Global Warming and other random thoughts
What's up with all the people in Montreal over the holidays?
Victor & Victor + friends were there for skiing. T, Trinh and Phil were there and bumped into Victor and Victor at Schwartz. I was there for New Years. Mike and Maggie were there last week for skiing as well. Strange the so many people I knew decided to go, and all separately. Anway...
Speaking of skiing, it's so warm now that people can't even ski. The cause seems to be global warming, so I wanted to post some global warming related links. This article reports that the first inhabited island has disappeared from the face of the earth due to rising ocean levels. Speaking of oceans, there won't be any fish in the ocean in another 40 years.
A likely good source of information is Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. I haven't seen it yet, but I want to. I was planning on seeing it in theatres, but Keith ditched me to go see it with a girl, but I digress.
Recently Roz and Howi posted their thoughts about it. I read somewhere that the US gov't gives a subsidy to car manufacturers that make SUV type vehicles. Not sure the veracity of the statement, but if it's true, the (US)gov't is really sending the wrong message. There's already such a large profit margin on SUVs, they don't need more incentive. Obviously, the government should be encouraging fuel efficient vehicles for everyone's sake, not just the American car companies.
What really pisses me is this article about how an oil company sponsored propoganda to confuse the public about global warming. They used the same strategies as tobacco companies. Despicable.
In the random thoughts section, I wish my RSS reader kept track of stats, like google reader does. Then I can figure which feeds to upgrade or downgrade. Does anyone find it ironic that Major Nelson, a Microsoft spokesperson uses Google?
In other random news, the inventor of instant noodles passed away. Choice quote: "I'm happy I've realized my dream that noodles can go into space" and "peace will come to the world when the people have enough to eat". That does bring up a good question...what would the world be like without instant noodle?
Victor & Victor + friends were there for skiing. T, Trinh and Phil were there and bumped into Victor and Victor at Schwartz. I was there for New Years. Mike and Maggie were there last week for skiing as well. Strange the so many people I knew decided to go, and all separately. Anway...
Speaking of skiing, it's so warm now that people can't even ski. The cause seems to be global warming, so I wanted to post some global warming related links. This article reports that the first inhabited island has disappeared from the face of the earth due to rising ocean levels. Speaking of oceans, there won't be any fish in the ocean in another 40 years.
A likely good source of information is Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. I haven't seen it yet, but I want to. I was planning on seeing it in theatres, but Keith ditched me to go see it with a girl, but I digress.
Recently Roz and Howi posted their thoughts about it. I read somewhere that the US gov't gives a subsidy to car manufacturers that make SUV type vehicles. Not sure the veracity of the statement, but if it's true, the (US)gov't is really sending the wrong message. There's already such a large profit margin on SUVs, they don't need more incentive. Obviously, the government should be encouraging fuel efficient vehicles for everyone's sake, not just the American car companies.
What really pisses me is this article about how an oil company sponsored propoganda to confuse the public about global warming. They used the same strategies as tobacco companies. Despicable.
In the random thoughts section, I wish my RSS reader kept track of stats, like google reader does. Then I can figure which feeds to upgrade or downgrade. Does anyone find it ironic that Major Nelson, a Microsoft spokesperson uses Google?
In other random news, the inventor of instant noodles passed away. Choice quote: "I'm happy I've realized my dream that noodles can go into space" and "peace will come to the world when the people have enough to eat". That does bring up a good question...what would the world be like without instant noodle?
posted by Nelson at 12:25 AM
5 Comments:
I don't know what to think of this really:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5236482.stm
But somehow a line from Syriana comes to mind re: global warming
"Corruption is our protection. Corruption is what keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around here instead of fighting each other for scraps of meat out in the streets."
-KM
I really dug Syriana. An entirely separate point that comes from it is how different people see the world we live in: Western lawyers, politicians, finance people and spies, poor, rich and religiously fundamental Middle Eastern people, Asian autocrats. And everyone searching for a purpose and trying to carve out their own little piece of the world.
A very intersting read that's directly about global warming was "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton. I think there are two key things to keep in mind about this book: 1) like many of his novels the annotated bibliography at the end is extensive so you know he's done his research; 2) he presents facts and an alternative interpretation that is, in my mind, different from both the alarmist/tree-hugger perspective and the evil-oil-company perspective.
Jeff
Followup Wikipedia link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Fear
Jeff
I must confess that I'm personally biased on the topic of the environment. Maybe that's why I didn't present my last point with a fair viewpoint, or fair links for matter. But it's a topic that I think I've already decided on. In terms of the environment, I think it is in danger and needs action from our part.
Having said that, I went out and bought State of Fear today to see what arguments it presents. I'll let you know what I think once I've read it.
PS I have yet to see Syriana, but would like to at some point...I've only heard good things about it.
After reading Prey, my respect for Crichton dropped significantly.... but I haven't read his State of Fear (and I want to read his Travels). As for global warming/impact on the environment, at the very least people should adopt a "better safe than sorry" view. Even if global warming cannot be proven, or turns out to be false, what is the harm in inventing more energy efficient technologies and to find ways to protect the planet? I mean, common sense dictates that it'll need to happen sooner or later with the growing population and AFAIK, this is the only habitable planet...
-KM
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