Texas, born & raised here, and returned here permanently in 1996, so I see a LOT of sad, ignorant, senseless behaviors and rhetoric. As you once stated correctly, we are nowhere near as evolved & progressive as you Europeans/Brits. 😛

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          • Good morning 🌞
            I stick to a few subjects, as you know. Influence some, but not all 😉
            I think I probably said something about newer countries eg US, going through a learning curve that older ones have already gone through because that’s my usual comment. But that’s a western perspective. Because US, Canada, Australia, NZ all had indigenous populations that lived at one with nature before the bad Brits came in … We all live and learn. America is colonialising now in its own sweet and extremely damaging way. Death and destruction. Plus ça change.

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          • Yes, you and I have had very similar opinions, summaries, suggestions, and comments RS about the U.S. and the colonization and imperializing of North & South America and numerous other continents, the horrible economic & human exploitation of the African continent being the most prevalent of all the last 4-5 centuries. Western Civilization has one of if not the WORST track record of not just “biting the hands that feed it”, but devouring it then slowly cannibalizing itself — our mental health & incarceration epidemics are illustration enough to this ugly history. :/

            America is colonialising now in its own sweet and extremely damaging way. Death and destruction. Plus ça change.

            Hah. Has no one told you that we are justified in doing so because “we are the best & greatest nation in the entire world and Universe, and CERTAINLY the most holiest”? 😉 It’s all our new “Neo Manifest Destiny” and GOD BLESS AMERICA! LOL

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          • Indeed. But if America truly was great (instead of greedy) it would learn from history. Those who don’t know their history, etc.

            I know you realise I’m not griping at the US per se, but the concept of imperialism, and power mongering. My own country has been no better in recent years (let alone the past), but Spanish PM Zapatero stuck to his guns (?!) and pulled troops out of Iraq when he was elected.

            The orange monster seems to be backing off interfering elsewhere. Just decimating ISIS. I predict nothing good out of that. OK I predict nothing good out of the OM.

            But back on topic, what, but WHAT, will he do for the environment? Ha. I expect an articulate answer in a few sentences 🙂

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          • Ha. I expect an articulate answer in a few sentences 🙂

            Hahaha…well, the best concise answer for that question RS is to simply quote the Orange Tauped Monster himself:

            The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive. — his Twitter account, Nov. 2012

            (in his most sarcastic voice…) I cannot imagine WHY most of the intelligent world doesn’t believe that and believe tRump!? 😮 😛

            However, as you already know RS, this answer is a gross oversimplification of 1) the contributing issues, 2) the power & influence of media and how to exploit it inside a high school diploma’d citizenry, and 3) the historical record of tRump’s personality & pathology. Naturally, I have prepared a more thorough expounded reply that is much less satirical should you want it. 😀 😉

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          • My second less-condensed somewhat satirical answer to your original question RS…

            My prediction for the Orange Tauped Monster-elect and his/our First Lady(?) — no wait, correction… NOT OM’s first lady! — on the critical ecological problems? So happy you asked! 😉 On a serious note, it is obviously too early to say. Nevertheless…

            Any American that would base their answer to that question on tRump’s presidential campaign platform would be foolish. 21st century POTUS election campaigns are now equivalent to highly popular American reality-TV shows like Jerry Springer, Duck Dynasty, the Kardashians(sp?), or the extremely popular 2004 The Apprentice hosted by tRump. They all pander to a less-than evolved, less-than intelligent primal hunger a mob possesses. My bigger point? Watching for-profit media sources for elections is now a waste of time for the average high school diploma’d voter to become broadly informed.

            That said, at MINIMUM five contributing components can be considered for the likelihood of POTUS-elect to accomplish significant changes for the degradation of Earth’s ecological systems: 1) recognizing propaganda & how it is used more as means to justify the source’s end; the definition of propaganda. 2) the excluding elitism that a political-national proganda machine creates rather than an inclusive eusocial machine; the former is ALWAYS a dead-giveaway of the source’s alterior motives. 3) media absorbtion inside a mediocre- (at best) educated populace severely lacking in critical-thinking skills TAUGHT independently of elitist divisive ideologies. To quote a renown modern astrophysicist & cosmologist…

            “We have misused science, [in this context here, verifiable & non-verifiable information] just as we have every other tool at our disposal, and that’s why we can’t afford to leave it in the hands of a powerful few. The more science [and inclusive intelligent eusociality] belongs to all of us, the less likely it is to be misused.” — Neil Degrasse Tyson, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, “Unafraid of the Dark”

            A wise excellent hedging tactic IMO to protect against hyper-wealth, oligarchy, fallacy & fanaticism.

            4) it is historically & clearly shown that POTUS-elect has serious ego issues and a less-than stellar demeanor of pois & stoicism under fire. This is evidenced by manifested classical and recorded megla-mania behavior and a volatile temper and language when being scrutinized closely; i.e. his pathology. This is the most troublesome historical manifestations for me. 😦 And then finally 5) POTUS-elect has zero experience on and with Capitol Hill — how the 3 governmental branches work either together or against each other, and then worse still NO EXPERIENCE whatsoever with a daunting global political-spectrum and foreign affairs. It is very unwise (stupidity?) to go into international circles of foreign nations & leaders with hyper-arrogance and correlating language. In international affairs there is a lot to be said (and done) with an astute, poised, unflappable, dignifying yet cunning personality and affect. How often has tRump demonstrated those characteristics the last 20-years versus the reverse traits? In that regard RS, the record speaks for itself. 😦

            Hence, it is not a stretch to say for the next four years that the Orange Tauped Monster and the U.S. Federal government will do very little toward the spiraling ecological problems ALL of humanity faces. If something is done, it will be independent of the White House and Capital Hill. But you may have already surmised that RS. :/

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          • Thanks for your time. In answer to your last … possibly. Have you seen Emma’s posts on the OM and narcissism? If not, recommended. Very good. If I were OM I might consider defamation, on the other hand, it’s a word of four syllables with which he’ll struggle, and in defence, I suspect she has truth on her side.

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      • Rough,

        They’ve been saying that crap all my life.

        It’s the native Africans and Brazilians and especially the Communist Chinese who are killing off all the animals and causing most of the pollution.

        So go ahead and enjoy your air conditioning and your SUV.

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        • Well. Not quite all the ABCs. What about the white European big game hunters?

          I have no aircon. Nor do I have heating. Or a TV. My washing gets hung out outside. Because we’ve had two weeks of torrential rain, it’s been hung inside a la Chinese laundry fashion. We walk, cycle and use the bus. We’re vegetarian. I grow some of my own food. Luckily you don’t read my blogs, but if you did, you would realise that we recycle where possible rather than buy new. Etc.

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        • Rough,

          White European hunters can’t do anything in Africa without the support and approval of the Africans.

          And if you want live like an impoverished citizen of the Third World, fine and dandy.

          Just don’t force people like me to live like you.

          After doing exactly the same thing as you when I was young and stupid, I can say that there is absolutely nothing to be gained.

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          • Right. So Africans are going to refuse big bucks into an impoverished continent? How many African countries make it into the top ten richest countries? None.

            So you accuse me of hypocrisy and then when I tell you I have no aircon or heating you accuse me of living like a third world citizen? No. Just a shedload more responsible than you. WTF is wrong with my lifestyle? Huh? Well, with age comes wisdom. For some of us. Enjoy your aircon and SUV.

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          • Rough,

            African greed and poverty are not the fault of Western sportsmen.

            And I didn’t not accuse you of hypocrisy.

            I just stated that you should keep your holy, self-righteous ways to yourself.

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          • To Roughseasinthemed, and all others. Please don’t let trolls like SoM distract you or take you off your message. It doesn’t care about truth, facts or even reality. All it wants to do is to upset you, confuse you, get its thrills from insulting you. You all have so much to say, so many important things others need to hear. Yet SoM would drag you down as far into the gutter as possible for its own soiled pleasure. I respect you all and I hate to see it manipulate you this way. Be well. Hugs

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          • Thanks Scottie. I think pretty much everyone knows his game. Sometimes we play along, mostly we don’t. But occasionally there are relevant points to be made out of his comments. I think my rhino hide can handle it. Love you for your warmth and concern.

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  2. Unfortunately, far too many people are stuck in a primitive, selfish mindset and are unable and/or unwilling to see what human activity has done and is doing to the planet. Change is extremely hard. It’s far easier not to change and deny anything “bad” is happening, let alone accept the fact we’re the one’s causing the problem. By the time enough people realize how catastrophic the changes we’ve caused to the planet are, it’ll be much too late to do anything about it.

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    • Inspired,

      Maybe you could join Al Gore at one of his mansion estates for some wine and brie.

      With both of you sitting at the same table, I’m sure Mother Earth would appreciate your efforts at reducing your carbon foot print.

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    • Your point is well-made, RS. But I think it goes beyond us doing our small parts.

      What I saw in some of these images were stark examples of how humanity has put its own interests first. We are changing the global landscape not only by our ignorance (or refusal) to help preserve the environment through our personal efforts, but also through our “need” to continually expand outward. As the article mentions — humans are more concerned with building a “vast agribusiness” in Saudi Arabia and bigger and more expansive cities in China (and elsewhere) than they are with how it’s affecting the planet.

      And then there’s the more “close-to-home” outlook — the need/desire of workers to support their families through coal mining — even though it is one of the more destructive industries on the planet.

      Certainly each of us must do our part in whatever small ways we can, but wouldn’t you agree the real solution lies in the actions taken by the much larger entities?

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      • Well, yes and no. Of course big business/global corporations/financial institutions dominate everything, no argument there. And governments are heavily tied into that.

        But, there has to be a market to sell all these products, whether energy, white goods, clothes, animals for food, foreign holidays, whatever. If there is only one person trying to do their bit, of course it will make jack shit nada difference. The odd few hundreds of millions might. I saw an ad on FB the other day. Someone was offering a complete dismantled fitted kitchen because they were getting a new one. There was nothing, and I mean nothing wrong with the old one. Still on kitchens (!) another post showed a refurb. The old – again perfectly good – wooden cupboards type kitchen, had been scrapped for a bright shiny black and white one. This is the totally consumerist society of the western world. Time for a change. Out with the old whether it serves or not. One of my neighbours had three kitchens in ten years. Where, do all those raw materials come from? Multiply all this excess consumerism by billions of people and you start to see why we have problems.

        I think to stand by wringing our hands, saying ‘not my fault’ is to deny that individuals, collectively, could make a difference. Truth us, most of us are too selfish. Simple as that.

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        • Wow roughseasinthemed, while Ron and I are nowhere near enough in wealth to do as you describe, now looking back on a few people we worked for they did just that. They got rid of great well built and wonderful stuff, simply because fashion , because their other equally wealthy friends had moved on to a different look. Looking back it kept us in a home and helped us pay our bills , yet now I feel queasy about our part in it. We were simply workers, still we were part of the whole sad affair. Hugs

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    • Unfortunately it is hard to do too much without either massive depopulation or massive drops in standard of living.

      The history of humanity suggests to me that action is only taken too late, so I have a very grim view of what the next century holds.

      The real problem now is that all the negative feedback factors are kicking in so even if human produced greenhouse gases fell to zero the level of atmosphere based gasses will keep rising for some time.

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  4. I loved watching the pictures move but did so with some fear. To answer the question I think you ask. I think it is hard for people to see a larger picture than what is in the sphere of their own world. The things in their lives that influence them, that they deal with, those are the issues they focus on. So when it comes to the change in the world, if it doesn’t seem to impact them, they don’t see the reality of it. If you are gay then anti gay things hurt and affect you personally. However if you are not gay, don’t have any gay family, and only a few remote co-workers you might know of, then anti gay stuff really is not that big a deal for you. It is sad. Thanks and be well. Hugs

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    • Scottie,

      You old fart.

      You know this crap has been peddled to the unsuspecting ignorant since we were knee high to a grass hopper.

      And guess what?

      We are still here and doing better than ever.

      Those solar panel and wind mill farms do destroy an incredible amount of natural habitat and they are ugly as hell.

      Aren’t you glad like me that the world is just drowning in oil and other abundant fossil fuels.

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      • SOM to suggest that manmade global warming is a myth shows that you clearly have no interest in actual information. It is a reality and those who deny it are denying science. Listen to what the scientists say, ‘There is no debate in Scientific Circles, about Global Warming, the Science is in, it is a proven reality’.

        To suggest it is a myth portrays you as a person who is not interested in either knowing truth or facing up to reality.

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        • Peter,

          Global warming is a hoax meant to separate dumb suckers from their money.

          There is no science behind global warming.

          I don’t say that. The lead global warming scientists said that.

          And haven’t your heard?

          Since there is no global warming, the hoaxers changed the name to “climate change,” a truly idiotic name since change is what climate does naturally.

          Clearly, the hoaxers laugh at how stupid people can be.

          Do you know how much CO2 is in the atmosphere?

          I’ll tell you since you obviously don’t know and don’t care:

          400 parts per million which is minuscule.

          That fact alone means global warming is a hoax.

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        • Nan,

          You’re psychotic response is typical of people who have been brainwashed.

          I think this last election signaled that the psychos are being moved aside so that rationality and reality can once again reign supreme.

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          • This is one time when I don’t mind being called brainwashed. In fact, I’d rather my thinking be clean and clear of the bullshit spewed by people who remind me of ostriches.

            Recommend that you pray to your god that you aren’t around to see and feel the full effects of earth’s slow deterioration.

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        • Nan,

          In essence, you are saying BULLSHIT! to science.

          400 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere is barely enough to feed the grass.

          Such a fact proves that global warming is a hoax.

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        • SOM you say 400 parts per million is nothing. What you fail to appreciate is that the level has doubled from 200 to 400. So it is a very significant change.

          Perhaps you would be more comfortable on Venus, if you want to see what a runaway Greenhouse effect can do, its average surface temperature is 864 degrees F.

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        • Peter,

          2 x minuscule = minuscule.

          There is no danger from atmospheric CO2.

          And there is certainly no need to spend ourselves into poverty on a problem that does not (because it cannot) exist.

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  5. I recently heard an interview with some of Australia’s climate scientists who said that climate change appears to be running well ahead of what they had predicted. In essence they said that the climate already seemed to have reached the 2030 prediction level. The startling thing to these scientists was that the models had only been completed in around 2013 and already were shown to be too conservative.

    These scientists cited anecdotal evidence from the wine industry as a practical example where grapes are having to be harvested up to two months earlier than only a couple of decades ago.

    I live in the same geographic area where I grew up. In the 1970’s I recall wanting to be the first person to walk along the bush track to school in the mornings so I could break the ice on the puddles. At other times we would still be sliding on frosty paths after school. These things just don’t happen anymore around here.

    Perhaps the most concerning matter to me in regard to Donald Trump’s election is the likelihood that efforts to mitigate climate change will be put on the back burner.

    Climate change is, in my view, far and away the greatest issue facing the world. Indeed it is a security issue also, not just an environmental issue. If much of the Middle East becomes unlivable, don’t expect the population to sit idly by, no they will move emass to other parts of the world. The consequences will be very great indeed.

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  6. It says much about humanity that some refuse to accept the reality of man influence global warming. A reality that is supported by all mainstream scientists and is obvious to anyone who is involved in agriculture.

    ….and yet, we have people pushing ludicrous conspiracy theories with no evidence because they reinforce those people’s prejudices. The latest such peice of rubbish is pizzagate:
    http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/12/report-trump-staffer-kicked-off-transition-team-for-dumbarse-pizzagate-tweets/

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      • The key factor is global warming. In individual parts of the world there are variants driven by other factors such as the gulf stream. For example Europe was much colder during the ‘mini ice age’ from around 1500 to 1800, but the world as a whole was not colder, it was local event caused by the Gulf Stream not being as effective.

        Southern Greenland was warmer than today from around 800 to 1300 AD. But once again it was more local factors, though I will grant you that the world went through a warm patch around 1000 AD. But you see that although there are variations, what is happening now is way outside those variations:

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        • Peter,

          Sorry but that isn’t how it happens.

          For example, Siberia going cold means we in the US are going to freeze.

          Like what’s happening as we speak.

          Chicago just broke a 40 year old snowfall record.

          And the American South, normally mild, is bracing for some real cold.

          Additionally, climate change hoaxers predicted more and more catastrophic hurricanes and tornadoes.

          The last 15 years have been quiet.

          The reality of Earth climate is vastly different than the climate hoaxer’s computer models.

          Yes, Peter.

          Global warming only exists in computer models, not reality.

          It’s hoaxer garbage in, hoaxer garbage out.

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        • SOM there is a difference between climate and weather. Climate is the long term trend, weather is the day to occurrence. There will be still be extreme cold events even as the world warms, it is the trend which is important not the individual weather events.

          By the way more snowfall can be consistent with warming. What causes snowfall in Chicago. My guess it is moist air rising from the lake. It is the increased moisture in the air that causes the increased snowfall.

          I will lay you odds that for every story about unusual cold you find three about unusual warmth (note this needs to be done over an extended period of time to be meaningful):
          https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/2016-arctic-sea-ice-wintertime-extent-hits-another-record-low

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        • Peter,

          Don’t you think it’s ironic that as the North American continent goes into a deep freeze, your global warming guru, Al Gore is presenting the sequel to An Inconvenient Truth at the Sundance Festival?

          You people are so brainwashed that a glacier a mile thick could make its way down to the equator and you’d still believe in the global warming hoax.

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          • SoM, the “brainwashing” you speak of works both ways.

            The big difference is the “brainwashed” people who choose to accept that climate changes/global warming is happening have evidence to back up their beliefs. You have nothing but what your church teaches and/or your personal opinion. If you care to provide information that validates your perspective, we would all be interested in reading it.

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          • Nan,

            The two lead global warming scientists, Phil Jones of East Anglia University in the UK and Michael Mann of Penn State University in the US, had their emails published by the Wall Street Journal.

            In those emails Jones and Mann admitted to cooking their climate data and killing peer review through threats and intimidation.

            The whole thing is a scam from start to finish.

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    • Peter,

      When I was a kid 50 years ago, the CO2 content in the atmosphere was 400 parts per million and we were told that that it was caused by the Industrial Revolution.

      Nobody bothered telling us that 400 parts per million is minuscule.

      All your information is simply bogus as is the conclusion that 400 parts per million CO2 can cause global warming.

      Maybe when you’ve lived for a few more decades and the hoaxers are still preaching the same old tired crap, you’ll wise up.

      Each generation seems to be totally oblivious to the previous generations.

      My father and his father go back 130 years.

      The Earth’s climate has been its usual tumultuous self over that period.

      But there has been no man-made global warming.

      Global warming aka climate change is a hoax.

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      • ‘When I was a kid 50 years ago, the CO2 content in the atmosphere was 400 parts per million and we were told that that it was caused by the Industrial Revolution.’

        Really! Are you sure?

        I am going to call crap on what you just said:

        Have a look at this site:
        http://www.csiro.au/greenhouse-gases/

        The Cape Grim measuring station in Western Tasmania, measures the cleanest air in the world. In September 2016 it went past 400ppm for the first time ever.

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        • Peter,

          That is what I’m saying.

          It was crap when I was young and it’s crap now.

          400 parts per million is a teeny tiny amount, not near enough to cause global warming.

          We have the ocean and a biosphere that soaks up CO2.

          Get the Brazilians and the Africans to stop cutting down their rainforests.

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  9. Nan, I have a half-serious half-comical question for you — it can include Peter and Roughseas as well… 🙂

    How does one carry on dialogue (constructive dialogue?) with the consummate a priori antagonist? And at what point is breath, energy, and intelligence wasted with said person/people?

    I struggle with this question and personality-type too often here in Texas and throughout the Bible-belt states, so I’m always open for suggestions! 🙂 ❤

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    • I can offer no good advice, PT. Trying to reason with those who are ill-informed, hard-headed, and just plain dense is an exercise in futility. Nonetheless, many of us continue to hope that maybe, just maybe, something will “click” and the light will go on.

      What many of them fail to realize is their adversaries have often believed exactly as they do, but at some point in time, they saw or heard something that simply didn’t line up with their preconceived ideas and Voila! The picture changed. Of course, for some, this never happens. 😦

      Personally, I actually feel sorry for many of these individuals. They are so indoctrinated by false information, they simply are unable to consider alternate ideas and concepts.

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      • Then I should politely and respectfully state, “Thanks for your no help!“? 😉 lol

        Personally, I actually feel sorry for many of these individuals. They are so indoctrinated by false information, they simply are unable to consider alternate ideas and concepts.

        Indeed. I’d wager that the state-of-mind to which you refer began about 2,300 to 2,700 years ago in what then was to become a Greco-Roman “welfare system” opportunistically hijacked theocratic (state sanctioned & backed) empire not in the Levant, but actually on a penisula some 4,000 km away called Ρώμη, or روما , or Roma. Yes? No? Nevertheless, often mythologically-based ideologies or unexamined social-political ideologies are unknown or understood by unquestioning followers. 😦 Ironically, all of humanity’s greatest advancements were and have been achieved by doing exactly the opposite! Hah!

        Thank you Nan for making the effort and replying. 😉 ❤

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        • Professor Taboo, Please excuse my lack of understanding. I am Scottie. My education was rather lacking for reasons I won’t go into. I love the comments and exchanges I read on the blogs that so excite me. However I am lost at the recent exchange between you and Nan. I read it and reread the exchanges, and I find I am lost. Can you please try to reword it, or make it some how understandable to me, who has not a great education? Thanks. I do want to know what is being said, but sadly I feel I am missing the important parts. Thank you very much. Hugs

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          • Oh Scottie, I have such fond admiration of those who so humbly word there questions! Thank you Sir. And as a teacher/counselor always reminds, “No question is a stupid question!” 😉 And PLEASE don’t take my cramming of so much into so little to the point that coherency is sacrificed while pointing out your innocense! The flaws & fault is all mine if I cannot articulate in many ways, languages, and structures outside of my own reality. See, I’m probably doing it again! LOL 😛

            Anyway, is there something specific you’re more curious about that I can reword and improve on? ❤

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          • Thank you… It is grand of you. I was trying to follow the conversation on this thread, and your response was understood by everyone else, but I lost track. Here is the part I was struggling with. “Roman “welfare system” opportunistically hijacked theocratic (state sanctioned & backed) empire not in the Levant, but actually on a penisula some 4,000 km away called Ρώμη, or روما , or Roma. Yes? No? Nevertheless, often mythologically-based ideologies or unexamined social-political ideologies are unknown or understood by unquestioning followers. ” Should I look up something or read a publication to bring myself up to speed? Everyone else seemed to understand right away what you were saying… but I failed it. Thanks. Hugs

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          • Yes, apologies Scottie for my haste in that cryptic description. :/

            In order to not overcrowd Nan’s comment section with excessive (boring?) academia, I will offer you 3 links to blog-posts I’ve written on the topic of Western Civilization’s socio-political-religious conversion then subjugation begun not by Yeshua/Christ, but 4th century CE Roman Emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus (Constantine). One cannot fully understand modern socio-political-religious ideologies (Puritan American especially) without first comprehensively examining the birth, roots & fervor begun in 2nd century BCE Roman Palestine thru 4th century CE Roman Palestine, from the Council of Nicaea, and to the birth of the Vatican:

            http://wp.me/p1uLmp-3u

            There are other supporting blog-posts I have to that one Scottie, but I won’t overburden you with them. Suffice to say here that at least 2 of the 3 Abrahamic religions — which have heavily influenced all of Western Civilization and its socio-economic infrastructure — promote forms and degrees of (radical?) theocracy. If a neutral time-traveler went back thru these six formative centuries in those Mediterranean regions, the picture which forms is one of classical methods of “diviniation” and socio-political protocols, or rather unexamined ancient mythologically-based ideologies by a mesmerized unquestioning insufficiently-educated fearing believers/followers.

            Hope that helps rather than confuses more. 😛 Please feel free to ask further questions in light of my poor condensing methods. Apologies again Sir.

            Liked by 1 person

    • But are we engaging with the individual commenter or the spectators? All the world’s a stage?

      And when someone tells me I’ve got aircon I’m prepared to say I haven’t. And then be derided for living like a third world impoverished citizen. Which in truth, is how a lot of people in the western world do live. Why does the second richest country in the world have people living in poverty, unable to access free health care, deny women contraception and abortion, still has death penalty in some states, do you want me to go on?

      As I said, sometimes we influence people over time. Maybe not the ones we mean to, but others read and think. Eg, a blogfriend today commented on the inherent sexism about newspaper coverage of Theresa May (UK Prime Minister) which I would never have expected of him a few years ago. I win some battles 😉

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      • Great answer RS with very good points, starting with…

        But are we engaging with the individual commenter or the spectators? All the world’s a stage?

        There are very very few people/commenters who are oblivious to public humiliation, so your point there is exceptional — 9 times out of 10 most human “targets” go into either Fight-or-Flight mode, whichever saves face best. Do we need to guess what mode POTUS-elect will go into to save which rear-end? 😉 😛

        Nevertheless, in my professional and personal years in the fields of education and mental health, there is ALWAYS one approach that works extremely well for me — one I’ve used on two particular seperate hyper-severe, hyper-crisis situations, one with a semi-automatic rifle in his hands, the other with a Glock pistol pressed upon my temple by an enraged hyper-jealous/possessive boyfriend — and that is humility: calm patience with empathy to listen and understand (first) WHY things have arrived where they’ve arrived. Aggressive (defensive?) language usually only escalates the situation.

        Thank you RS for your reply. ❤

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        • I am so sorry that someone used a firearm against you that way. I congratulate you on your ability to use your intelligence and your empathy to defuse the situation. As someone who carried a gun for work for a part of my younger life I want to tell you that that is an unacceptable use of our firearm. We were trained, and we were under law never to do what you describe. I am glad you survived. Hugs

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          • Kind thanks Scottie. ❤

            Don't tell anyone, especially my Mother, and two children, death does not bother me nor cause fear in me in the least. For me, there is ample plausible evidence that death & the after-life is NOTHING like what most religions teach. A basic understanding of physics and Quantum Mechanics can assist anyone to that "no-brainer". 😉

            Guns and responsibility of them? Hah! Isn't that another Can-of-Worms, huh!? LOL I take it Scottie you are not from Texas? Here, it is harder to get a driver's license than a weapon — it's no debate really. Anyway, what I went thru on those 2 occasions (both in Mississippi) is essentially of the norm. It is well-documented in mental health here & in the Bible-belt South that in a society with untaught coping skills, poor education, and an ever-growing economic divide… unfeathered emotions become the coping mechanism, which sadly include lethal weapons. 😦

            My gratitude to you for your kind words. ❤

            Liked by 1 person

        • Humility. Ah, yes, sums you up 🙂

          But, to be serious, and go back on track, using my comment, the OM IS playing the stage, and successfully. I read comments on FB saying how wonderful he is (insert vomit emoji). As for SoM, he s what he is. Choose to engage or not.

          Liked by 2 people

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        • Yup. That’s the exact story he was talking about. My friend said there were more important things to discuss in politics and that Cameron’s clothes never received as much attention. We’ve disagreed about a number of subjects in the past so I was pleased to see his considered approach to the media coverage of May’s trousers.

          Although, I doubt anyone will ever influence SoM (CS, Wally et al).

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    • Professor a very good question.

      I must admit I did see the strong correlation between denial of climate science and those who deny evolution and argue that the Biblical flood really happened.

      A couple of months ago I listened to a one hour interview with one of Australia’s leading climate scientists. He was so frustrated with these sort of folk:
      – firstly they imply there is doubt in the scientific community, when there is not;
      – secondly they refuse to accept facts;
      – thirdly their blindness and pig headedness is having a very real impact in policy;
      – fourthly climate change is happening now and is obvious to anyone with half a brain.

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      • Four valid points Peter. The 3rd point is of particular interest to me, “having a very real impact in policy;” Indeed, and whether Americans want to accept it or not, the majority of registered voters — as opposed to people who want to vote but are disallowed thru shrewd political tactics — in the U.S. heed to their emotions, their hyped-up fervor, than to unemotional reasoning from facts. tRump having ample experience in reality-TVish pandering has played the gullible American-Right’s “fiddle” into a hypnotic state. Why is this true? Because in the spring & summer of 2016 the RNC candidates had some harsh true assessments on their fellow RNC candidate tRump (now on record) to be the best (worst?) Commander-in-Chief. And these were fellow Republicans! So you see, to the legislatures it isn’t about the future or well-being of a nation and world, it’s about being the winner:

        “Perhaps I shouldn’t campaign at all, I’ll just, you know, I’ll ride it right into the White House.” — “Larry King Live,” 1999

        “My life has been about winning. My life has not been about losing.” — Donald Trump, Time magazine, 2015

        And now he has a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress. :/

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    • Professor,

      What about your personality type?:

      Elitist, arrogant, condescending, intolerant, bigoted.

      What is it about you people that makes you think you’re better and smarter than everyone else in spite of all the proof to the contrary?

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      • Apologies SoM if this thread of comments and exchanges have hit your patellar reflex. But to answer your question…

        Can you please elaborate with supporting details — extensively would be very nice! — as to what in your opinion mean by…

        [We are] “better and smarter than everyone else in spite of all the proof to the contrary?”

        Proof? Contrary? You again structured that very generally and quite vaguely, therefore tagging it mere personal opinion. Can you try again please in much more depth? Would browsing and reading your blog help me help you?

        Thanks SoM.

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          • Personal opinion once again, UNLESS you are able to provide adequate (extensive?) supporting work, data, details, web-links(?), et al, to your postulations. If not, then any “intellect” must recognize the difference and values between sound likelihoods and (random?) opinions. 🙂

            There is no shame in simply stating you do not have the time nor the will to do so… and then that (happily?) releases all of us, and you and I, from further wheel-spinning. 😉

            Like

        • Professor,

          People like you aren’t interested in “adequate supporting work, etc.”

          If you were, you wouldn’t hold so many bizarre beliefs that have clearly been disproven.

          You demand citations in order to shut down your opposition.

          And you want to shut down your opposition because you have no argument of your own that is worth a damn.

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          • Ugh…more wheel-spinning. :/

            I think you might be correct about “shutting down opposition“, however, I didn’t want to jump the gun with you. I have honestly been offering you several opportunities to substantiate what you are postulating. I am pleased that you know the word “citation”, but perhaps you fail to understand its concept? Your insistence on giving personal opinions only seems indicative of misunderstanding the meaning. This is disappointing. It gets no one here anywhere.

            Nonetheless, my patience has run out. Let’s do the mature civil thing and ignore each other at every opportunity. Agreed? I loathe wheel-spinning anyway.

            Best regards.

            Liked by 1 person

          • There will never be any possible intelligent, mature cause or justification to use kindergarten name-calling, especially to someone not involved in OUR wheel-spinning. Childish.

            You are welcome to have the last word. My initial approaches to you warranted only equal courtesy and tact, not your repeated inane generalities and personal opinions.

            Regards SoM

            Liked by 3 people

          • Professor,

            You don’t get to determine the how a discussion is to take place.

            This isn’t a classroom and you hold no authority whatsoever to dictate how another human being is to express themselves in a discussion.

            Like

          • SoM, you were warned about insulting other people’s character here.

            I don’t like moderating or banning contributors, but I will not tolerate insults and belittling comments about other people who visit this blog. From this point on, your comments will be moderated.

            Liked by 2 people

          • Nan,

            You people insult me all the time.

            Yet you say nothing.

            If you want to ban me go ahead.

            You take comfort in an echo chamber of stupidity and ignorance

            So be it.

            Goodbye, farewell and don’t let the bedbugs bite.

            Like

          • Thank you Nan. I am sorry that you have to take this step with SoM. However I grew tired of the dodges and the constant childish insults from SoM. It is not your fault, or anyone else’s other than his own. He won’t answer questions while demanding others answer his. His default is insults. I had enough of being insulted as a child, I don’t need it in adult conversation. I tried repeatedly, as have others here, to engage SoM in honest conversation, debates over our disagreements. He simply is not interested in that. I am convinced by reading his interactions he simply is trying to upset people. The other alternative is he really is less intelligent than I think we all give him credit for. He has a pretence. This comment is not to be insulting to SoM, but to describe his behavior and why I stopped engaging in him a while ago. I think he really has a need to insult and try to drag others down into an emotional conflict. Maybe it is a childhood trauma he is working through? I don’t know. I do know I refuse to deal with him while his mode of operating is still the same. IF he wants to change and start talking to people, answering and asking questions, and leaving the insults behind, I would engage him again. I never mind talking to others, regardless if we agree, as long as we are willing to hear each other out and deal honestly with each other. I often learn a lot by talking to others, and here on these blogs I often find people far more versed in the subjects and having far more schooling than I. That is fun and I enjoy it. Being constantly mocked and insulting is not and I get to a point I don’t want to deal with it any more. Thanks again for a great blog. Hugs

            Liked by 2 people

  10. It is a very good question: Are we capable of looking up from our own personal and local concerns and having the courage and sacrificial attitude to tackle something big and important? It’s the same question I have about the U. S. debt and our modern propensity to elect leaders that say we can have everything we want and pay for it later. I hope it isn’t the case that the only way we actually solve problems on this scale is for something really, really bad to happen that forces us to.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • ‘I hope it isn’t the case that the only way we actually solve problems on this scale is for something really, really bad to happen that forces us to.’

      Brent, Human nature and history, sadly suggests this is the most likely reality.

      Whilst progress has been made in some lesser environmental areas like CFC’s, that progress tends to be in areas where the cost is not significant.

      Liked by 3 people

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    • Hello Peter. I think you got to the point of it, SoM is not taking it seriously. He is baiting everyone and using their comments to insult them. He answers no questions and instead dances away to another point where he thinks he is superior and then unleashes his insults. I refuse to answer or deal with him. I don’t feed trolls. Be well, I enjoy your comments. Hugs

      Liked by 4 people

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      • Seems so Scottie. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt. But in regard to SOM my mind’s now made up. I will do my best to ignore him in future. In so many ways it is just like dealing with Colorstorm.

        Liked by 2 people

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        • Hello Peter. It is sad this is his way. I think you, like myself , like to engage and discus reasonably with others. We like to share our thoughts, listen to others and respond to what those we are talking with say. I like to talk. I like to share. I think you do also. I have often read your comments and I have been impressed with your mastery of the facts and the skill that you use to present them. Sadly I have found that SoM is not interested in even the basic discussion or information. He seems to delight only in having a chance to insult others. His goal seems to make others angry. He offers no facts, no line of discussion. You are so correct, he is like ColorStorm, and also sadly GodsManForver it seems. I am also sorry he was not really interested in talking. It would have been fun to engage with someone really interested. I look forward to reading more of your comments. I learn from the people who really wanting to share and continue the discussion. Hugs

          Liked by 1 person

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        • Scottie if you examine carefully SOM’s comments on this post it becomes clear that he is either deluded or disingenuous. I more and more think the latter. His arguments have lacked coherence and internal consistency. This suggests to me that he is arguing for argument sake rather than expressing a coherent position that he actually believes.

          More fool me for seeking to engage with him seriously. Well those days are gone. It is like the boy who cried wolf, once your credibility is gone then even if you make true statements in future they will be treated with suspicion and skepticism.

          I should also say Scottie, thanks for your kind words. You strike me a person who thinks deeply on matters and has a genuine desire to know what is true and what is not.

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    • …not that [SoM] seems to take any of it seriously:

      Peter, if I may, as I and others have alluded to above, anyone who cannot momentarily set aside their own PERSONAL lens for a kaleidoscope of lenses, if only to broaden your touch with humanity, will be like climbing Mt. Everest. Refusal of such suspension OR considerations can be explained as arrogant elitism that the Abrahamic religions, and nations they are firmly established within… and that they explicitly and implicitly promote… would be like talking to a fence-post. 😦 So I’ve spent over 10-years learning their “own language”, i.e. theology & scriptures, in hopes that it would open channels of dialogue. But then the inevitable brick-wall emerges…

      Sadly, what we might be able to independently verify from their “scriptures” or “miracles” and theology does not exist, so how does one go about thoroughly addressing tenets, beliefs, etc, that are in reality based merely on just individual faith? There’s very little to work with. :/

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Peter,

      The same people who had you convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hillary would become the next president of the United States, are the same people who have convinced you that global warming is real.

      Last year a ship carrying global warmers to the Antarctic got stuck in the ice, there was so much of it.

      I can’t remember whether it was the Russians or the US Coast Guard who finally rescued them.

      And every time Al Gore shows up and gives one of his phony speeches about global warming, an ice storm arrives.

      It’s uncanny.

      You people are worse than Christians who preach hell fire and damnation.

      Forget about global warming and just go out and be happy.

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  12. To Professor Taboo
    December 7, 2016 at 10:00 am

    I went back over the comments. As I said I learn a lot reading and listening to others. One thing I realized by rereading the comments is I was dealing with the whole election emotionally. My feelings were coloring my responses. I have to say after reading your comment at 10:00 AM and the rational way you dissected this whole thing… I am now even more worried and upset. How do we fix this? How do we contain the damage? How do we protect the most vulnerable among us? I ask myself if I am even asking the correct questions. Thank you, be well. Hugs

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    • Scottie,

      The American People elected Donald Trump in the greatest effort to protect the most vulnerable among us in human history.

      Socialism has failed all over the planet.

      We also protected ourselves from predators like you by electing THE Donald.

      We all look forward to living happy, prosperous lives without having idiocy like ObamaCare, global warming and transgender restrooms shoved down our throats.

      You may think I’m a dreamer.

      But I’m not the only one.

      I hope some day you’ll join us.

      And the world will be as one.

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      • SoM.

        The chances of Trump protecting vulnerable people are like the 400 parts per million.

        Socialism has not failed. Greed has prevailed.

        Transgender restrooms?

        Oh no. Transgender restrooms are fine. But we women do not want men wearing frocks with wigs and make-up, oh and dicks as well, in our private space. Trans restrooms are fine. Just send the men out of the women’s spaces TYVM.

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      • SOM I see now that you must be trolling me to make such a ridiculous statement. I am sorry I have been so naive as to to engage with you seriously for so long, but rest assured I will do my best to ignore all your comments in future.

        Liked by 2 people

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        • Peter,

          I am not trolling.

          The huge problem in our society right now is that people like me think that what people like you express about climate change is as terribly uninformed as you think I am.

          I assure you that I am very sincere.

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        • The thing is, SoM, the evidence that speaks against climate change is anemic and put forth by less-than-stellar sources. On the other hand, you will find reams of articles written by scientists whose sole source of study is how changes in the climate are affecting our planet.

          So far all you’ve put forth are your personal beliefs. If you want to be taken seriously, wouldn’t it be to your advantage to offer some evidence, e.g., articles or essays written by individuals respected in their field of study?

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        • Nan,

          You mean scientists whose sole source of funding is global warming.

          Following the money, like following the leaked emails, will lead you straight to proof that global warming is a hoax.

          Like

          Reply

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