I am not going to be at all cynical about Live Earth. I think it is a wonderful event which will do a huge amount to raise consciousness on global warming, and lead both to support for the green movement, and improved personal energy-saving. The benefits will far outweigh the energy use of the production, and to pretend otherwise is nonsense.
Watching on TV, I am pleasantly surprised by how very much I have enjoyed pretty well all the music. Even some of the musically more dubious momemts were entertaining. I thought Paolo Nutini was a Spike Milligan impersonator until I relaised that really was supposed to be singing, but I ignored that and as a Spike Milligan impersonation it was wonderful.
The only grating note has been Jonathon Ross on the BBC. I am generally a fan, but his inability to treat any of the global warming information at all seriously is annoying. He seems to want to treat the event like the Eurovision Song Contest. By comparison, Graham Norton comes across as someone who knows how to mix comedy with a serious message.
Al Gore’s message and his pledges were very well put over. We all think so much about what a horror we got in Bush, we overlook what we lost in Gore. I still view the fraudulent election of 2000 with disbelief. The extraordinary thing is, at the time it didn’t seem that important, to me at least. What a fool I was.
I thought the Black Eyed Peas were superb, and they seemed very much connected to the message and politics of the event. They were the only thing so far that has bordered on rap. though what they sing about is very different from urban rap. It is in fact probably the lack of rap that explains why I am enjoying the music so much. My guess is that rappers are absent because it involves playing for free to help a movement to save the planet. The rappers are too busy beating up women, driving their hummers, shooting people and writing lyrics to encourage young Londoners to stab each other. There is nothing that annoys me more than trendies in Britain who refuse to accept that an ultra-materialist, violence worshipping, openly extreme misogynistic culture is a bad thing.
Ironing uses a great deal of energy for heating and is completely unnecessary. Next time you see someone in a neatly pressed garment or with a crease in their trousers, shun them. I am going to start a campaign against ironing to save the planet.
Possibly that only seems a good idea because I opened the third bottle of wine to celebrate the arrival of Spinal Tap.
I agree that ironing is completey unnecessary.
I can't argue that it uses a lot of energy though. One would have to iron for several hours to use the equivalent of a litre of petrol.
Enjoy the wine!
Please start a campaign against ironing. Supply badges to all supporters. Ironing takes ages – it is hot, boring and difficult (although sometimes there's a good programme on the radio). It would be much easier for me and the teenagers to wear badges explaining that our crumpled clothes are a GOOD THING and ethically superior to smartly-creased garments.
The music has been great it has to be said; but I seem to have a gene in me that resents being lectured to… Always been a problem I suppose since nursery. Im sure Im not alone in thinking that being urged not to fly, being more "green", recycling and generally being "dissed" for doing what I do by a lot of highly paid pop stars who I dont really give any time of day of to apart from their musical prowess frankly gets my goat.
Anyway it was quite good fun and I think that Jonathan Ross actually hit the right note; the consummate entertainer who realises the sham that it really is.
Ironing? Its for whimps.
jono
Sorry to rain on your parade Craig, but:
First they told me what to eat!
Then told me how, and what to think!
Oh I forgot they told me not to smoke!
I also found out that I should not have sex, because they told me so!
All the while I have been told to fear the 'Brown Skin/Black Skin' people, for they are Al-Ciada, whom hate my way of life!
Now I have to listen to a crock of shit, leaving my senses, and believing that demise of the planet is solely my responsibility, that I can atone for my sins, by listening to a bunch of self deluded, self important toss-pots on stage tearing their voice box, and telling me so!
What in hades will these limited, unimaginative, control freaking bastards think of next?
I am now a criminal (I may be caught smoking in an open bus shelter), whose drinking and eating, and farting is making the Earth warm, and apparently I ought to be shot for breathing, never mind, for flying away from the drudgeries of listening to these dull, very dull, unimaginative, possessive, limited, obtuse control freaks, whom hate me, and detest everything I think of, eat, do, and am likely to commit.
Facts:
Planet Earth, belonging to solar system, so far has been placed in The Milky Way galaxy, the same bunch of perverts whom cannot even measure the very planet they are standing on, getting it wrong is no surprise, also no surprise for their belligerence in the face of irrefutable signs, that our pox ridden (these control freaks are but, pox in the grand scheme of things, hey self abuse, and lack of personal hygiene can result in pox you know), little, inconsequential solar system, in fact belongs to a dying galaxy known as Dwarf Sagittarius Galaxy that is currently in the process of being devoured by the bigger and younger Milky Way.
Hence, the higher energy levels that we are encountering can account for the temperature rises in Venus, Mars, Neptune, etc. including our very own Earth. However, as ever the control freaks have found a new Ponzi scheme to diddle the rest of us from our efforts, in a bid to continue their tyranny (you see these bastards set up the terms of reference, and then with very little effort they reap the benefit of our hard work, that in effect is contrary to the rules of physics, as well as the system we are a part of).
Air travel is bad, sex is bad, food is bad, we are bad, in fact they only good are the same bunch of limited supremacists, whose inbreeding has given rise to their perceptions in their self aggrandised, and addled minds that we are bad!
Enough of the tales of the wolves proclaiming the protection of sheep, enough of serfdom, and enough of the bile of these self righteous freaks, whose linage are at best case scenario close cousins, and at worst case scenario, their very next of kin.
Fellow human beings, noting that our Planet is hostage to the fortunes of the our solar system, that is situated within a dying galaxy, and noting that we human beings were not created in the image of an imaginary creature residing in the skies (whatever this may mean). Would you all join me in enjoying the remaining days of our lives, however long these maybe, while ceremoniously, raising your two fingers to the sanctimonious bunch of bastards, whose sole mission in their miserable lives, is to stop us all from enjoying ourselves, remember, we only live once, despite all the crap about after lives, hence, enjoy, eating, travelling, and humping your brains out, to smite these sanctimonious bastards, let them stop their travelling, and eating, and humping before us all, of course leading by example in the best possible taste.
PS. green fuel only means less food for the poor bastard in the depths of despair, while genetically modified maze is turning to fuel, as the first step in forcing us all to eat the Frankenstein food for the benefit of the non lethal means of coercing us all into lives of worker drones.
PPS. spare me the warped wisdom of the brown noses, and paid stooges, for we have little time left, time waits for no one, especially those whom buy into the nightmares of the troop of the baboons in charge of the planet as we speak.
A worrying thing about recent times is how various floods of 'off message' information get mixed up and written off so easily as partisan delusions.
In the face of ever expansionist industrial and commercial policies, environmental and climate failure theories used to be firmly considered as the 'off message' paranoias of underachieving Earth botherers.
For decades an underfinanced minority of ecological scientists have been documenting their fears and apparent indications that our planet will respond very negativetly to our modern production methods and levels. Only in the previous 5 years or so has the body of study become so convincing of serious hazard (to the entire planet) that the international panel assembled by traditionaly dismissive economic/political establishments ,of over 3000 experts in most revelant feilds, begun to confirm in most acceptable terms possible, that our climate IS in significant danger of worsening, plausibly catastrophicaly, and that our industrial outputs DO seem to be a major factor in the risk formulation.
This is a scary message to hear from a great majority of scientists in relevant feilds now. Unfortunately weve been bombarded by other scary messages, about terrorists, wmd, chicken flue, jihads, etc. Id love to think that all the scary messages will turn out to be as sexed up as Saddams wmd – i suspect the mil/industrial complex which has dealt out all the warmongering untruthes wants us to think that too. The ultra rich who direct the mil/indust complex will not suffer with difficult climates and failing ecosystems, if it gets too bad even from their select locations they can start soot bombing the atmosphere ~or something. The science now indicating that we should burn less oil and drive less and consume less is certainly not driven by the same bunch inciting warfare for strategic oil reserves..
But now in the mix is the notion that more money is driving eco/climate worries than is driving combustion and consumption, that its just another scam basically.
Im certain it isnt, certain that fair studies are indicating our means of production and lifestyles need to change in order to lessen risks of environmental catastrophies, but im not at all impressed by early reports of what should be done.
eg. tv and and video standby's and frugal kettle boiling can make a gnats arse of difference to CO2 output -theyre more friction than theyre worth, we dont need to bother with such 'symbols of change' Likewise, the plastic in the carrier bags which hold the shopping is completely dwarfed by the plastic containers in the shopping bag, which are again completely dwarfed in energy terms by the fuel used to produce and transport the goods which are in the containers (which dwarf the bags)
The popular (media+) response to the serious message made by the IPCC seems to be to bother individuals with follysome symbolic gestures. This stresses the overworked traffic jammed masses and helps make it all look like BS
Technologicaly we have effective solutions to the possible crisis.
(Our technological means today are really amazing)
In sunny places, large scale solar plants can produce more energy than Oil/Gas burning ever could and even output desalinated water as a by-product.
In the UK we have enormous underwater tidal currents to poke upside-down turbines into, theres one in the Pentland Firth which could power the whole of Scotland according to a long term university study there.
The largest underwater turbine generator in Europe goes online in August in Strangford lough N.Ireland
The whole world could get cracking building clean renewable electric powerstations, if it wasnt entraced by evolving weaponry, car dwelling, finance tracking, telesalesing, etc.
Everyone lifestlyes are stuck in a state of overadvertised glamourised folly. I dont see how individuals can help change effectively, unless they have the means to buy organic and walk/cycle everywhere -its too difficult to live sustainably in a system which makes you want and need to drive a car and buy factory food and upgrade equipment and everything…
Oh yeah concerning Ironing,
I read some estimates of what an average westerners rate of energy consumption is, they come out at around 5 Kilowatts per person (thats constant consumption rate of all energy used for tvs etc, heating, transport, food, clothes, plugin air fresheners, slug pellets etc.)
Well an iron will use up to a Kilowatt for a second or two every minute or two for as long as you spend ironing. So when this little morsel of energy usage is sized up against the 5kW averaqe attributeable to every moment of our western lives.. well i cant confidently say without consulting the calculator that the proportion of energy saveable from quitting ironing is technicaly another Gnats arse.
Sorry about that, I keep Ironing to a minimum anyway, occassionaly I find it theraputic though :}
Michael Crichton speaks a lot of sense about the global warming racket. As far as I can see, it appears to be a clever way to enable global financial cartels to corner the market in air.
Don't swallow it. You're being lied to.
I didn't watch Live Earth and haven't had any wine, but I'm with you on the anti-ironing campaign. Not that I do much of it… I try to get the things out of the drier (sorry, but I do use the drier) at the ideal time – after they're dry but before they start wrinkling, and I don't bother ironing if the item is going to look just as wrinkled again after it's been worn for a little while. Even if ironing doesn't waste that much energy, it does waste time!
ukchipped, There is no doubt that a statisticaly unprecedented global temperature rise has been occuring throughout the previous ten years or so. You dont need to look far for evidence of that. The idea that the scientific consensus which now confidently attributes the noticed change in temperatures to greenhouse gas emissions, is really a clever lie from global financial cartels -turns reality inside out in order to keep current financial conditions at status quo.
Of course there will be evidence that +some+ financial cartels are backing sustainable energy technologies, the great majority of finance is still backing the legacy technologies.
The level of truthless disingenuity we have to deal with in this age unsettles me deeply, to see such subjective reasoning now applied routinely to every grave matter -we could agree here ukchipped, but i know on this issue that you have swallowed a lie.
Perhaps there is an as yet undiscovered planetary mechanism which will reverse or stabilise the recent rise in temperatures, for those who dont support changes in human behaviour and industrial application we now need an unexpected revertion in global trends to avoid great difficulties and ecological damage in the not too distant future.
Oh there is so much smoke and mirrors, how will we ever cope with all these lies 🙁
I liked Chris Rock's take on it: "I pray that this event ends global warming the same way that Live Aid ended world hunger."
andy cyan: who is to say that the 'global warming' is not being caused (for example) by the terawatts of energy being beamed into the atmosphere by the Americans' High Altitude Auroral Research Program (HAARP), or by normal fluctuations in solar output (there appears to be global warming on other planets too) – rather than through the production of relatively small amounts of CO2 by the population.
Don't misunderstand me – sustainable energy programmes are desirable, but this is not the whole picture. Some organizations (including governments) are opting for strategies which are in reality nothing more than rationing systems. I don't believe that rationing is an acceptable alternative to innovation, and if there is rationing and no evidence of innovation (or inadequate attempts to innovate), then it's time to start worrying.
"Michael Crichton speaks a lot of sense about the global warming racket…"
Doesn't the plot of Crichton's novel State of Fear involve eco-terrorists triggering a series of climatic disasters to call attention to the dangers of global warming and fatten their own bank accounts? This is the guy that Republicans pay to speak on the topic.
No wonder they're prosecuting environmentalists involved in direct action and property damage as terrorists while actual violent criminals get much lighter punishment.
Crichton's a hack on so many levels. Just like him to attempt to "switch things up" and "challenge" us like he did with his novel about a powerful woman sexually harassing her employee.
The world would be so much better if only the victimized white males were treated with some respect and equalty.
Alas we must bear the burdens of our pigmentation and gender.
Questions to be put to the 'Save the planet mob';
What is carbon foot print of a standard military fighter pilot?
What is the carbon foot print of;
a tank crew?
an average navy vessel?
an average navy submarine?
an average navy aircraft carrier?
an attack helicopter?
a troop transport helicopter/craft/vessel/vehicle?
an armoured personnel carrier?
a howitzer shell, bullet, cannon round, missiles, and rocketry.
(during peace time activities, and during war time missions).
Note the carbon foot prints of the production of these wonderment of science, as well as their design, and relevant research and development (what an irony in the terms 'Development'), not forgetting the security apparatus associated with all these products.
Now the question to be asked is how many generations of great grand children are needed to stop using the TV standby, and phone chargers, as well as flights abroad to offset the carbon foot prints of the exploding shells, and decaying depleted uranium rounds scattered in the various battle fields of choice around the globe?
Also it is worth noting that use of combustion engine is not the issue, but what is burnt inside it, hence the emissions remaining the same, only in the case of bio-fuels, the hint of deep fried chips attests that the fuel is the result of genetically modified crops that are strewed across the lands, killing the bees, and contaminating the rest of the natural crops.
Also worth noting is the number of massive cars that run on the same bio-fuel transporting the save the planet singers and dignitaries to and from their mission to save the planet. Apparently green house gasses only apply to the petro-fuels.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the planet is hurtling at around 68,000 miles per second in a direction that no one so far has fathomed out, and evidently lives another day to hurtle around tomorrow too. While the unimaginative, dull, troop of the baboons proclaiming the mantels of power, indulge us all in their favourite activity; misanthropy! For these red arsed, creatures, know full well that given a free, and fair competition, they will not even make the qualifiers, never mind getting the opportunity to laugh their arse off at the humanity.
Fellow human beings, snap out of your slumber, and take note, we are not the bad, bad, mad entities we have been made out to be, in fact the worst of us has more dignity, integrity, and compassion than the most noble among the troop of the red arsed baboons, hence do not give any credence to the current whopping, and hollering of the excited troop at the prospects of perpetrating even grander frauds, at the expense of the humanity.
The Militaries' carbon/resource/pollution footprint sure is a great waste and trauma to our planet's future, somewhat eclipsed by their direct waste and traumatisation of human lives. Because of the extreme nature of military activity it could seem the most pressing to campaign against, however, we could think of military activity as a concentrated version of ubiquitously aggressive industrial and commercial activity which also belabours and stresses peoples lives, and because billions of people are directly involved rather than the millions involved military activity, the harmful footprints should tend to be greater in total.
I hold some hope that the pressure from academic understanding of climate and environmental hazards can combine with other pressing concerns to effectively grapple with and defeat the agencies and agendas which are spoiling our prospects to all live peacefuly and sustainably with each other.
But it doesn't take many people to say 'to hell with it' for everyone to end up in a Hell.
Finally, im hesitant to bombard this great board more with my dillos. I forgot some replies though.
Boss regarding the Harp antenna, it has its own power station to supply it apparently, this could put its average energy output potentialy at several hundred megawatts. To compare, the recent average Global energy output of human civilisation has been estimated to be around 15 Terawatts (many thousands of times as much as Harp's possible maximum) I dont disagree Harp in Mil hands is a bit scary, but to answer the question "who is to say its not responsible for observed climate change" – obviously the 3000+ IPCC specialists working on the subject of climate change for many years have said as much, and also securely refuted reports that human CO2 output is insignificant and that the recent level of change in Solar output explains anything.
I dont think your problem with this subject is too much cynicism Boss, obviously we cant have too much of that in this day and age, but it seems to me you have been convinced to treat climate research too lightly.
I hope we are allies in spirit besides.
All the best'
oops, last reply :}
Quasimodomouse: "switch things up" -thats it! A handle i can use on the smoke and mirror things, cheers Qmm!
Well I side with the cynics.
There is no question that, on its present trajectory, global warming will have major – even disasterous – consequences BUT, there are at least 3 major problems with the present western obsession with it.
1. The true extent of the anthropogenic element
2. Consequent on 1, the efficacy of the anthropogenic measure being urged
3. The fact that there is a far more urgent harbinger of FORCED change which is being totally ignored.
Item 3 refers to 'Peak Oil'. Over 90% of the worlds transport still runs on oil; In the West it takes 10 calories of hydrocarbon energy to grow, harvest, process, pack and transport every single calorie we eat. On any measure of claimed available technological solutions, those two facts render our present Western lifstyle both unsustainable and in URGENT need of public debate – and yet ….. TOTAL SILENCE – it's amazing.
Of course, at privy council level, all this is old hat – what on earth do you think our persistent interference in the Middle East is REALLY about?
The fact that this country can elect a man like Tony Bliar in 3 successive general elections, and deem the likes of Bono and Bob Geldof the voices of our concience on 'the Environment' and 'world poverty' says all that need saying about the crassness of our own puritanical, self-righteous, celebrity-obsessed stupidity.
As for the self-sacrifice of those prima-donna pop-stars in forgoing their fee; like Tony Bliar himmself, no doubt they find comfort in their good intentions. The problem – as we all should know – is that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
Oh – and a final 'as for': Foregoing ironing! ??? – Ho Ho Ho. Talk about farting against thunder.
"Ironing uses a great deal of energy for heating and is completely unnecessary."
After washing clothes, stretch them, then smooth them out on a sunny wall or paving: no ironing necessary.
"After washing clothes, stretch them, then smooth them out on a sunny wall or paving: no ironing necessary."
Well, if it makes you feel good – about yourself or whatever – then by all means. Just so long as us poor ignorant Publicans are spared the Pharisee's smug self-righteousness, that's all.
Got this li'l ol' feeling that Craig was being just an itsy-bitsy tongue-in-cheek about the ironing thing though – and I do hope so -)))
Having read Craig's book (which I thought was excellent, btw) I will bet my life savings that he has never lifted an iron in his life.
Anyway, kilts are permanently pleated.
Fellow human beings, not 'believing' in;
Santa,
Tooth Fairy,
Blair did not deliberately mislead the parliament (never mind the country),
War is peace,
Slavery is freedom,
We have always been at war with those Ayrab Terrorists, whom are trying to make us all speak MOOOSLUM,
Global warming is due to the car exhaust fumes, and live stock breaking wind,
etc. ad nauseum
Somehow does not amount to cynicism.
Let us re-examine the contemporaneous facts;
Our planet is part of a solar system that has been subject of temperature rises, on no account included the quantum leap of faith, all the cows farting simultaneously, and or every available teenager across the globe let loose on the roads to carry on their drifting, and tyre burnings, can explain away the temperature rises in Venus, Mars, and Neptune.
Hence the notions of the anthropogenic source of this observed phenomena is yet another incarnation of rudimentary control constructs based on apportioned guilt. This pushing out of the envelope of guilt, by adding global warming guilt to guilts associated with sex, and solitary vice (hairs on the palms of the hands, and specks to boot) cannot be taken seriously.
Harking back to the earlier contributions, those pontificating wise arses (un-scientists), well versed in the best methodologies of raising funds through grants, and patronage, realising that counsels of doom, are not welcome, however vociferous, denouncers, and finger pointers are in the vogue, have decided upon alleviation of their sexual frustrations, and aiding their bank balances by engaging in serious denunciations of the whole of humanity, in an aid to save us all from ourselves. In fact the misanthropy on display needs no validation, apparently the only crap element in humanity is the wretched human being, if only we could get rid of human beings this planet would be the paradise that has been lost.
Considering the ludicrous position of the red arsed baboons, and their sponsored toadies, as set out in the above, only insane, inane, and other primates can buy into their visions of hell, doom, guilt, and blame.
Hence, the inaction that is set as the course of conduct in the face of crashing galaxies, and uncertain future of our little rock in the cosmic billiard game under way, is only hastening the demise of humanity, alas we human beings will see the future from the dinosaurs Weltanschauung, and regretfully will have to leave only our skeletons for the benefit of the next civilisation that is bound to appear upon our demise.
The notions of WMD somehow never takes into account the total annihilation of the little rock we have come to call home. The annoying part of the sad saga is this eventuality is despite the human ingenuity, and inventions. The despicable castration of the whole of humanity by a hand-full red arsed baboons, only goes missing, while the human ingenuity and invention is perverted into constructs that can only kill, maim, human kind, as well as marginalisation of vast swathes of talents through rigged, and artificial competition.
In other words, while we need to explore possible future home planets for humanity, while we need to start to educating the vast numbers of potential contributors to our survival, we find one quarter of human population in hunger, and destitution, while the other three quarters are loathing their humanity under a constant barrage of hate speak from the supremacist baboons, that are wary of humanity, and loath it for whatever it represents, and stands for.
Finally HARRP is yet another one of those hyped up area 51 stories, that is designed to satiate the ego of the cash cows in the milking pens, with copious numbers of patents, and patent applications to boot. However, considering that Basmati Rice is now patented, and or the button on the web browser is subject to a patent row, the notions of over the horizon radar, that was breached by Russians on 22-24th April last is not an apocalyptic doom ray. Caution must be exercised, in the view of the tall tales, including the sixties laser weapons, that worked only if the subject of attack did not move from its spot for only three hundred years, and or the chemical gay bombs, and or laughing bullets, only serve to highlight the ponzi schemes under way.
Accepted the heating effects of three megawatts of power in the Schumann Layer as yet have not been fully understood, but considering the dissipation of the same power in rapid succession does not give cause for concern, only the amount of funds, and effort to nefarious ends ought to be lamented.
At least stay curious mate, reconsider often.
I once went to a lunch at the House of Lords – summer 2001 (a lunch to impress businessmen making investments in a particular investment company – hosted by Lord Wade). I was the youngest at the table, by at least 30 years (I was 31), and I was possibly the most successful business man at the table, certainly for my age. For the first time, I noticed my peers, as a group, going quiet when I spoke, listening to what I had to say, possibly interested to hear what they could learn from this young entrepreneur. It was all going very well, until after a few glasses of wine with the snail starter, and we were discussing the rights and wrongs with the world, and I summed up my conclusion – the only way to solve the worlds ills is for the human race to disappear back into the sea from where it came; after this they stopped listening to me.
The thing is that six years later, I still feel this way, the human race is appalling; the only thing that has changed since then, is that it now seems that climate change may just do what I called for.
And so I enjoy reading what the cynics say, they are much more fun that those who really hope to effect climate change by switching off light bulbs or believing that you can offset by planting trees. If we really knew what was going on around the world – frightening. Some things you just know to be right – like the non-existence of God (in the most biblical sense), and the fact that EVERYTHING revolves around profit for governments, corporations, businesses and individuals. It's Human nature sadly. So if we can effect climate change, by allowing the governments increasingly imposing carbon allowances, and flight quotas, and this and that, (read more taxes & more restrictions) then it's not going to be a very fun planet to live on.
Nevertheless, despite my negative personal comments, I am doing what I can to influence climate change in a positive way, and to improve conditions for some of the worlds poorest people. But that's my job, and I'm not going to discuss that here.
Third bottle of wine? You be careful what you post.
There were two of us!
That is some rebuttal, 'they stopped listening' upon prognosis of sending all the humanity back to whence they came from?
Just because an amoeba and a frog share some characteristics at the cellular level, that does not qualify the amoeba to freely hop away from the bread bin, and start a whole new civilisation. The sea might have been the start point for creepy crawlies to evolve lungs, and start to live on land, but that somehow is no qualification to drown the humanity at sea, and find no sponsors among the elder baboons to support such a notion, that can only be attributed to wisdom of a drunkard in more sense than one.
The moral lesson of it all, somehow does not add up, on one hand the elder baboons are tolerant of humanity, on the other the saviour of the poor, and dispossessed, not forgetting the mentor of the elder baboons, loathes the human kind. Interesting puzzle for any wannabe psychiatrist.
The points alluded to in earlier postings are in fact validated, by the naked misanthropy on display, that is rationalised by referencing the frightening events taking place around the globe, and the drive for profits, which apparently are attributed to human nature.
The latter points can only arise due to the confusion, and perhaps undue fear, born out of a clear lack of understanding of humanity.
Human nature is not any of the above, in fact nobility of human beings is the cause for concern of the baboons, whom are at pains to project and portray such a nobility as the short fall of humanity.
As for the global warming, what is point of explaining colour mauve to a congenital blind, although it is worth noting that the colour temperature can be a point of reference to the blind, alas no such a construct can be of any recourse in case of addled mind/identity entities.
Planting trees IS a reliable way to offset useful amounts of Greenhouse gas emissions, according to optimaly reviewed, verifiable science (not economic policy). Science is misdirected and manipulated but it also tends strongly towards revealing truthes. Well conducted science can and does enlighten and empower us despite subjective biases.
Everything does not revolve around financial profit. The idea that finance must have the greatest say in each and every sphere, is like a fundamentalist doctrine that elevates a very expensive sect into untouchable orbit above all others.
Craig lost his income, position and safety, colourfuly speaking -"pulled out of such an orbit" by a greater force, by a natural humane considerations, fundamentaly +compassion+. Ever stressed unsatisfied, we would each benefit personaly from serving this force better, every sane person is capable of compassion and is damaged by lack of it. Yet we're distracted or feel incapable of fulfilling our better urges. We struggle in busy and precarious circumstances, under commercialy and politicaly administered neuroses. Hearts and Minds are capable of reaching, for better conditions than our current expectations.
Human nature may be immutable but cultures are able to adapt and shift values and even desires. So i dont fear a 'decrease in fun' from sustainable tax/subsidisations applied to our expensive, noisey, dangerous and isolating high speed personal carraiges. Bring on the day that we can travel at modest yet comfortable speeds, with motorsports no longer an over advertised daily function, properly confined to racetracks for enthusiasts. When we will walk within reconnected communities, read/chat/daydream on clean buses and trains, be free from the heavy unconcious task of keeping a lethal objects trajectory from causing death and mayhem, second by second, day-in, day-out (the joy of driving).
Dont be jaded about the potential for success of survival, world justice, world peace! Im just writing to defend these concepts while wishing i was better at living them myself. Folly and suffering are NOT unavoidable, just gaurd yourself against tales of predestined hopelessness, please.
andy cyan: You're right of course about the Terawatt thing. I should have said Terajoules of energy, which is accurate. Sorry if I got a bit carried away! If the thing's been operating for 20 years at a power of 100MW, then I make its output about 63000TJ in that time. (Power x time in seconds)
Hope my maths is right this time.
The current environmental crisis is ephemeral in geologic time; deadly serious in human time. Green has to be about saving humanity not the earth. If we are unable to stop ourselves degrading our environment, we may end up leaving 'our' earth to cockroaches and rats (their likely post-human survival may be why these creatures are so detested by many of us) who in another few million years – an evolutionary eye-blink – will be debating the feasibility of mining a compressed strata of coalesced carbon-plastic – the homozoic layer – to meet their demands for energy.
On ironing. "What's that?" said a girl I met many years ago on seeing a collapsible trestle bench with a cushioned linen surface. I married her.