If you are curious about the details behind “Mann's Nature trick to hide the decline” meme and its denialists presentation - check out this
Climate Denial Crock of the Week video:
Unwinding “Hide the Decline”
Fresh out of the oven.
http://climatecrocks.com/2011/04/28/unwinding-hide-the-decline/
April 28, 2011
Here are some quick reference notes:
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Prof Stewart explains "How The Earth Made Us"
Over the past week I’ve been watching
Geology Professor Iain Stewart’s BBC production:
How The Earth Made Us, a truly epic five part series.
Absolutely fascinating stuff and a reminder that there’s always more to discover and learn from. For the receptive this series will amaze and leave you with a greater appreciation for how our planet has nurtured humanity and made civilizations possible.
The quote at 23:45 of "#5 Human Planet" really got my attention:
“If you add together all the landscapes we’ve altered, our cities, towns villages, farms (mining, etc) then 75% of the Earth’s ice free land mass owes it appearance to us.” {that is, reflects society’s impact.}
Somewhere else he points out that 5 times as much water is held in our reservoirs as is held in Earth’s rivers. Our impact is immense, but our appreciation so shallow... Professor Stewart is doing an excellent job of helping fill the gap.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’ve found that this series is also available on YouTube.com courtesy of historyforall.
How Earth Made Us -1/5- Water
How Earth Made Us -2/5- Deep Earth
How Earth Made Us -3/5- Wind
How Earth Made Us -4/5- Fire
How Earth Made Us -5/5- Human Planet
Geology Professor Iain Stewart’s BBC production:
How The Earth Made Us, a truly epic five part series.
Absolutely fascinating stuff and a reminder that there’s always more to discover and learn from. For the receptive this series will amaze and leave you with a greater appreciation for how our planet has nurtured humanity and made civilizations possible.
The quote at 23:45 of "#5 Human Planet" really got my attention:
“If you add together all the landscapes we’ve altered, our cities, towns villages, farms (mining, etc) then 75% of the Earth’s ice free land mass owes it appearance to us.” {that is, reflects society’s impact.}
Somewhere else he points out that 5 times as much water is held in our reservoirs as is held in Earth’s rivers. Our impact is immense, but our appreciation so shallow... Professor Stewart is doing an excellent job of helping fill the gap.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’ve found that this series is also available on YouTube.com courtesy of historyforall.
How Earth Made Us -1/5- Water
How Earth Made Us -2/5- Deep Earth
How Earth Made Us -3/5- Wind
How Earth Made Us -4/5- Fire
How Earth Made Us -5/5- Human Planet
But, CO2 Is Plant Food !
And then there’s the "But CO2 Is Plant Food" meme.
Someone by the moniker of Dawei has posted a very informative collection of studies over at SkepticalScience.com concerning different aspects of an increasingly CO2 enriched atmosphere. It seems that things aren't quite as simple as that. The true story is much more complicated and not near as reassuring.
It's a complicated image and Dawei has done a great job of reviewing the wide range of available literature,
Someone by the moniker of Dawei has posted a very informative collection of studies over at SkepticalScience.com concerning different aspects of an increasingly CO2 enriched atmosphere. It seems that things aren't quite as simple as that. The true story is much more complicated and not near as reassuring.
It's a complicated image and Dawei has done a great job of reviewing the wide range of available literature,
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
“Let The Free Market Address Conservation” Say What?
“Let The Free Market Address Conservation” the headline proclaimed. Say what? Leave the “free market” alone to address our environmental crisis as it sees fit? You mean the “free market” that sent USA manufacturing jobs overseas, effectively gutting the future of America’s middle class? The “free market” that is bulldozing mountain after mountain in the Appalachians only to fill in valley after productive valley with rubble and poisonous tailings?
The same “free market” dedicated to maximizing profits while minimizing liabilities by making them someone else’s problem or ignoring them? The “free market” that doesn’t plan for long term maintenance as reflected in the sorry state of America’s infrastructure of bridges, water treatment facilities, etc.? The “free market” that is cutting social programs to the bone, while continuing its faith-based diplomacy by bombs and an ever increasing military/industrial/political complex?
The “free market” that establishes “think tanks” such as Marshall Institute, Heartland Institute, SPPI, and more? Who have developed the art of deception and mass media propaganda to the level that with smoke and mirrors they can make a tiny clique of politically motivated contrarians seem like “half the scientific community” to gullible folks - while broadcasting dishonest spins on the science that a serious high school science class could drive through.
“Free market” is an Orwellian triumph of words over substance. Where’s the freedom when 2% of the richest adults in the world own more than half of all wealth and when half the world’s population owns barely 1% of all wealth?
To imagine that our “free market” leaders, or forces, care one fig about the welfare of future generations is to ignore a couple hundred years worth of human history. The “free market” may be excellent at extracting and consuming - but sustaining something for future generations is simply not within it’s bubble of awareness, let alone concern.
The same “free market” dedicated to maximizing profits while minimizing liabilities by making them someone else’s problem or ignoring them? The “free market” that doesn’t plan for long term maintenance as reflected in the sorry state of America’s infrastructure of bridges, water treatment facilities, etc.? The “free market” that is cutting social programs to the bone, while continuing its faith-based diplomacy by bombs and an ever increasing military/industrial/political complex?
The “free market” that establishes “think tanks” such as Marshall Institute, Heartland Institute, SPPI, and more? Who have developed the art of deception and mass media propaganda to the level that with smoke and mirrors they can make a tiny clique of politically motivated contrarians seem like “half the scientific community” to gullible folks - while broadcasting dishonest spins on the science that a serious high school science class could drive through.
“Free market” is an Orwellian triumph of words over substance. Where’s the freedom when 2% of the richest adults in the world own more than half of all wealth and when half the world’s population owns barely 1% of all wealth?
To imagine that our “free market” leaders, or forces, care one fig about the welfare of future generations is to ignore a couple hundred years worth of human history. The “free market” may be excellent at extracting and consuming - but sustaining something for future generations is simply not within it’s bubble of awareness, let alone concern.
Friday, April 8, 2011
From The Halls of Montezuma
Here's an update to the previous post.
With some support and help from Daniel Bailey I had a post accepted at SkepticalScience.com.
From The Halls of Montezuma
Posted on 9 April 2011
http://www.skepticalscience.com/from-the-halls-of-montezuma.html
With some support and help from Daniel Bailey I had a post accepted at SkepticalScience.com.
From The Halls of Montezuma
Posted on 9 April 2011
http://www.skepticalscience.com/from-the-halls-of-montezuma.html
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