Good news stories about global warming

[PurpleChicken]

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Bravo
Well written post my friend. I'm not sure if I'm more impressed with the
content or the way you wrote it.

 

[mjdtexan]

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You said what I've been trying to say only you said it MUCH better. You eggspress yourself well.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

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Very well said.

 

[scbatz33]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You....I'll be here all week. Don't forget to try the buffet.

 

[Rosalind]

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Actually, I am upset that science education in this country has fallen so far that many Americans have less science & maths education than most Communist, ex-Communist and Third World (AKA "developing") countries.

Most of my engineering & science colleagues are Chinese, Indian, and from ex-USSR countries. Not because they are paid cheaply--many make more $$ than I do, and have become naturalized citizens with all the same workplace rights I have--but because it's darn near impossible to find Americans with math and science skills. They send their own kids to special tutoring, because they think the American educational system is insane not to teach algebra till high school. Every time I see a mainstream media reporter screw up scientific facts, or engage in that post-modernist "there's no such thing as a fact, only someone's opinion and all opinions are valid" it gives me another grey hair.

I am upset because scientific illiteracy and innumeracy has the potential to kill me. I've already been sick with preventable diseases (pertussis) because people saw it on teh intartubez or teh teevee that vaccines cause autism (they don't). I've already been exposed to a whole host of workplace hazards because American co-workers didn't know why or how to read an MSDS on chemical handling. DH and I have both been incorrectly medicated by doctors who give out pills according to something they heard once from a friend and from a pharma salesperson rather than according to evidence-based medicine. I'm upset that doctors are prescribing medications off-label when the last pharmacology class they sat in was back when Eisenhower was president. I'm upset that snake oil salesmen are allowed to sell poison--or tapwater--or magic beans--to people who are desperately ill and in pain, but who can't see the snake oil for what it is because they know so little about how the human body works. I'm upset that the basics of geology and biology are not taught in many schools because it might upset some parent's Bronze Age mythical belief system. I'm upset that those Bronze Age myths are used to justify denying medical care to people in need. I'm upset that people are easily fooled because they don't know the first thing about epistemology, because their foolishness can kill me. I'm sure they'd be, yanno, really sorry afterwards, but the point is that I'd still be dead.

One of my colleagues has posited that there is a wormhole somewhere in the Midwest, and it leads directly back to the 12th century. That's the only explanation for why we currently have people wandering around completely innocent of the Enlightenment upon which so much of Western society is based, including much of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 

[conradpdx]

the⋅o⋅ry   [thee-uh-ree, theer-ee] Show IPA
–noun, plural -ries.
1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity.
2. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.
3. Mathematics. a body of principles, theorems, or the like, belonging to one subject: number theory.
4. the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice: music theory.
5. a particular conception or view of something to be done or of the method of doing it; a system of rules or principles.
6. contemplation or speculation.
7. guess or conjecture.

First I wasn't condemning anyones beliefs (ok a little in one small paragraph about gods will = cop out). But I was making the observation that many are not aware that theories are not guesses when you are talking about topics involving science. Once something has been accepted as a theory in the scientific community it is a fact.

Faith by definition is not fact.

faith (fāth) Pronunciation Key
n.
Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. See Synonyms at belief, trust.
Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance: keeping faith with one's supporters.
often Faith Christianity The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.
The body of dogma of a religion: the Muslim faith.
A set of principles or beliefs.

If your faith decides to disregard an aspect of science it doesn't allow you to change the definition of the word theory. Which the religious do all the time when they dismiss things as theories.

As you can see there are 7 different meanings for theory. Each one means something else. Climate change is a theory of the first definition no one (of the scientific community) is debating as to whether it is happening or not, the second definition would apply to theories of the causes of the climate change.

The problem is many (mostly the religious groups) people when talking about scientific issues use the 6th and 7th definition as to the true definition of theory, while others in on the debate are using the first definition. It might seem like splitting hairs here, but really no progress in the debate can be made when people are using the same words but are registering different meanings.

I am well aware of this, and was pointing it out that some are using one definition while others were on a different definition. And many people are not aware of the Scientific Method, and likewise I will not take advice on logic from someone making posts espousing their religious beliefs, since faith doesn't hold up to the rules of logic.

Secondly, I loath Al Gore, I've never liked him since the late 80's when he and his wife started the PMRC hearings. This was the hearings that put warning labels on the records for content. Though I have no problem with warning labels, their original agenda was to censor and outlaw certain artists. Which of all of our rights is the one I feel is the most important. And if John Denver compares a man beliefs to a Nazi you know you're dealing with someone shady.

He also runs companies that are making money off peoples guilt on this issue. Though people should be doing things to help lessen their impact. He sells "carbon off-set credits" which is just plain silly. Even if 100% of the money goes to non-profits and research, it's misleading and dishonest to pursue donations in this manor.

And believe it or not climate change has been an issue for a long time before "An Inconvenient Truth" was released. Having been one that's followed the topic for along time I'm glad it's raised peoples awareness, but that doesn't mean I like the messenger.​

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Actually, I am upset that science education in this country has fallen so far that many Americans have less science & maths education than most Communist, ex-Communist and Third World (AKA "developing") countries.

Most of my engineering & science colleagues are Chinese, Indian, and from ex-USSR countries. Not because they are paid cheaply--many make more $$ than I do, and have become naturalized citizens with all the same workplace rights I have--but because it's darn near impossible to find Americans with math and science skills. They send their own kids to special tutoring, because they think the American educational system is insane not to teach algebra till high school. Every time I see a mainstream media reporter screw up scientific facts, or engage in that post-modernist "there's no such thing as a fact, only someone's opinion and all opinions are valid" it gives me another grey hair.

I am upset because scientific illiteracy and innumeracy has the potential to kill me. I've already been sick with preventable diseases (pertussis) because people saw it on teh intartubez or teh teevee that vaccines cause autism (they don't). I've already been exposed to a whole host of workplace hazards because American co-workers didn't know why or how to read an MSDS on chemical handling. DH and I have both been incorrectly medicated by doctors who give out pills according to something they heard once from a friend and from a pharma salesperson rather than according to evidence-based medicine. I'm upset that doctors are prescribing medications off-label when the last pharmacology class they sat in was back when Eisenhower was president. I'm upset that snake oil salesmen are allowed to sell poison--or tapwater--or magic beans--to people who are desperately ill and in pain, but who can't see the snake oil for what it is because they know so little about how the human body works. I'm upset that the basics of geology and biology are not taught in many schools because it might upset some parent's Bronze Age mythical belief system. I'm upset that those Bronze Age myths are used to justify denying medical care to people in need. I'm upset that people are easily fooled because they don't know the first thing about epistemology, because their foolishness can kill me. I'm sure they'd be, yanno, really sorry afterwards, but the point is that I'd still be dead.

One of my colleagues has posited that there is a wormhole somewhere in the Midwest, and it leads directly back to the 12th century. That's the only explanation for why we currently have people wandering around completely innocent of the Enlightenment upon which so much of Western society is based, including much of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Rosalind, I agree completely with what you said here until you hit the
"Bronze Age" stereotypes. This is one of the things that causes
polarization of academics, intellectuals, theologian, common pragmatic
people, conservatives, liberals, democrats, republicans, cats and dogs.

None of the problems you mentioned, and I COMPLETELY agree they
are problems, have anything to do with some midwestern biblethumper.

Our public education in this country is horrible. Why? Our society as a
whole doesn't promote math and science. It's become a cultural issue.
Our Christian/Bronze Age schools are turning out MUCH HIGHER
educated children than the public schools are.

Mainstream Media? That's a mess. It's also so sensationalistic and one
sided that it causes more seperation of smart people, like the ones
contributing to this thread.

Doctors and pills? I don't know, maybe it's greed, human nature, bad
science. I'm not sure.

MSDS sheets made me laugh. I carry a binder 3 inches thick that contains
the chemical reactivity of everything I carry on my truck. Heck, I can't
carry Listerine breath spray with me unless I have the MSDS sheet for it.

 

[luvanimals3]

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[luvanimals3]

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American and proud of it! Doesn't always mean that I agree with our government.

 

[BaronRenfrew]

The biggest problem with these concepts are they distract the masses
from real environmental issues. As much as 50% of our kids have asthma,
half our rivers and streams have 5000x the amount of chemical
contamination than the EPA allows, polution in destroying ocean
environments everywhere, etc....

The good news? The USA is doing a better job than it has in the past.
Things are improving here.

The bad news? China and other countries are raping the planet in ways
never seen. Don't get me started on Russia.

Agreed: Al Gore... love or hate him, I don't care, there is one thing he's right on about. CO2 in the atmosphere is higher than at any time in the last 600,000 years. It's in the ice cores of Antarctica, its in the mud samples of the deep ocean. 10,000 years ago there was an ice age, modern man has been around what? 5000 years?
Under normal time periods we should be heading for an ice age.

This isn't normal. The interior forests from Alaska, British Columbia, and Colorado are being destroyed from pine beetles. the beetles are normaly kept under control by cold winters. Instead millions of acres of trees are standing dead. Don't take my word for it. Go to Colorado.

Climate change does not mean everything is a bit warmer. It means everything is more unstable. A normal winter here is 3 feet of snow. Last year we got 20 feet. the year before, no snow. As a farmer I can tell you, the rains used to be soft and long lasting. Now we get pounded with a foot of rain in an hour and everything floods. In a normal summer we get two or three cuts of hay: One in early June, end of July and maybe beginning of September. Last year it rained every two days and we barely got a first cut done in September. The grain crop was a total failure.

THIS IS NOT NORMAL.

Snow in Texas is not normal. Mosquitoes in the high arctic are not normal. West nile virus in Canada is not normal.

Don't agree? listen to your weather forecast. Record cold, record heat, record snow, record rain, record wind, record drought.