It is time to talk about climate again - while we still can.
I hope all those climate deniers out there are eating crow and feeling bad for helping to get things this bad so soon.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/10/weather/ … index.html
https://www.cnn.com/videos/weather/2022 … n-orig.cnn
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/05/world/ho … index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/09/health/w … index.html
Are we doomed to a miserable existence now?You seem to be ubable to accept that correlation is not always related to causation. Maybe if you would bother to listen to someone besides CNN you could learn something new.
You might be doomed. Your heroes like Obama are buying beachfront land on an island because they know that the oceans are not going to rise and destroy their land. He certainly knows he is not doomed.Deny science all you want, but given where you live, the heat will kill you first, unless you drown from torrential rains before that.
Oh, btw, at some point correlation DOES indicate causation to anybody with an open mind.Yes, correlations like ice cream consumption and shark attacks, right? , Deny reality all you want, like the rest of your ilk.
The links refer to very simplistic pages with all respect.
The climate crisis is much worse than just a hot day or an extremely rainy day.
The climate crisis should be priority number one on all political agendas. And I wonder if it will be an issue at all in the upcoming elections in the US.
As the climate crisis will and is already the cause of why people flee their country. It's the reason of the excessive bushfires all over the world.
More people move places from areas that used to be lovely and have become dry and hot to better places.
At the moment the global temperature is gone crazy as the temperature from the oceans is hotter than ever measured.
It is not a discussion of that there is a climate crisis, there simply is.
Also, it is of no scientific discussion that it is caused by humans, it simply is. All the records give proof to it.
The big question is. What do we do about it.
Simply put to stop using the things that cause it the most.
In general, this means oil/gas/diesel whatever you call it.
Now this isn't easy. But one of the things is simply to buy local. And I do not mean just fruit and veg. but also clothing, electronics, furniture etc. Buy from your own country, or if your own country does not have the product, buy it from a nearby country so the shipment is at a minimum.
There is much more that governments worldwide should promote. But they won't do it as most politicians are prisoners in the system they believe in, the economic system of growth. And this economic system of growth will collapse as there are simply not infinite resources. The economic system of growth is built on a cloud of speculation but not on a real-world fundament.
The climate crisis is real and a threat to the civilization as we know it. Resources and food will become more expensive. And of course, poor countries will be hit first.
And oh... Did I mention plastic and forever chemicals....No doubt everything you say is true. But I am not holding my breath waiting for somebody to cry uncle. In America, so long as MAGA has an ability to stop legislation, then we will not be able to do much. Europe is stepping up to the plate more forthrightly, but still not enough.
I think China will get on board again because they are suffering more than any other nation, I think.The cynical part is. The moment you can make money out of renewables and eco-friendly products, companies start to dive into the market. Not to make this world a better place but to chase after profits.
Europe is doing something, but not nearly enough as should be. And the longer the politicians wait with making laws, the more rigorously society changing the laws have to be, something nobody wants.
I'm a positive person, but the more you read about the climate crisis we are in, the more scientific data you see, the more you understand that we are walking knowingly into the abyss.
Perhaps China will give us an example of how to do things. A dictatorship can sometimes be handy as you don't have to go through endless procedures to get things done.
But if I look at the bulk of products that are made in China I'm still pretty pessimistic.
It's consumerism that has to stop. But how do you stop this behaviour?
"Winston Churchill once famously observed that Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else."
I have great faith in individual Americans' eventual success in doing the right thing - however long it takes!As do I, but I am very fearful many are going to die because we kept looking for other than the right solution.
I don't think the human race will become extinct, and certainly not other living species. But I do think humanity will be degraded to the point where we are incapable of continuing to pollute the atmosphere and in a few thousand years, the CO2 concentration may get back down the acceptable levels.
I also think there is a real chance that those who possess nuclear weapons will use them either defensively or offensively in order to gain a survivability advantage over others.
As I discovered the other day, there are potential tools that can probably solve global warming, but its side effects might be terrible. That has to do with making our cloud layers more reflective. Unfortunately, the unintended consequences are unknown and the conservatives among us don't want to even study it while the very liberal among us may push to use it without understanding itYep, it’s highly unlikely that the human race will become extinct because of the climate change crisis; but certainly there are other living species that are under threat from climate change, including in the UK.
Species that are being adversely affected by climate change in the UK include the puffins, blue tits, badgers, moles and hedgehogs, and certain species of butterflies just to name a few.
Records show that 492 species recorded in England over the past 2,000 years have gone extinct, of which 480 have gone extinct in the last 200 years; including the penguin-like great auk; Mitten's beardless moss; York groundsel, a weed only discovered in the 1970s; and the Ivell's sea anemone.
Other species that have gone extinct in England in the last 200 years include:
• Great Bustard – became extinct in 1833
• Large Tortoishell – extinct in 1953
• Potted Sulphur - extinct in 1960
• Burbot – extinct in 1960
• Ivells sea anemone – extinct in 1983
• Black Meadow Ant – extinct in 1988
• Irish ladys-tresses – extinct in 1990s
Certainly species become threatened from persecution or hunting, overfishing, loss of habitat and alien invasion; but equally these days (since the start of the Industrial Revolution) a lot of the species are also under threat from not being able to adapt quickly enough to a changing climate.
Some insects, including butterflies, that used to be common in southern England are migrating northwards as the climate warms; and a number of species that are native to France but unseen in England (because of our cooler climate) are now migrating to southern England.
Seven animal species that never used to exist in the UK but are now relocating to the UK due to Global Warming include:-
• Hammerhead shark
• Sand tiger shark
• Blacktip shark
• Pyralid moths
• Comb jellyfish – a few decades ago you never saw jellyfish in the UK, you would have to go to southern France to see that – whereas nowadays jellyfish in British waters is common place.
• Migratory birds, such as Little Bittern and Zitting Cisticola
• SquidThe UK is the only country in the world where the government has made ‘carbon net zero by 2050’ a legal requirement! And what’s quite intriguing is that the law wasn’t passed by a left-wing government, but a right-wing Conservative government! https://youtu.be/hj7v8e1uLyE
The effect of such a law is that it makes the UK Government accountable to the climate activists e.g. back in March this year when the UK Government was poised to publish its response to the CCC (Climate Change Committee) the Environmentalists gave the Government a stark warning that if the Government tried to water down its policies on Climate Change that they would take legal action against the Government in the courts for breaching the Government’s own laws.
As it turned out, the Government’s response set out the progress the Government had made over the previous 12 months and addressed the CCC's recommendations; including the publication of Government’s latest plan to tackle climate change, entitled “Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Delivery Plan” – link to a copy of that Plan below:-
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u … erview.pdf
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is in ‘independent’ Government body, set-up by the Labour (socialist) Government in 2008 to advise the UK Government and Parliament, and the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Governments on tackling and preparing for climate change. In the UK an ‘independent Government Body’ is a Government Department that is not answerable to the Government, but answerable to Parliament only e.g. a check and balance system to ensure that an unscrupulous government can’t influence or misuse the Department for its own political goals.
The effect of the UK Government’s climate change policies is already paying dividends e.g. last winter, because of the Ukrainian war causing a chronic energy shortage, electricity prices sky rocketed; but this summer, as several new large windfarms have come on line electricity prices have fallen significantly.
One British leading economist on British news last week made a good point: He pointed out that when adversaries talk about spending money on fossil fuels (oil and gas) that they call it ‘investment’, whereas when they talk about spending money on carbon reduction, including ‘Renewable Energy’ they always call it ‘costs’.As long as MAGA is around in America, we won't be following the same, sane path as you guys. I have also heard the same "investment - cost" point made here.
Yeah, I know - it’s a shame; and a missed opportunity for America e.g. investment in Renewable Energy is big business, good for the economy, good for employment and good for the environment; and likewise, investment in R&D (Research and Development) is proving to be equally profitable, good for the economy, good for employment and good for the environment, and is good for a counties exports and GDP.
Countries that are in at the ground (at the start) of R&D become world leaders in the new ‘green technologies’; which is why for example China is a world leader in solar panel technologies, and Britain is a world leader in offshore wind-power technologies.
Currently Scotland and Australia are vying to become world leaders in ‘green hydrogen’ technologies; an area of research that is potentially worth $billions. The global green hydrogen market is currently only worth an estimated $4.02 billion, but it is expected to grow to over $331.98 billion by 2032 – and courtiers like Scotland and Australia are aiming to have a lion share of that market.
Off the back of the research being done in Scotland on ‘green hydrogen’ the UK Conservative Government is one of just a handful of countries investing in the R&D of green hydrogen trains, including China, Germany, France and India.
Green Hydrogen production opportunities in Scotland: https://youtu.be/aWPlX0sBzmc
UK’s first hydrogen train ventures out onto the main line: https://youtu.be/OddzzRZGsLU
Currently only 29% of the UK’s trains are diesel (fossil fuels). Over the past 10 years or so the rest of the diesel trains having already been replaced by electric trains; as part of the UK Conservative Government’s electrification of the railways. The UK Government are banning the use of any diesel train on the British rail network by 2040; But with electrification of the railways being an expensive and slow proves, the current intention of the UK Government is that most of the currently remaining diesel trains will be replaced by green hydrogen trains by 2040.Not enough, but Biden managed to dump a lot of money into renewables and electric. Pissed Europe off, it seems.
Yes, I did see the backlash in Europe of Biden’s plan on the news; and yes EU countries were pissed off because they are fearful that it will divert investment away from Europe to America; which is the wrong attitude.
However I was pleased to see the UK Government’s response. Europe has been complaining for years that America has not been doing enough to combat climate change, as Climate Change is a worldwide crisis; so in contract to the EU, the UK Government welcomed Biden’s plan, as we’re all in the same boat, and it’s good to finally see America make an effort.In the same boat is right, and we have the Right-wing dumping water into (heavier rain, hurricanes and all that) it rather than trying hard to begin bailing it out. If the worst happens, it will be their fault, not that makes much difference as you melt into a puddle or get washed away.
Yeah, a sad situation – It amazes me on how partisan American politics are; even though from a European perspective Republicans and Democrats are close to each other on the political spectrum!
In the UK, as with the rest of Europe, we have a far wider spectrum of politics than in the USA, yet our different political parties in the UK can and do work together quite harmoniously most of the time; cross party Parliamentary Select Committees being a prime example https://youtu.be/cTtP39bLYBg
The Cross Party Select Committee who investigated Boris Johnson, and caused him to resign from politics was made up of 4 Conservatives, 2 Labour and 1 SNP (Scottish National Party) MPs. If Boris hadn’t resigned then based on the Report published by the Select Committee MPs in the House of Commons would have voted to suspend Boris from Parliament for three months; which under the British Constitution would have allowed his own constituency (the people who elected him as an MP) to have petitioned to sack him as a politician e.g. it only requires 10% of voters in a constituency (seat) to sign the petition for an MP to be sacked by his/her voters; a prospect that Boris didn’t want to face, so he resigned instead.
Ironically, this law that allows (under the right conditions) for the voters who elected their MP, to be able to sack that MP, was a law introduced by the Conservative Government in 2015.
How to Sack Your MP: https://youtu.be/5vg47XCiJRIFor the most part, your opposing parties seem to put Country above politics most of the time. Even Boris, like Nixon, had the good sense to resign; but noooo, not Trump. He wants to make America look like Russia instead.
Now that MAGA has taken over the Republican party in America, that is no longer true here.Yeah, the nearest we have to your MAGA is the ERG group within the Conservative Party. The ERG (European Research Group) is a small group of hard-right-wing anti-EU, Nationalist Conservative MPS, on the far right of the Conservative Party. The ERG was formed in the late 1980s in opposition to Margaret Thatcher’s pro EU policies; and since that time had always been an insignificant irritant to more moderate Conservative Leaders (Like David Cameron).
But in 2016 they came to the fore, supporting Boris Johnson (who has never been a member of the ERG), they were instrumental in putting Boris Johnson in Power (as Prime Minister) and made Brexit happen; and as a reward Boris Johnson stuffed his Cabinet (Government Ministers) with ERG members – so that for a few short years Britain was ruled by an hard-right-wing anti-European and anti-immigration Nationalist Government.
At their height, during the Brexit campaign there were 35 Conservative MPs who were members of the ERG; now that has dropped to just 12 members.
Yes, in Spain Renewable Energy is supported by the right too! This is because it's a sector to make millions in. At the moment multinationals are fighting to get their hands on a slice of the renewable energy pie.
The solar farms and the windmill parks are in many cases a disaster for the biodiversity and local agriculture.(Almonds. olives, oranges)
So Renewable energy definitely is not always green and good for the environment. It got this label but that's pr.
We are talking about big amounts of money and the renewable energy market is just like any other market that runs with shareholders and hedge funds. Profit is the first concern, it's basically greenwashing in many cases.
To put solar panels on the roofs and to support this system, that's the way to go. But not to cut down millions of trees to make way for solar farms.Yep, I absolutely agree with you - and so does the current UK Conservative Government; that’s why, in spite of pressure from industry and environmentalists the UK Government put a moratorium on on-shore windfarms in 2015.
And it’s also, even without the moratorium, in the UK planning restrictions, which under British law includes environmental impact, is so strict as to prevent on-shore windfarms from being built where it would adversely affect biodiversity and local agriculture.
Notwithstanding the above, in March this year the UK Conservative Government lifted the moratorium on building new on-shore windfarms in Britain, but added new restrictions (on top of the standard planning consent regards to environmental restrictions to protect the biodiversity and agriculture etc.). The new additional restrictions being that provided planning permission for new on-shore windfarms don’t adversely impact on the environment, and don’t infringe any other planning laws; a new on-shore windfarm can only be built, only if the project gains the support of local community e.g. if all other planning conditions are met, and the project doesn’t negatively impact the environment, then the local community has the final say.Yes, there is friction between multinationals wanting to cash in on the renewable energy market in the environmental concerns and biodiversity.
The word renewable energy is incredibly misleading.
I can't talk about the UK. But to be honest I'm highly suspicious about why the tories would support renewable energy. They simply support the multinationals and are probably making lucrative deals. I don't know, but I would be surprised if they had a good track record of conserving the environment. (Except for fox hunting ground...)
Back to the thread:
It's clear that we have to change the energy production and consumption. As the consumption is rising by the day, but the resources are finite. So even without bringing the climate crisis into the discussion we are heading towards a civilization collapse if nothing is been done.
But solar and windfarms can't substitute oil and gas add the moment. It is only added to the energy resources we already use. We are not pumping less oil out of the ground now we have solar energy.
Solar energy is not replacing gas. In that way, we are not really doing much against the climate crisis.
The main thing is simply changing consumption behavior. And this is incredibly difficult. But it is the rich countries that do most of the consumption. And this should be stopped. But hé tell that to the spoiled consumers and to the people who profit from selling stuff.
That's why I personally think that a civilization collapse will be unavoidable. I'm a positive person, but this thing that is happening right now is bulldozing on and on, if you are a positive person or not, it does not care.
The more you read about the climate crisis, the more you understand how disastrous it is the situation we are in.
As it is not just spikes of hot weather and extreme weather, which will each year be more and more.
The climate crisis will effect poverty and resources with a result of more and more refugees who have to leave their country as it is not livable anymore.
With weather change, more bad harvests will happen with food prices going up.
More insects like malaria will go North as it becomes warmer.
Desease will spread as viruses and bacteria find new living space too.
Wars about resources.
More people dying from the extreme weather.
Water shortage as there is less snow on the mountains. Etc.
And this is just something a person without studying these kinds of things can come up with.
It is scarry when you think about it. And perhaps that's the reason why most people don't want to know. Better to live in ignorance till the bomb drops...
Problem is... ignorance is the bomb itself....Yeah, generally worldwide, right-wing capitalist Conservative governments do support multinationals; but in the UK, not so much.
As you know, I am a socialist and as such no friend of the Conservatives (Tories); as a socialist I have many criticisms of the Conservatives in Britain, but surprisingly, in Britain the Conservatives attitudes towards the environment isn’t what you would expect from a right-wing capitalist Conservative party.
I think one of the major factors in this is that in Britain, over the decade’s checks and balances have been imposed on Government to divorce their link from businesses, specifically to help protect against bribery and corruption. For example, the Electoral Commission (an independent Government Body) strictly Regulate political parties income and expenditure and donations so as to help ensure that there is a ‘level playing field’ and that no Government is under any moral obligation to show favour to any private Business/Industry e.g. the Electoral Commission scrutinise all political financial accounts, and prohibit large donations from an individual Company/Business/Industry.
The effect of this is often evident in Britain when Industry’s lobbying of the Conservative Government falls on deaf ears e.g. British Industry lobbied the Conservatives heavily, and publically, during Brexit to try to dissuade the Conservatives from going through with Brexit.
It was the Conservative Government who in 2019 passed the law making Britain the only country in the world where becoming carbon net neutral by 2050 is not just a Government target, but a legal requirement; and ironically it’s left the Conservative Government (or any future Government) open to potentially being prosecuted in the British courts by environmentalists if the UK Government falters in its legal requirement to make Britain carbon net neutral by 2050.
Taking your other points, in turn:-
1. Yes, it is clear that we do have to change the energy production and consumption.
I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but in the UK energy production and consumption are changing in a positive way. In 2010, only 5.8% of the UK’s electricity was from Renewable Energy; in 2022 47.8% of our electricity came from Renewable Energy.
And it may surprise you to learn that total energy production and consumption is not rising in the UK. Having spent over an hour pouring over data going back to 1970, the long term trend is the revere to what we would imagine; it was a surprise to me – In fact over the past 12 months in the UK:-
• Total energy production has decreased by 7.9%
• Energy imports have increased by 3.7%
• Energy Exports have decreased by 2.5%, and
• Total energy demand has decreased by 3.4%
Attached, is the latest document giving some of that raw data: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u … e_2023.pdf
2. Yeah, I do gather that across the world, energy consumption is rising by the day, and the resources of fossil fuels are finite.
But, as the data above shows, energy consumption, surprisingly, is not rising in the UK, and Renewable Energy e.g. sun/wind and Tide etc. are not finite resources.
There are many reasons why energy consumption is not rising in the UK as one would expect it would be; including, but not exclusive to, all the energy saving methods introduced by the British Government over the past 10 years e.g. compulsory switch to energy saving lightbulbs, Legislation to make all devices far more energy efficient; Tougher building Regulations to make home better insulated and more energy efficient; and countless Government Public Awareness Campaigns etc. etc.
3. Yep, we are rapidly heading towards an environmental crisis on a global scale if we do too little too late to mitigate against the Climate Change crisis.
In that respect Britain, and other countries are doing all they can; but more can be done and there are plenty of countries, like the USA, who are resisting change.
4. One area where I do disagree with you is whether solar and windfarms can substitute oil and gas at this time.
In Britain oil and gas is being phased out as we transition towards Renewable Energy. It’s not something that can be done overnight; but the current time table set out by the current UK Conservative Government is quite comprehensive, and includes the following:-
In the UK:
• On the 1st of May this year the sale of domestic coal was banned.
• The last remaining coal power station in the UK will close down by 2025.
• The sale of new fossil fuel (petrol and diesel) car will be banned in the UK from 2030.
• Natural gas in domestic homes to be phased out by 2035.
• Diesel trains will be banned in the UK by 2040.
5. Where you say “solar and windfarms can't substitute oil and gas add the moment. It is only added to the energy resources we already use. We are not pumping less oil out of the ground now we have solar energy.”
I’ve largely answered these points above. But interestingly, and surprisingly, in spite of the energy crisis that we faced last year because of the war in Ukraine; over the last year Britain has produced 12% less oil, and 1.3% less gas; demand for oil in the UK has decreased by 2.2% over the past year; and demand for natural gas in the UK has decreased by 6.2% - Britain maybe bucking the world trend, but at least Britain shows what can be achieved.
And, unlike the USA, fracking is illegal in the UK. Scotland made fracking illegal in 2015, and the UK Conservative Government made fracking illegal in the UK in 2019. So, in spite of the fact that there is a wealth of untapped oil and gas underground in England and Scotland which could only be extracted by fracking; to date no commercial fracking has taken place because of a ban by the UK right-wing Conservative capitalist Government – So not surprisingly, Cuadrilla Resources, founded in 2007, who is the only oil speculator in fracking in the UK, have spent $millions over the last 15 years drilling exploration wells in northern England, are heavily in debt because they haven’t been permitted to frack commercially. Cuadrilla Resources is a small UK Company financed 93% by an Australian oil company and an American equity firm, and owned 7% by the local employees’ in Lancashire, who have invested in the Company.
6. True, solar energy, by itself cannot replace natural gas – especially in a country like Britain, where we don’t get a great deal of sunshine; but in a country like Britain, wind power, in conjunction with other Renewable Energies can and is making a difference e.g. over the past 12 months, only 40.6% of our electricity in the UK came from fossil fuels; compared to just 10 years ago (when the Conservatives first came to power) when 98% of our electricity came from fossil fuels.
7. I totally agree with you, there is a need for “changing consumption behaviour.” which as you say “is incredibly difficult”, and yes “it is the rich countries that do most of the consumption.”
With a lot of constant ‘public awareness’ campaigns we get from our Government, attitude are changing, and have dramatically changed, in Britain over the past 12 years; not just public attitudes, but also many, many large Commercial Organisations are doing their bit to promote a cleaner, greener Britain e.g. by focusing more on locally sourcing and recycling etc.
8. I agree totally “The more you read about the climate crisis, the more you understand how disastrous it is the situation we are in.” and I agree fully that it’s more than just “spikes of hot weather and extreme weather” which are getting worse year on year.
And I fully agree with the rest of your comprehensive comments; picking up, for example, on the point where you say “More insects like malaria will go north as it becomes warmer.” Yep, that’s already happing e.g. although we have over 30 native mosquito species in the UK, none of them carry disease, and therefore no more than a general nuisance. However, over the last 20 years disease-carrying mosquitoes have been spreading through Europe, slowly moving northwards as the climate gets hotter, and getting increasingly closer to southern England.
On a final note: I too tend to have a positive attitude; but also critical e.g. not taking anything at face value until I’ve fact-checked it.
I am sure individual Americans will eventual succeed in doing the right thing: But the problem is – “Time is NOT on our side”. If we don’t act decisively enough now, it may well be too late by the time people wake up and realise the situation e.g. it would be like trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted.
On Friday September 1, there was heavy down pour in the South part of Nigeria. It continued non-stop to Sunday today September 3. The possibility of the Sun, heating up the environment is zero even today. Every piece of land, is a water shed. Now, at 10.25 AM a torrent is pouring, and I couldn't leave my house to church. Apparently on August 31, when the full blue Moon took it's toil lower on the Atlantic, they was a sort of trigance that brings in the rains plus heavy flooding from the Atlantic. All these complicated the weather crisis. Both El Nino and Nina are at work, and I was telling others that this pattern of rainfall once occured in 1971. I've read about El Nino in India, and the destruction of rice paddies with rain-floods. Consequently, raising the cost of rice world-wide.
It is already record breaking hot and El Nino hasn't even kicked in fully yet.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/11/weather/ … index.htmlHere its been hell! I have never experienced these temperatures before.
I can believe that. On the other hand, here in Florida, it has been normal, sort of. It is definitely hotter than last year but not like the Southwest and apparently you are experiening.
It seems America is now finally going through the shift to the hotter weather that Britain started to experience over 20 years ago; and if the same thing happens in America as has happened in Britain, it's going to get hotter and hotter over the years to come!
Some are pushing for a new Epoch name to indicate the profound effect humans have had on our earth - the Anthropocene Epoch.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/11/world/an … index.htmlI wonder how many people must die today because climate change-deniers won their battle to stop gov'ts from fighting harder to save the planet?
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/14/weather/ … index.htmlYes; a dire situation.
The usual bunch of climate change deniers on HubPages is conspicuous by their absence in this forum – could that be because its finally dawning on them that the climate change crisis is real?It is difficult to change your opinion, even if you know that you are wrong. As many opinions are intertwined.
Climate Change dinial is often connected to a strong religious belief. It's for people who believe in a God very difficult to accept that humans are messing up and are the cause of the climate crisis. Was nature not made by God, and therefore humans have no influence on it...
Also many people don't like to know when situations are bad, they prefer to do nothing, hoping that by time it will go away. This strategy often works, but not this time. Climate Change is not like war, you just wait a couple of years and things will be good again.
There are a lot of reasons why it is difficult to accept that you are wrong.
Ask a smoker if he knows that long cancer is real and connected to smoking, and he will laugh and make a joke and say, oh but not to me.
Same, talk with people about how bad it is for the planet to eat meat. Even people who know that climate change is real will find it difficult to become a vegetarian.
Still the discussion must be held.
CNN does not qualify as a scientifically legitimate source of information, certainly not THE one and only expert authority, as is being presented here. CNN, like other disaster-hungry popular news media, uses fear mongering as a device to capture audience share.
Being solely guided by a series of scare stories about isolated weather events, collected together like they are research references, is very simple-minded, misguided thinking. And I'm not trying to be insulting. I'm certainly not trying to be insensitive to the hardships of people who are harmed by severe weather events. But the fact that today's information machines can locate, emphasize, and collect numerous stories of such incidents in one place at one time does not mean that these events are happening at the same rate as they can be collected and reported.
More people than ever before are alive in the world today. Consequently, more people than ever before are experiencing weather events, ... reporting about them, obsessing on the hardships caused by them, focusing attention on them 24/7. These events are NOT more frequent and NOT more devastating -- there are simply more people experiencing what has always happened, people who have massive information machines to report their experiences and glorify their experiences and promote those experiences in a manner that cause great fear for others.
I urge everyone here to read the following excellent assessment:
https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/upl … -07-19.pdf
Do not be fooled by what is not a real trend. Do not call rational people hateful names.First point:-
Yes, two prominent names from two prestigious universities sound impressive; but Richard Lindzen, a known climate change denialist, retired from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013.
The other author of the paper that is pro-fossil fuel, William Happer, was dismissed from the Department of Energy in 1993 after disagreements on the ozone hole; specifically for disagreeing with the prevailing scientific view on the harmful effects of ozone depletion (which is now well understood) and the harmful effects of greenhouse gases on the Earth’s environment and on human health.
William Happer, is not a climate scientist, and rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. Therefore, it’s should be no surprise why Donald Trump appointed him in 2018 to the National Security Council to counter evidence linking carbon dioxide emissions to global warming e.g. being paid to disprove climate change.
Second Point:-
Where you say: “These events are NOT more frequent and NOT more devastating -- there are simply more people experiencing what has always happened,…..”
FYI: I’ve witnessed and experienced the changes where I live over my lifetime, and I can assure you that these days, these events (where I live, and personally witness) are far more frequent and far more devastating than they were just 30 years ago – And I’m just one person. Europe’s devastating heatwaves, droughts and wildfires are becoming far more frequent and far more deadly – and that is an established fact because we have something known as a thermometer that shows how far more frequent and how much hotter Europe’s heatwaves are becoming.You can make that two people. I bet there are now millions who believe climate change is responsible for the FIRST EVER tropical storm in Southern California.
I think it is just foolish, and more importantly, dangerous for people to deny what is right in front of their faces and is now established scientific fact.I am on my last day in London, which is experiencing its own unusual weather - three nice days in a row!
Going back to Piccadilly to catch a hop-on, hop-off bus, have Yorkshire Pudding we say here two days ago, and to take Mary the the Hippodrome Casino. I am hoping the "casino" is not another code word like Circus is for circle, lol.
We hunted all over the London Bridge area for Yorkshire Pudding and finally had to settle for a "smash burger".Cool, sounds as if you are having a smashing time in London; what was the ‘smash burger’ like?
I’ve never heard of ‘Smashburger’, but on searching on Google discovered that it started in Denver, Colorado in 2007 and has now spread to 9 counties, including the UK. The first Smashburger in the UK opened in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (50 miles from London). There are currently 7 Smashburger restaurants in the UK, the nearest to us being Bath (just 11 miles away from where I live).
Of course, being a vegetarian the traditional smash burger isn’t something I would have, but looking at their menu on line, I note that they do have a vegan and vegetarian selection.
Yorkshire pudding is something we have most Sunday’s when I cook our Sunday evening meal.
I’d like to hear more of your trip when you get back to America.LOL, we just found out tonight that Yorkshire pudding is a Sunday thing. We searched high and low for it in the London Bridge area yesterday but came up empty. So we planned our trip today to end up at the restaurant where Mary say it - on Sunday. They neglected to mention that was the only day they served it was on Sunday.
Also, they served vegetarian smashburgers as well at the place we ate yesterday. To tell you the truth, I don't see the point, but Mary said it was good.
I'll be happy to tell you when I recover from "vacation"Wondered where you got to... Very much boring here without your input. Sounds like you have had a wonderful vacation. I look forward to your return... LOL Have safe and happy travels.
SharI look forward to hearing more about your trip, when you recover from your vacation – LOL.
Traditionally, an English Sunday Lunch, Yorkshire pudding is served with Roast beef, roast potatoes and a selection of freshly steamed seasonal vegetables, and gravy.
And another common practice in England is to cook too much, and then use the leftovers to make a ‘cottage pie’ the next day.
Of course, being a vegetarian I cook a vegetarian pie in place of the beef, and make vegetarian gravy; and then I use the leftovers to make a vegetation equivalent to ‘cottage pie’. A cottage pie is a rich meaty filling (minced beef) on the bottom, topped with vegetables, and then blanketed in a top layer of potato thatch (mashed potato). A Sheppard’s pie is identical except its minced lamb rather than minced beef as the bottom layer.
https://www.food.com/recipe/old-england … ing-263751
Another popular English dish, using Yorkshire pudding is ‘toad in the hole’ https://www.daringgourmet.com/toad-in-t … ding-bake/I also brought home a little English Covid, lol.
I read your words to my wife and then sent them to her. I have a feeling it won't be long before I start tasing some of those foods.Sorry to hear about the Covid, I hope you make a speedy recovery.
If your wife tries the recipes I hope you enjoy – I look forward to what you think
We do to, though it may be awhile. Mary just tested positive. I am probably the culprit although she might have caught it at the airport or the last day in London.
I'll let you know how they turn out.Thanks, and wishing you both a speedy recovery.
I am recovered but sadly I gave it to my wife.
Anyway, we found all of Great Britain lovely - but expensive. Our itinerary went like this:
1. Arrived in Heathrow and our $350 ride left us hanging because our luggage missed the plane - he didn't wait the promised amount of time. After a $450 Uber ride, we made it to Dover. That was on the 10th
2. Not all bad, Booking.Com refunded our money as well as made up the difference without too much hassle.
3. On the 11th, we boarded the ship (easiest boarding ever) and headed out to sea.
4. The 12th, was a "sea day" with no port-of-call
5. On the 13th, we arrived in Hollyhead, Wales. We took a trip inland to see a botanical garden. This is where they have that zip line I think you told me about, but Carnival didn't have it as an excursion.
6. On the 14th, we arrived in Glasgow, Scotland. There we wen to see the lochs.
7. Then on the 15th, we headed over to Belfast, Northern Ireland where we toured the city and the Titanic experience (they don't want to be called a museum.)
8. On to Dublin, Ireland on the 16th where we stayed on board and rested - sitting in coaches is exhausting.
9. We found ourselves in Cobb, Ireland the next day, the 17th. Off to the wilderness for a scenic drive.
10. The 18th took us to Liverpool, England where I found the River Mersey isn't in America like I presumed from the song Ferry Cross the Mersey. I still have that tune going through my head! There, we visited Chester.
11. Another sea day heading back to Dover on the 19th.
12. Arrived in Dover on the 20th and took a $150 Carnival provided bus ride back to Heathrow where we grabbed a $100 taxi to our hotel in north London. We used Wyndham points for this "conveniently located" hotel - it wasn't.
13. Spent the 20th, 21st, and 22nd going back and forth from the hotel to various parts of London.
14. After another $90 Uber ride to Heathrow on the 23rd, we came home.
15. Somewhere between the 19th and the 22nd is when I think I (we) caught Covid.
I will have more later on each of ports we went to if you want to hear.Thanks for your comprehensive feedback, which is very enlightening.
One thing that struck me was your heavy reliance on Uber and Taxi; the most expensive form of travel.
I’ve never used an Uber, and the last time I used a taxi was over 12 years ago; I only use taxies as a last result because in comparison to Public Transport they are very expensive.
In comparison the cost of train from Dover to Heathrow is from around £70 ($90), and the journey time is just over two hours.
Also, from Heathrow there are 3 London Underground stations to choose from; all just few minutes' walk away via pedestrian subway.
In London the cheapest way to travel by Public Transport is to buy a weekly Oyster card, which is capped at £74.70 ($94) for unlimited travel for the week on all Public Transport in London.
There are 272 London Underground stations, so it doesn’t matter where you are in London there is almost invariably a Tube Station within a short walking distance, and the trains typically run every two or three minutes on most lines, so you can get from almost any point in London to any other point within less than half an hour.
Wow, you certainly did get around a lot during your week in the UK.
Yes, certainly I would love to hear more of your journey: it is one thing living here and knowing what it’s like to live here; but to get a perspective from a tourist, especially a non-European who comes from a different culture, learning their perspective (warts and all) is educational.Once we figured it out, we used the tube to get back and forth to London although we still had to take an Uber to the Edgware station from the Ramada we were at. For a supposedly conveniently located hotel, it was strange that not one of the taxi or Uber drivers knew where it was. Two actually got lost, once on the way to pick us up and once to drop us off. (Uber is probably 80% the cost of a taxi, btw. We use them a lot over here as opposed to renting a car.)
Our three days in London consisted of first getting to Piccadilly Circus (where there is no circus as it turns out, just a massive circle). We had the most delicious ice cream ever there, found out that McDonalds has two floors with no lift, and went to the restaurant that where we saw the Yorkshire Pudding (on a Sunday). We enjoyed the walk, sights, and cool weather very much.
On Monday, we went back down to take a hop-on, hop-off tour bus, which didn't happen. We got off at the London Bridge underground exit and walked around from there. Found out the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge are two different bridges. We started off with some more great ice cream from across the station and started wandering around.
We first found the Southwark Cathedral and strolled around inside that for awhile, quite impressive. We then found the London Bridge and ultimately crossed it (seeing the Tower Bridge for the first time). Walked along the River Thames until we got to a river boat dock where we took a river cruise that went down to Winchester and back.
After disembarking, we worked our away across the Tower Bridge and started searching for someplace to eat that elusive Yorkshire Pudding. Failure. After a dinner which for me was fish and chips (I do like chips), we got back on the tube and headed back to the hotel.
Our third day was in search of a casino, a hop-on, hop-off buss, and back to the restaurant that had the Yorkshire Pudding. We got off at Leicester Station and into the Hippodrome Casino. While impressive, it was disappointing since it was mostly closed and the slot machines, which Mary likes to play, were very limited, by law apparently. From there, back down to Piccadilly Circus to get on a bus which took us on a sightseeing tour around most of London and saw the normal sights including the Shard. We got off at Buckingham Palace, although it was too late to tour it. Nevertheless, the building and the grounds were quite breathtaking.
From there we crossed the Greens and headed back to Piccadilly and our restaurant where we found they served Yorkshire Pudding only on Sundays. From there is was back to the hotel and home the next day.Wow, you certainly managed to get around and see the sights.
Glad you managed to figure out the tube and make use of it. As a Brit, whenever I’ve visited or stayed in London I’ve only ever used the tube to get around because I’ve found it convenient, cheap and easy to use – so my views of it are positive; but of course, as a tourist from across the pond using it for the first time your views/experience may be different – positive or negative?
Thanks for the info on Uber vs Taxi fares, not having ever used Uber and only rarely using taxies, that something I was unaware of.
One fact which you may or may not find of interest is that, after years of Uber being dragged through the British courts on the legal status of Uber drivers, in 2021 the Supreme Court ruled that in the UK Uber drivers are not self-employed, but employees of Uber – which was a big blow to Uber in the UK as Uber drivers now have the same legal protection as all employees in the UK, under the British ‘labour protection laws’ e.g. Uber now have to pay all their drivers the legal minimum wage, give them 6 weeks paid annual (vacation) leave etc., and once a driver has worked for Uber for more than 2 years they can’t be sacked without a good legal reason.
Yes, the slot machines in the UK are very limited by law; the Gambling Act 2005 introduced by the Labour Government – and there is currently Legislation going through Parliament where the Conservative Government is going to make the Law even tougher.
Under current UK laws a large casino can have up to 150 slot machines, while small casinos are restricted to a maximum of 80. And currently the maximum stake allowed on slot machines in casinos is £2 with the maximum price of £4,000, although most are limited to a £1 stake with maximum prize from £8 to £500.
There are only around and estimated 300,000 problem gamblers in the UK – which is a lot lower than I thought it would be. But nevertheless, in recent years there have been a number of high profile court cases e.g. in March 2023, the Gambling Commission fined William Hill (a British gambling company) over £19 million ($24 million) for failures including allowing a customer to spend £23,000 ($29,000) in just 20 minutes – which is why the Conservative Government is pushing Legislation through Parliament to tighten up on the Gambling Laws.
The new proposals by the UK Conservative Government include a ‘mandatory levy’ on the gambling industry to pay for treatment of addiction, new player protection checks and stake limits etc.
Your references to Piccadilly Circus not being a circus but a circle got my curiosity (something I’d never thought about before). So I was intrigued to find out why it’s called a circus.
What I discovered is that Piccadilly Circus was built in 1819, and whoever named it used Latin e.g. the Latin word for circle is circus!Other than the coaches not being air conditioned, we enjoyed the underground. They were clean, somewhat intuitive, and had helpful people around to assist. The maps, however, were very hard to 1) read and 2) interpret.
I remember reading about Uber's trials and tribulations in England. They went through the same thing in California and initially ended up as they are there. CA passed a law said that independent contractors who do not have business licenses to provide the service must be employed by those using them (hence, my company had to hire about 10 people we use in CA). An initiative, however, was put on the California ballot by the people that reversed that specifically for that type of "gig" worker, e.g. Uber and Lyft drivers.
If America had the gambling laws you do there, there would be another civil war, lol,Yeah I guess for someone not familiar with the London underground the maps would be hard to read and interpret; but once you get used to them it does become second nature. And yes, air conditioning isn’t a big thing in Britain; in spite of the frequent heatwaves we get these days, British homes are still not air-conditioned.
Thanks for the update on the work status of Uber drivers in California – interesting how the people reversed the California law.
Yeah, with places like Las Vegas, I can imagine British style gambling laws would cause riots – lol.
I need to send stuff when I write it, otherwise it goes to bit heaven.
Our first port-of-call was Holyhead, Wales. That is where the zip line was, but, sadly, Carnival didn't have it as an excursion. We took the the Snowdonia National Park and Bodnant Gardens tour, about 4.5 hours.
The coaches throughout England, it seems (and maybe Europe) are thin. The seats are just as bad as sitting in airline seats, very uncomfortable. The air conditioning worked great, however but the glass on the side you are sitting is very reflective so if you aren't looking straight out, you see the other side of the road, very confusing sometimes.
The guides were great and the drivers even better; it is amazing how they can navigate the very narrow roads on your side of the pond. To a person, the guides were informative, interesting, and some cases, entertaining. They did a great job of filling us in on the history of what we were seeing.
The drive to Bodnant Gardens through the Snowdonia National Park was extremely pretty. About the only type of terrain we didn't cross was desert. That was a very pretty time of the year, for each trip we took.
Bodnant Gardens, on the other hand, left something to be desired. It would have been an extremely beautiful place - had it been Spring. But it wasn't, it was Fall and most of the flora was faded. One of the more interesting sites there was his house (with no purpose) in the picture below (I hope). The story is that the man of the house wanted it built so he could have something to look at and wanted to put it directly in front of his estate. The wife said no, that would block the view and needed to be put to the side. They argued a lot about it and finally asked the head gardener. The wife won, as you can see.
The grounds were massive and wonderful to look at. It was not a moderate walk as Carnival had advertised; we were out of breath and week-kneed a lot.
Of all the stops, this was the least desirable, save for Dublin where we didn't bother getting off the ship.
Additional pictures are of the estate, and then looking downhill from the estate. The picture above was at the bottom.
Yeah, a lot of coaches in Britain can be a little cramped and uncomfortable; one reason I prefer to travel by train, which have tables and you can get up and walk about; even though coaches are a lot cheaper than train. Having not flown other than for a leisure trip on a small aircraft at an air-show, and a helicopter to the Silly Isles on our honeymoon, I’ve got no reference point to compare our coaches with airline seating.
However, we did take the coach from Bristol to London once, instead of the train, travelling with National Express; and that coach was extremely comfortable, and spacious compared to any other coach I’ve used – but I don’t know how the National Express coaches compare to what you are used to; as a comparison, this short video gives a glimpse of what National Express coaches are like in England: https://youtu.be/9H7qhalPzgU
We went to Snowdonia a few years ago, while on holiday in north Wales; a most beautiful place; although we visited other places in that vicinity, I don’t think we visited Bodnant Gardens.
The “….house (with no purpose)” that you mentioned, which in England we call a ‘folly’, intrigued me. So I did a bit of research and discovered that its name is the ‘Pin Mill’. It was built as a garden lodge (gazebo) c1730 in Gloucestershire, later used as a Pin factory (from where it gets its name), and then later still used as a hide and store for a tannery.
Henry McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway purchased the Pin Mill when it was derelict, had it dismantled brick by brick, transported to his garden (as a folly) and reassembled it brick by brick in 1938.
The Pin Mill (that “….house (with no purpose)” is now a Grade II Listed Building, as a fine example of early Georgian garden building e.g. it’s protected under the law against demolition or alteration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pin_Mill
Yeah, with my wife being partially disabled, we’re sometimes a bit sceptical when they say it’s only a short walk; yes, a short walk if you are young, fit and healthy. So we make a point of double checking with google earth beforehand, and planning our trip accordingly.
I love the photos, thanks for sharing
Credence, here is an article about moving from the US for safety reasons. The families here are being driven out by MAGA hate of LGBTQ+. Others, not mentioned, are leaving like you might - having a target on your back for being black.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/02/travel/t … index.htmlInteresting article; thanks for sharing
The HOTTEST SUMMER EVER, and it will only get worse because people still deny climate change exists.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/06/world/ho … index.htmln 85-year-old record for summer heat set during the Dust Bowl has met its match. In 2021, the contiguous U.S. had its warmest meteorological summer (June-August) on record, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Records going back to 1895 show the 48-state summer average of 74.01°F in 2021 came in just ahead of the summer of 74.00°F recorded in 1936. The margin of 0.01°F is close enough to be considered a statistical tie.
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021 … d-through/I am sure you can already understand the difference between weather and climate. It does not seem Hillary Clinton does, as she thinks Trump is to blame for hot weather.
Climate change is a real thing. It has happened throughout history. If you are concnerned lockdown and stop travelling to Europe and burning fossil fuels. The rest of us will live our lives normally as there is a big difference between climate change and man-made climate change.He is definitely to blame for falling behind in the battle against climate change, which is what she is talking about.
No, she was blaming him for the hot weather, which is ridiculous.
What do you think is causing all the historically hot weather? Climate Change, that is what. And Trump set us back years in combating it.
Brazil is one of the nations that is expected to suffer more than your average bear due to climate deniers preventing any quick reaction.Yes, there is climate change. There was also climate change in the 1800s, there was climate change in the last ice age, in fact the earth has gone through climate change throughout its history. It is only the irrational TDS types, like Hillary Clinton, that think that a president is changing the client.
Yes, I remember being told 20 years ago that the ocean levels were going to rise and destroy my beach property. Obama obvioiusly beleives that one too as you notice he would never purchase land on the beach or live on an island that could be flooded by rising water.Yes the Earth has gone through climate change throughout its history; in fact, the 5 mass extinctions were all caused by climate change:
1. Mass Extinction (End Ordovician); 444 million years ago – 86% of species lost: Caused by an ice age, temperatures 5°C cooler than today’s temperatures.
2. Mass Extinction (Late Devonian); 360 million years ago – 75% of species lost: Rapid growth and diversification of land plants generated rapid and severe global cooling e.g. plant life taking too much CO2 out of the atmosphere.
3. Mass Extinction (End Triassic); 250 million years ago – 96% of all species lost: Intense volcanic activity in Siberia, releasing elevated levels of CO2, causing global warming, and sulphur creating acid rain, causing acidification of the oceans.
4. Mass Extinction (End Triassic); 200 million years ago – 80% of species lost: Underwater volcanic activity in the Central Atlantic caused global warming (CO2), and acidification of the oceans (sulphur).
5. Mass Extinction (End Cretaceous); 65 million years ago – 76% of species lost, including all dinosaurs (except for birds): Asteroid impact in Mexico caused rapid global cooling.
With the exception of earth being hit by the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago; global change, including the mass extinctions is genially a slow process over thousands of years’ e.g. when global warming has happened at various times in the past two million years, it has taken the planet about 5,000 years to warm 5 degrees.
In contrast, the Earth has warmed 1.5° C in the last 150 years, and the rate of warming since 1981 is more than twice as fast as it was for the first 100 years. Recent global warming has occurred about 10 times faster than global warming at any time since the last ice age. Whereas with slower change plant and animal life have a chance of adapting; with such rapid change many species will struggle to adapt and become extinct.
The difference between this climate change and previous climate changes is that this one is manmade. It is now too late to stop the current climate change (global warming); but we do still have the ability and time (albeit not much time), if not the will power, to mitigate against climate change getting even worse than it already will get.
As regards Brazil and rising sea levels: Yes Brazil will be affected by rising sea levels, just like many countries around the world e.g. some parts of Britain are already being abandoned to rising sea levels, while efforts are being made to protect other parts of Britain against rising sea levels.
I’m not so familiar with Brazil's problems with rising sea levels, but I did find one Report that touches on the subject: https://valorinternational.globo.com/bu … risk.ghtmlYes, I noticed in that link that said this would be a problem by 2030. If the previous predictions are followed, however, when 2030 rolls around this will be changed to 2050. (About 20 years ago I was told that I should not buy property on the beach because of the threat of rising sea levels. The property is still there. I have also noticed those that comment about man-made climate change, like former US president Obama, also purchases property on the beach since he is not really worried about it.)
I would be very interested to hear if there are actually any people in Britain that are being effected by rising sea levels. What parts do you think are being abandoned? Is this something that journalists are covering, or is this something that they claim will be a threat by 2030?Fairbourne, a village in Wales, with a population of about 1,000 is officially recognised as the first casualty of rising sea levels due to climate change; the village, which is already below sea level, is to be decommissioned and allowed to be swallowed by rising sea levels. https://youtu.be/3E-xSXb9s0k
But Fairbourne isn’t the only village in Britain being abandoned to the sea; there are an increasing number of coastal towns and villages in Britain, under threat from rising sea levels and climate change, including the medieval village of Happisburgh (population of less than 900), in Norfolk, which is already being lost to the sea. https://youtu.be/2MHhf6svHxA
And Dawlish, a town with a population of over 15,000 in Devon, is coming under increasing threat from rising sea levels and climate change, as this video of 2014 shows: https://youtu.be/VBqDoFVpLoI
Also, if it wasn’t for the Thames Barrier, built in 1984, large parts of London, including the Houses of Parliament (Government) would by now frequently be under water (about 5 times a year currently) due to rising sea levels and climate change.
Thames Flood Barrier protecting London from the sea: https://youtu.be/bgK5iDo5EgIFor the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Native Americans who live there, climate change is no longer a political football, but a very harsh reality. They are fleeing their island reservation because of rising water levels. - Louisiana
https://www.popularmechanics.com/scienc … te-change/
Today, Cameron, LA has more opened graves than open businesses, and most of its residents have evacuated to other places.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti … ost-towns/
And it is just not the southern coast. The tiny island, which drew national attention for its residents’ support of former President Donald Trump and skepticism of climate change, is one of many Chesapeake Bay islands sinking because of local sea level rise and subsidence. People have lived on the island since the 18th century, but the residents could soon face displacement.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environ … e-rcna4830As stated in the last article; "sea level rise can exacerbate coastal erosion", which is what is happening right now in coastal regions across Britain, too, as well as America (as you highlight in your articles), and across the globe.
Also, reading about the residents’ of Tangier Island who are climate change denialists, and support Donal Trump, while at the same time being victim of climate change due to sea level rise, reminds me very much of the American apocalyptic political satire black comedy film made in 2021 called “Don’t Look Up”.
The film is about climate change, how the news media and people like Trump mocks the scientists, and convince the people to not listen to the scientists. In the film climate change is represented by a planet killer meteor - A meteor hurtling towards the Earth that’s bigger than the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs.
In the film the scientists are mocked by the News Media and the President, the news media presentation in the film being very much like ‘Fox News’, and all the President is interested in is greed e.g. the financial wealth of all the precious minerals in the meteor.
In the film, the President of the USA, with the support of the News Media, convince the people ‘Not to Look Up’ (so as not to see the meteor (impending doom) getting larger in the sky as it gets ever closer to the Earth), and to ignore the rantings of the scientists; and thus, nothing is done to avert the impending disaster.
Consequently, when people do finally look up, and see the meteor, just as its about to hit the Earth’s atmosphere, it’s too late.
The film also has a wicked twist to its ending which is quite ironic and poetic justice for the likes of people like Trump!
DON'T LOOK UP (Film Trailer): https://youtu.be/RbIxYm3mKzI
Leonardo DiCaprio Explains Don't Look Up: https://youtu.be/YEMaLsPTWlo
If you haven’t seen it, it is a brilliant film.I didn't see that one, although I will try to find it. I did see Seeking a Friend for the End of the World where the meteor Matilda is about to strike the earth and wipe us out. It is listed as a black comedy, but I don't recall it having many laughs in it. What I do remember (and still hear) is the last scene where the two stars are laying in bed, holding each other waiting for the meteor to hit - abruptly going to black. I also remember the Jaws-like beat as Matilda approaches.
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2149949721/?ref_=tt_vi_i_1I haven’t seen that film, thanks for letting me know and sharing the clip; I shall certainly keep an eye out for it – At the moment it’s not available on any of the TV Services I have e.g. Freeview, Cable TV (Virgin Media) & Netflix.
As of 2011, the sea has claimed 20 square miles of coastland in America
https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/sto … c-epa.html
"Yin’s study, published in the Journal of Climate, calculates the rate of sea-level rise since 2010 at more than 10 millimeters — or one centimeter — per year in the region, or nearly 5 inches in total through 2022. That is more than double the global average rate of about 4.5 millimeters per year since 2010, based on satellite observations of sea level from experts at the University of Colorado at Boulder."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate- … uthern-us/
I can't believe I am posting something from lying Fox News, but even they are reading the tea leaves. Forecast - 4.4 million acres lost by 2050 due to sea level rise in America.
https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weat … us-by-2050
Because of where Brazil sits, it will be the last to feel the effects of sea level changes but one of the first to suffer from rising temperatures. The polar regions are the first, and it has been devastating.Thanks for the info, and thanks for sharing the links; I wonder if and when people will begin to listen, no doubt when it's too late?
It's been hell here in PR!
From your articile: "Scientists say next year is likely to be even hotter, given the arrival of El Niño, a natural climate fluctuation that brings warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures and influences weather."
An expert meteorologist was saying that this has been the hottest summer of our lives, and quite likely will be the coolest summer of the rest of our lives. I can't imagine!
UGHThank you all you climate change deniers.
Similar story here in Britain – Last year was the hottest summer on record, when for the first time temperatures exceeded 40c (105f). This year, we were just outside the European heatwave (thankfully), although we had a heatwave in June. But July and August was a washout. However, the heatwave has returned this month (September).
Today is 32c (90f); which for a September in Britain, although not unique, is very unusual e.g. September being the start of autumn, when temperatures are usually starting to drop. Overnight temperatures (minimum temperature) this week, are not expected to drop below 20c (70f), so as people in Britain don’t have A/C in their homes, the nights are going to uncomfortable for some.
So as our summers are progressively getting hotter, at a rapid rate in recent years, it’s hard to imagine what next summer might be like.
Yesterday, a meteor was about 2500 miles on its way toward the earth's atmosphere. As one interested in astronomy and related subjects, I should have been out in the night sky on Friday 8 September, 2023 star gazing. But the weather is not reliable and friendly. It rained cats and dogs, even on the 7 September. Yes, unlike the Blue Moon scenario on August 31 August 2023, heavy rise in sea levels were experienced here in my part of the world. I live in the Easthern fringes of the Niger Delta coastline on the Atlantic Occean. It opened the eyes of many climate change deniers.
That brings to mind another catastrophe that will happen as the polar region warms - the shutting down of the [i[The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation[/i]
https://www.space.com/ocean-current-sys … e-disasterThanks for the link. Its a study. But this scenario is not confirming to just one or a few regions. Its universal.
Yes, that’s been one of the big worries for Britain for a good many years; I can remember seeing documentaries on TV over 10 years ago (or longer), raising concern about the risk to Britain of the Gulf Stream shutting down. It is something that the scientists are aware of and therefore the UK Government is aware of.
Considering how far north Britain is, it has a relatively mild winter climate thanks to the Gulf Stream. If the Gulf Stream did shut down Britain would be plunged into bitterly long and cold winters, which would create havoc with our existing infrastructure – let alone all the other repercussions of long cold winters on housing (increased heating costs), society as a whole, and the devastation to growing crops etc.
The winter of 63’ (1963) was just a once off, the ‘Big Freeze’ lasting from 26th December 1962 until the 6th March 1963 - and that was devastating enough; but without the Gulf Stream, such winters could become the norm:
Live footage, and weather reports of the time (The Big Freeze of 63’): https://youtu.be/DalYSIRU4rQ
At the moment we’ve got the opposite weather in Britain; in spite of being autumn (when it should be getting cooler), all week it’s been above 30c (90f) during the day and 20c (70f) at night – much hotter than it was during July and August.
Cool to hear of your interest in astronomy; I did Astronomy as one of my science subjects at school, a two year course with exam at the end, to give me an ‘O’ level (GCSE) qualification in Astronomy, which helped towards giving me the qualification required to join the civil service e.g. English and maths or science being essential.
Of course, in those days there wasn’t so much light pollution so you could see the stars and make useful observations with a telescope (to record your own observations) which was an essential part of passing my Astronomy course…..
But these days there’ just too much light pollution to do astronomy as a hobby, which is a big shame, because I used to like being out in the back garden at night observing the sky.Arthur, I agree with you completely. Light pollution has affect the way we observed the stars at night. Yea, 58 years ago, it was not so. Apparently, the stars will arrest your attention by twickling, twickling. Oddly, nowadays, water vapour, spects of dusts, clouds, add to light pollution and make a nightmare of gazing at night.
Reports on today’s news in the UK – A mixed bag of Good and Bad News:
Bad News First:-
The first ‘Climate Change’ ‘Tipping Point’ has been reached:-
It’s been confirmed that the ‘Doomsday Iceberg’ (a landlocked ice sheet in the Antarctic polar cap) is now melting three times faster, and will be completely melt over the next few centuries, adding six feet to sea levels: It will not have a great impact on us today, but it will cause worldwide devastation as large areas of coastal land is lost to the sea in generations to come, and will have an impact on our children and grandchildren, and their children!
Now for the Good News:-
The latest estimates is that CO2 emissions will peak in 2025, and that by 2030 demand for oil (worldwide) will significantly drop as the tangible effects of the transition from fossil fuels to Renewable Energy really start to kick in.I look outside from my youth till now, I see more greenery now than in my youth. Except less big trees. In Canada there is more trees than stars in the milky way and 14times greater capacity to absorb carbon. You know my plan for the lowest footprint yet to be beat, is tiny house community and urban farming, 1st and third greatest expenses. Taking less than 10th the space and energy. If carbon aim is Zero the entire planet dies. In fact the plant life has increased 5% in the pass 20 years on earth greater than anytime recorded. Because 80% of the biomass weight of the entire planet thrives on carbon. I've harvested carbon in tanks to increase my greenhouse plants many folds. Please don't kill us with a climate change plan of a100 trillion dollars to kill us by poverty, just for the madd greedy bastards.
It seems to be Brazil’s turn; following Brazil’s hottest July, August, September and October on record – now this: https://www.theguardian.com/global-deve … inequality
There have been lots of reports about the impact of Climate Change in the news, I just haven't posted any of it. It's probably time to start.
Sea Level rise forcing people out of their homes - it is finally happening and will only get worse.
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/06 … cnnphotos/
Can you believe it, 12-straight months of record high temperatures. What is much worse is that each month was at least 1.5 degrees C above the pre-industrial average. That is the point, when crossed on a consistent basis, the climate crisis is expected to start experiencing positive feedback - warming starts accelerating and becomes immune to efforts to reign it in. (12 months isn't a consistent basis in geologic terms)
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/05/climate/ … index.html
There are some ways to fight back. The sponge-like material in water filters can be "charged" (like a battery) and it will absorb carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/07/climate/ … index.html
Then there is simply sucking the CO2 directly out of the air, which just started up.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/climate/ … end_recircBeing in the middle of a General Election there’s not much new to report on this side of the pond; but below is a short video from the end of last year that highlights the stage the UK is at and what progress we’re making in respect to the transition from fossil fuels to Green Energy.
The video is the weekly News Show presented by children, for children, aired on one of the main stream British TV news channels, Sky News; you’ll have to forward 4 minutes into the video to get to the relevant section (National Grid): But you might want to watch the whole News Show (just 15 minutes) as it is well presented by the kids, and very informative (It’s a weekly show I often watch, when I get time, because it is informative and educational): https://youtu.be/gAC3hYH88zY
Hurricane Beryl became a "very dangerous" Category 3 hurricane Sunday morning, and forecasters fear the storm could continue to rapidly intensify into a Category 4 storm by the time it impacts the Caribbean islands.
Beryl formed farther east than any other June hurricane since records began in the mid-1800s. The average date for the first hurricane formation in the Atlantic Basin is Aug. 11, so the season is running well ahead of the typical schedule.
Beryl also became the first major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) on record east of the Lesser Antilles during the month of June.
Typically, the basin doesn't see its first major hurricane until around Sept. 1.
Praying it doesnt change its trajectory (and becomes another María for my Island).
How can so many people be so blindly stupid?Hurricane Beryl Tropical Cyclone Update
1135 AM AST Sun Jun 30 2024
...RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT FIND BERYL NOW AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE...
...LIFE-THREATENING WINDS AND STORM SURGE EXPECTED IN THE WINDWARD ISLANDS BEGINNING EARLY MONDAY MORNING...
NOAA and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft data indicate that Beryl has strengthened to an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane. The maximum sustained winds are estimated to be 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts.Answer - money. They would rather die than spend a buck to stop it.
It looks like its path will stay South of you, hope it stays that way.Answer - money. They would rather die than spend a buck to stop it.
There's that. And then, there's the sheeple.
It looks like its path will stay South of you, hope it stays that way.
Yes, I hope. Thank you!IslandBites, keeping you in prayers and PR as well. Well, all of the Caribbean. I will have to dig into why they think there is one so early in the year? What have you heard other than the blanket climate change.
It looks like it is threading the needle in the Westward islands. A little further north and it would have run over a bunch of islands. I think only one is in its path right now, although that will be devastating for those people.
I thought it was an hoax. Now I see the reality. I send up prayers to. God. Stay safe everyone.
I read you are having your own problems in Nigeria from terrorists yesterday and today.
Beryl is not a Cat 5 Hurricane, the earliest ever. I wonder if climate change will require a new designation of Cat 6.
With the worst Supreme Court since the one that issued the Dred Scott decision, America will become incapable of helping the world combat global warming. Congress won't act because of the Conservatives and now the Executive Branch has been stripped of its powers to interpret the law in such a way as to save lives if it costs a dollar.The effects of climate change (sorry, Gov DeSantis doesn't allow the use of those words anymore in Florida and you can't say gay, either) keep mounting.
The first species living in the wild in Florida has gone extinct due to rising oceans! The last of the Key Largo tree cactus living in the wild was removed to save it in 2023. Since 1971, the sea around the Keys has risen 8 inches; it is expected to rise about 7 feet by 2099.
Certainly a sign of things to come and the cost, in money and lives, of doing too little will become enormous - more than the cost to fight it.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/climate/ … index.htmlThe keys are an interesting case to look at. Just 125,000 years ago there were no keys, at least above sea level. That was in a period between glaciations - the more normal environment for earth.
As the earth cooled, and glaciation returned, the Florida Keys were exposed above sea level. Now, as we return to the more common temperatures of Earth they are once more disappearing. And this is unexpected, strange and a forewarning of doom for all life? I don't think so.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/image … orida-keysThe difference between today and when you are talking about is this increase is not from natural causes like the others were. This is from human pollution which is not ending until we do.
Much of it is indeed human pollution. Not all by any means but much of it. And, in theory at least, we are taking steps to end it in much of the world.
Personally, I'm more concerned with the thought that every single erg of energy we produce or use ends up as heat in the environment. Whether solar, fission, fusion, conversion from potential to kinetic energy, it all becomes heat.
And the only steps being take to limit that are those brought about for financial reasons. No big national or international effort, no Greta Thunberg, just a push to provide more people with more energy all over the world.I don't think it is the "heat" being released into the air that is the problem. It is the pollutants that is keeping it there. The heat "escapes", as it were, over time either by being taken up and used in the environment or escaping to outer space.
It is the latter that is being affected by CO2, Methane, and a few other things. The heat can't escape any more and gets trapped, slowly building up.
I am pretty sure the cost of doing too little as now exceeded the cost of prevention. But, right now, the forces against doing something, which include Trump, are too great to put real brakes on.
I feel much more misery is on the horizon.And with that (It's Trump's fault!) you lost me.
Did you say Trump!?!
TRUMP TRUMP BABY - BLOW X AMBER ROSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nHLuw9ZDoo
Save America TRUMP 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNqkAGKAIXY
November 5th Trump Latinos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OEKLwoktTMThe coming RNC Convention videos are going to drive some folks (here) nuts. The speculation is that Trump is pivoting from 'attack Biden' to 'unite our country' in his speech Thursday.
Imagine . . . Trump being unbombastically presidential on a national primetime stage.
GAI had to reply to one of the comments under your first link about who would vote for Biden. Obviously, those who don't want to vote for a felon and sexual predator like Trump.
This is how you break away from the Black-White mentality - "Yes, by advocating against doing something about global warming and, as president, doing things that promote it, most thinking people would say Trump is partially at fault.
Here is a lesson on discerning "all or nothing" from proportionality. When I said "Including Trump" that does not mean "Only Trump" (as you SEEM to imply). There is a difference in meaning between "including" and "only". I hope that helps.Eso, you can go on for hours about how evil and bad Trump is, but I'm not interested. And when you deteriorate on a discussion of global warming to it being Trump's fault I very quickly lose interest.
Leave your TDS behind, please, and we might have a reasonable discussion. Turn it to Trump and I'm gone.
'But, right now, the forces against doing something, which includes Trump,...' Is Trump right now in government? And yes, wilderness, was baffled by your faulting the ex-president. MyExo, you're addicted to always taking bad things under the Sun against Trump, as if he was the Devll. Your character assasination against Trump, is now worst than the Thomas Brook Effect! And yes again, no person in his/her right mind can blame the Devil as such.
Haven't you figured it out yet, God knows he has given you enough clues - Trump IS the Devil.
Character assassination is when you lie about somebody. How is it "character assassination" when all that is being done is making public the bad actions of a person? You write as if I (we) are making things up like others from the other side do here. What have we said about Trump that is not TRUE?You can start with him starting and coordinating an insurrection.
The American Hero!!!
A winner, a fighter, a living Captain America!!!
A President we can all look up to, the greatest President of our generation.
The greatest President of the 21st Century.
Donald J Trump
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJwnRjkE9g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq3PkPpcjNg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHdtTAmwpPU
Makes you tear up, doesn't it?No, it just makes me sick to my stomach that such delusion exists in this world.
Ken, not I. Yearr ago, I download a movie 'Captain America' on my laptop, the day it was released to watch later. That was in April or May, 2015. Yes, a day or two later, I start watching the film. But in 5 minutes time, I deleted it, the Capt America, isn't real. Donald Trump is the 'real' Capt America! Thank you.
What do we REALLY understand about climate change?
The Atlantic Ocean is unusually warm right now. Here’s why scientists say that’s “deeply troubling.” ~ Feb 2024
https://www.vox.com/climate/2024/2/28/2 … -bleaching
Atlantic Cooling Mysteriously Fast After Record Warmth ~ Aug 2024
https://www.realclearscience.com/2024/0 … 53077.html
Written six months apart.The journalist who wrote the RCP article said some odd things - l like La Nina is an Atlantic phenomenon. It is not, it is a Pacific phenomenon which raises the temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. Also, I couldn't find any corroborating evidence that the Atlantic is cooling. According to this USA Today article, it is still at record highs.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/wea … 901103007/Here.
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/e … -attention
Everything is changing in weird ways. We're doomed. Ha.
And this is how you build a conspiracy theory - take naturally occurring data over a short period of time and extend that as a general claim.
It turns out the surface temperature in the tropical-Atlantic hit a pause around June before continuing to get warmer to near record levels.
https://kouya.has.arizona.edu/tropics/tropATLsst.png
Obviously, God, no less than a person couldn't give such a clue to a person. The Devil can. And I don't take sides with the Devil.
What have you said that is not true? "The effects of climate change (sorry, Gov DeSantis doesn't allow the use of those words anymore in Florida and you can't say gay, either) keep mounting."
So it is not character assasination to point out that someone is a dupe and idiot to believe the mainstream media when they declare you can no longer say gay in Florida.Where did the MSM ever say that? I haven't read it. I do know that those at whom this terrible law was directed at has called it that, and like good journalists are wont to do, they reported it. Why do they call it that? Because DeSantis won't allow teachers to say gay in the classroom.
Heat deaths in America are also on the rise in America (and worldwide). In more than 2,300 people died last Summer where heat was the, or one of the factors. That is the highest since we have been keeping records over the last 45 years.
Unlike previous years where many of the deaths were in the Northern tier because people didn't have protection and weren't use to it. last year 61% were in the five Southern tier states, all of whom deny climate change and one even went so far as to ban the use of the words from government documents.
Worldwide, it is about 26,000 deaths per year and it is increasing every year. Think about this, every three years the people in an averaged sized American city no longer walk the face of the earth due to heat and climate change. It won't be long before that becomes every TWO years.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/202 … on%20data.Climate changes and the results are real everywhere in the world. Those denying the changes are yet to go out and observe nature. What happened back there in Florida, was what similary occured in the Sahara of North Africa. The Sahara was a big River dried up by the radiating risinp Sun, and became the Sahara Desert, that's now hot and very sandy, holding limit amount of population.
It's no mystery that climate scientist don't always know the answer. They response is a classic 'we don't know'. I felt the cool La Nina. My State in Nigeria, border the Atlantic. And for the past 6 months to date, I've been sleeping in warm cloths. Contrast with 2023, when I sleep naked even without a boxer!
There might be a scientist or two who says they don't know, but the rest of them are certain about what is happening and why. Just some of the details are still fuzzy because the climate is crashing at an accelerating rate.
If some of the details are still 'fuzzy' and puzzle, did they really know? The 'one' or 'two' you claimed that don't know are equally in the majority. It's climate/weather phenonmena, that changes withouj notice. So the scientists are on they toes always.
Thanks for sharing your real life experience of this phenomenon.
Yet another disturbing report about how human-caused global warming coupled with lack of effective action is in the process of flooding Pacific islands.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/climate/ … index.html
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