tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post3134622649982363183..comments2023-12-23T05:14:34.273-05:00Comments on Wit's End: Ozone Research and Vegetative Impacts Worse Case Scenarios by Ray Knighton, USDAGail Zawackihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-86785727760285320832012-01-02T20:42:37.381-05:002012-01-02T20:42:37.381-05:00I don't think quite 90 percent in this country...I don't think quite 90 percent in this country believe in creationism - if that is as opposed to natural selection (evolution) - figures I've seen are more around 50 percent, indicating such wide-spread ignorance that it is still mind-boggling. But, for sure everything else you relate is part of a very disturbing trent towards fascism, and ruthless individualism, which does not encourage optimism for the welfare of any species.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-77689349507291939132012-01-02T20:00:10.730-05:002012-01-02T20:00:10.730-05:00Frank makes the connection I was trying to between...Frank makes the connection I was trying to between the failure of liberalism and this spate of psychology books showing that no, we are not rational. The liberals count on the conservatives to play fair, and they don't. That was one of my central errors in thinking about democracy as the marketplace of ideas, in which the best idea would win in the end and even though the Republicans were more into self-interest than the Democrats were, even they would have to understand that if we're to survive as a community or society or world, self-interest has to be enlightened. Apparently these people have never head of the tragedy of the commons, or, I now realize, simply don't care. People do not necessarily care when logic or other forms of proof show that they are incorrect. Not in this country, in which over 90 per cent of the country believes in creationism. The frightening thing about the psych books is how easily people dehumanize others and turn to brutality, esp when they are frightened and/or angry and in the grip of groupthink. Kahneman says that when people are shown images of mortality, they become more authoritarian, things like that. Not for the weak of stomach.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-86438431707928203912012-01-02T19:54:51.498-05:002012-01-02T19:54:51.498-05:00Just read, "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservati...Just read, "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule" by Thomas Frank. Details just how the neocons gutted all of our regulatory agencies, and at the end, proposes a very interesting theory of how they Republicans have, very cynically, created deficits so that they can use them to force Democrats to cut spending. He mentions something I'd forgotten, which is that David Stockman, Reagan's whiz kid on supply-side economics, privately came to disavow the theory almost as soon as Reagan got into office , but the conservatives used it anyway simply to blackmail the Democrats.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-83027651979960231172012-01-02T08:07:54.918-05:002012-01-02T08:07:54.918-05:00I certainly bought into much of the American myth....I certainly bought into much of the American myth. I thought it was a responsibility to vote and any suggestion otherwise offended me. But now I can see voting is just validating a system based on propaganda and injustice. I also thought it was critically important to own a home - but now I see that the way it's set up, a mortgage is a form of indentured servitude...and student loans prevent young people from rebelling while conditioning them to be willing participants in a rigged society.<br /><br />I guess we'll find out how truly ruthless our fascist overlords are when they start detaining citizens in FEMA camps on suspicion of suspicion...Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-36466047104752411742012-01-01T20:19:28.393-05:002012-01-01T20:19:28.393-05:00I highly, highly recommend these books to you. Fr...I highly, highly recommend these books to you. From what you've done here, I think you'd really get a lot out of them.<br /><br />Also, Greg Palast wrote "The Best Demoracy Money Can Buy" and it really opened my eyes. Has things about the 2000 election that have never appeared here, and many other dysfunctionalities of American life. He has a new book out, but I think it was a rush job and am not going to read it.<br /><br />Have many other recommendations on related topics if you're interested, but those would probably be of most interest to you.<br /><br />Will try to write something that coherently explains the relationship between the findings by these psychologists and how they've gotten us to this point.<br /><br />I always thought that democracy was a marketplace of ideas. But if you add in the Supreme Court's finding that money equals speech, and thing about Gresham's Law, well, my thinking was naive to say the least and, as much I scoffed at various mythologies of America, I clearly bought into some, perhaps many, of them, however unwittingly. There's a book out called Monoculture that discusses this but it's really very simplistic and not worth any time or money.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your wit and creativity with all of us!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-22470805047010113632012-01-01T15:12:50.239-05:002012-01-01T15:12:50.239-05:00Looking forward to finding those books! Here'...Looking forward to finding those books! Here's one pretty good article about seismic activity - but if you just google it with climate change you'll get many, many links:<br /><br />http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1267137/Climate-change-spark-volcanoes-earthquakes-tsunamis.htmlGail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-87468488205478370432012-01-01T14:59:45.794-05:002012-01-01T14:59:45.794-05:00Re human irrationality, I recommend Kahneman, &quo...Re human irrationality, I recommend Kahneman, "Thinking Fast and Slow", and "You Are Not So Smart . . ." by McRaney. Both have very scary implications for the various catastrophes that are unfolding before our eyes. "Idiot America . . ." by Pierce traces the rise in irrational thinking in the US and its ties to the far right (McRaney does at a few points as well, haven't finished it yet). However, "Life Inc." by Rushkoff, IIRC, debunks the prisoner's dilemma experiment, and a lot of the other research is based on it or experiments derived from it. <br /><br />Thanks, Gail, for the response about volcano eruptions, I hadn't thought of earthquakes as being related to GW but I think they probably are. I've read about the permafrost melting, and it is horrific. One Alaskan village is falling into the sea, and the methane gas problem is going to be of horrific proportions. I don't know whether that was predicted back when, I don't recall it.<br /><br />Thanks for the blog to the comic spot, will check it out.<br /><br />Thx!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-63891897827986619582011-12-31T17:31:53.886-05:002011-12-31T17:31:53.886-05:00I totally agree. In geological times it is happeni...I totally agree. In geological times it is happening in the blink of an eye. <br /><br />In terms of a human lifespan I supposed it could still take a good portion of our relatively short lives. <br /><br />Somewhat unfortunately, humans seem to be good at adapting psychologically (more like ignoring) such things when they happen at a somewhat moderate pace in comparison to their own lifespans. <br /><br />I think it would take a sudden and very very extreme die-off event worldwide to really wake everyone up. Ironically it would obviously be far too late at that point to really do anything about it.<br /><br />I'm fairly doubtful that people could/will even wake up in time to do anything about it as it stands anyways. I think the article you posted about human nature/evolutionary mechanisms summed up quite amazingly why it will be difficulty to avoid this collision course with complete disaster.<br /><br />I've always been a bit of a pessimist but I feel in this case it is completely justified. <br /><br />Thanks for your hard work on the blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-61267436302651753142011-12-31T15:54:46.602-05:002011-12-31T15:54:46.602-05:00Thanks for reading, anon.
There are definitely sc...Thanks for reading, anon.<br /><br />There are definitely scientific predictions that AGW will lead to increased seismic activity, mainly because of melting ice and glaciers - the weight reduction is actually tremendous, and this causes the tectonic sheets to deflect...not to mention that there will be more weight in the oceans.<br /><br />Of course, like extreme weather events, we cannot attribute any single event to blah blah blah..did you see the kitchen table comic!?<br /><br />http://witsendnj.blogspot.com/2011/01/kitchen-table-comic.htmlGail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-86347664837115048012011-12-31T15:23:32.446-05:002011-12-31T15:23:32.446-05:00Trees are, as I think you've said, very hardy ...Trees are, as I think you've said, very hardy and life in general is tenacious. I've tried to grow plants in my overheated NYC apt many times, and they always die from the heat, but it takes them a while. A hanging ivy will lose a few strands and then a few more, but it will take a very long time to totally die off.<br /><br />Just saw a slideshow of natural disasters from 2011, and many of them were eruptions from volcanoes that haven't erupted in many, many years. Any thoughts on whether those may be related to GW? Here's the link in case you're interested (and yes, I know that not all of these were "natural" disasters): http://www.slate.com/slideshows/arts/man-vs-nature-2011-photos-of-volcanoes-floods-typhoons-and-freak-snow-storms.html<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />Great post, by the way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-88080633992807633012011-12-31T09:02:55.057-05:002011-12-31T09:02:55.057-05:00Given how suddenly they started to look damaged, I...Given how suddenly they started to look damaged, I also expected them to die more quickly. They apparently store quite a bit of energy that they can draw upon when stressed. Trees are very tenacious - think of the old saying about the oaks, 3 hundred years growing, 3 hundred years living, 3 hundred years dying.<br /><br />Having said that, in the geologic timescale, they ARE dying in the blink of an eye.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-87519000943037235202011-12-31T00:06:35.365-05:002011-12-31T00:06:35.365-05:00Yes I think maybe a converging of numerous factors...Yes I think maybe a converging of numerous factors finally hitting a tipping point. I have noticed certain areas are still faring far better than others but the overall situation seems very grim. I think your area is probably the worst I've seen, but things are quite bad over here in the PNW too, as you've seen. <br /><br />That all being said, from what I saw back in 09 I honestly expected something was so drastically wrong that all the trees would be dead by this point. It does seem to take a while for a lot of them to die. There are some cedars here that were quite thin in 09 and still look more or less the same today. Other trees seemingly went from reasonable condition to completely dead in a hurry though, so it's hard to say what causes one tree to suddenly succumb while others cling to life for years. I guess I'm just rambling now , but these are just some things I've observed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-29600958402678009122011-12-30T21:59:08.994-05:002011-12-30T21:59:08.994-05:00Hm Anon, I apologize, one never knows when Godwin&...Hm Anon, I apologize, one never knows when Godwin's Law might apply on the intertubes.<br /><br />Interesting that you noticed in 2009. I noticed in 2008, and I feel that since I have been a very close observer - for purely selfish reasons, since I am a gardener and have planted many trees - that something important and significant happened then. What, I am not sure...A tipping point? Biofuel emissions? Nitrogen cascade?<br /><br />Any thoughts are welcome. They are not coming from the established sources, that's for sure.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-61820882860043651812011-12-30T19:58:50.508-05:002011-12-30T19:58:50.508-05:00I'm definitely being serious. I have not done ...I'm definitely being serious. I have not done the research you have into the causes so much but definitely noticed the trend back in the summer of 2009 and have been watching with great sadness ever since. I like the tree signs idea. I wonder if people would even understand though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-56445141744787568502011-12-30T16:16:47.307-05:002011-12-30T16:16:47.307-05:00Well Anon, assuming you're not being facetious...Well Anon, assuming you're not being facetious, it makes me feel better to DO something even if it won't really change anything. I am toying with the notion of labeling trees with signs that say "Help me, I'm dying!" or something along those lines...Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-43502196417498778152011-12-30T16:09:24.268-05:002011-12-30T16:09:24.268-05:00I find myself constantly scanning movies, people&#...I find myself constantly scanning movies, people's facebook photos, old internet photos etc for signs of the decline. It's sort of become an obsession over the last few years for me. I don't know why I do it, it just makes me more depressed but I can't stop.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-90613409657956995192011-12-30T12:51:32.467-05:002011-12-30T12:51:32.467-05:00petronelle, it is sort of a joke I have with mysel...petronelle, it is sort of a joke I have with myself that I can find dying trees anywhere, including recently filmed movies and commercials. Once you recognize the symptoms of damaged foliage, broken branches and cankers and holes and transparent pines and so forth, it's impossible to miss that we are in a very bad trend.<br /><br />Thank you for reading, and have a Happy New Year!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-46691859819879904062011-12-30T12:36:21.520-05:002011-12-30T12:36:21.520-05:00Thank you Gail for what you do here. It is so dep...Thank you Gail for what you do here. It is so depressing: I'm glad I'm old. Thanks for your eye: I saw the Sherlock Holmes movie and did not notice the state of the trees...petronellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-67034622703488359512011-12-29T18:08:05.185-05:002011-12-29T18:08:05.185-05:00Every leaf of every big leaf maple I saw when visi...Every leaf of every big leaf maple I saw when visiting the west coast twice in the past two years - a species I hadn't even known existed before, which is very beautiful - had marginal leaf burn.<br /><br />Today, I went to see Sherlock Holmes and wasn't surprised, but still sad, to see that the trees filmed on location in England, France and Germany are precisely as damaged as those around Wit's End in New Jersey.<br /><br />There was one scene, at Watson's wedding, that had a close up of leaves in the foreground and they were spotted, tattered and distinctly ugly. And there were forest panoramas with thinning and bare pine trees.<br /><br />As you said, Anon, no one seems to care or notice.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-29521024381631417132011-12-29T17:56:39.675-05:002011-12-29T17:56:39.675-05:00Big leaf Maples are pretty much going extinct out ...Big leaf Maples are pretty much going extinct out here in SW BC. I can't even find one anymore than isn't in dire straights. No one cares or notices it seems though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-46871109968469615712011-12-29T11:52:27.344-05:002011-12-29T11:52:27.344-05:00What Mossey said.
Sadly, where I live we used t...What Mossey said. <br /><br />Sadly, where I live we used to have two maple trees in front our house, neither of which was more than about 30 years old since they were part of the landscaping and that's how old our development is. The first one died a couple of years ago and is gone. I was looking out the window this morning and noticing how sickly the other one looks. I would gather it likely won't survive too many more years.<br /><br />Sad.Bill Hickshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17551954408189665078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-50189333460595130462011-12-28T21:43:47.730-05:002011-12-28T21:43:47.730-05:00Scarey!Scarey!Mossyhttp://www.gwenet.orgnoreply@blogger.com