tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post1250299806498593589..comments2023-12-23T05:14:34.273-05:00Comments on Wit's End: Beware the Banality of Evil - Heartless at the Heartland Institute SICCCGail Zawackihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-74822714689285018942014-03-09T00:08:58.700-05:002014-03-09T00:08:58.700-05:00"My costume was irreverent, and profoundly fr..."My costume was irreverent, and profoundly frivolous and silly - just like all their denier bullshit." LOL - and great review of your 'seminar experience' - read it all, thank you. <br />Gail, May I re-use the text of your Flyer on my blog please? I'll ref you of course, but I totally agree and like the way you say it. <br />cheers Walter http://whatsupwithrealclimate.blogspot.com.au/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-32714833245626926172012-02-20T12:48:20.767-05:002012-02-20T12:48:20.767-05:00Gail, you must have a lot of time on your hands. I...Gail, you must have a lot of time on your hands. If you seriously want to understand the "denier" point of view, you should go to where it is most directly and effectively addressed -- that is, the web pages of Heartland, or Cato, and the Heritage Foundation. All these assert the same thing -- not that man does not contribute to global warming, but that the "affirmers" are vastly overreacting. If you don't want Heartland, here's are links from Cato and Heritage, respectively.<br />http://www.cato.org/pubs/handbook/hb111/hb111-45.pdf<br />http://blog.heritage.org/2011/07/09/video-message-to-global-warming-alarmists-calm-down/indipetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02538592348220336585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-12604232471483032752011-12-13T12:49:12.247-05:002011-12-13T12:49:12.247-05:00Thanks so much Pete for those links!Thanks so much Pete for those links!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-8064837670413967822011-12-13T12:33:43.769-05:002011-12-13T12:33:43.769-05:00Gail, did you see this treasure trove of education...Gail, did you see this treasure trove of <a href="http://www.easterbrook.ca/steve/?p=2794&cpage=1#comment-6551" rel="nofollow">educational resources</a> at Serendipity? It occurs to me that you might post on this to help spread the knowledge. <br /><br />Pete DunkelbergAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-12988651128249020922011-12-13T12:29:38.208-05:002011-12-13T12:29:38.208-05:00Gail, you'll want to read this: http://thinkpr...Gail, you'll want to read this: <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/13/388474/climate-change-blamed-for-dead-trees-in-africa/" rel="nofollow">http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/12/13/388474/climate-change-blamed-for-dead-trees-in-africa/</a>.<br /><br />Here's a related paper:<br /><a href="http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~williams/publications/WilliamsAndFunk_2011_ClimateDynamics.pdf" rel="nofollow">Williams and Funk 2011.</a> A westward extension of the warm pool leads to a westward extension of the Walker circulation, drying eastern Africa.<br /><br />- Pete DunkelbergAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-65605334725179148832011-09-05T07:14:33.567-04:002011-09-05T07:14:33.567-04:00Thank you for those links, Opit!Thank you for those links, Opit!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-4407920250059577672011-09-05T00:10:43.262-04:002011-09-05T00:10:43.262-04:00And as for the vehemence about not understanding t...And as for the vehemence about not understanding the reality of Resource Depletion - you wouldn't be the first to fall for that conflation of unrelated data. <br /><br />http://sen4earth.org/articles/<br /><br />I haven't heard from Gregory Hilbert for a while...but he isn't be silly enough to make that charge - distressed as he might be about my analysis of AGW.opithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01621946866211400380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-15323541988916971372011-07-29T12:06:03.484-04:002011-07-29T12:06:03.484-04:00Much appreciated, Turtle Ty. That will give me so...Much appreciated, Turtle Ty. That will give me something nice to think about it when I am incarcerated after the tar sands protest in Washington next month!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-74193404743467425442011-07-28T23:10:35.544-04:002011-07-28T23:10:35.544-04:00I believe that there are two kinds of deniers of c...I believe that there are two kinds of deniers of climate change. Those who are misinformed or do not completely understand climate change. And two, people who will be affected negatively by using renewable resources to mitigate for climate change. In particular, the coal and petroleum industry. The Heartland Institute states that they receive corporate contributions to run their institute. I would like to know if some of those corporate contributions come from coal or gas. That would explain a lot.<br /><br />Two, since I consider myself and environmental biologist I would like to be on the fair (I am by far not some high ranking scientist working in the field of climate change, but I have taken a class in it as a graduate student). I do not think the public should simply “believe” in climate change without first hearing all the arguments and studying it themselves a little bit. When individuals promote the climate change agenda don’t have a strong understanding of the science, or the principles of climate change, they can undermine the whole movement by having their information fact checked. It makes us all look bad. Sometimes this happens at our Universities. In other words don’t just believe in climate change cause someone says its real, cause that’s what scientist say, that would be called faith. And that belongs to religion. Instead take a hard look at the science that’s being produced. The proof is in the pudding my friends. And you’ll be a way better advocate in the end. <br />That’s what happened to me, I was a little bit a skeptic, I did quite a bit of reading- including what skeptics are saying. And yes, its reality. And no its not my belief that it’s a reality, its science. It’s been a reality for quite a long time, and we need immediate action. <br /><br />By the way, miss cupcake, you are a true American hero. What ever gave you the idea to go to this stupid event. Thanks for all the info, Its nice to know what going on in these strange events.<br /><br />Later <br />Turtle TyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-2744560929851358652011-07-07T20:42:28.972-04:002011-07-07T20:42:28.972-04:00Regarding malice and incompetence.
I so enjoyed y...Regarding malice and incompetence.<br /><br />I so enjoyed your cupcake outfit - because the denialist party seems to act like flat-earth, tin-foil hat fools. When they present anti-science, then their folly is more like a dance in a tutu.richard Paulinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-31116733021135172882011-07-07T20:20:30.080-04:002011-07-07T20:20:30.080-04:00"-- I could have told him no, they are the cr..."-- I could have told him no, they are the crazy ones --"<br /><br />I wish you had.<br /><br />Good for you for your efforts. Don't be so hard on yourself for not having done more - you've done far more than almost everyone!<br /><br />@ Morocco Bama:<br /><br />"When dealing with deliberate, misinforming scum like Alan Watts, irreverence should be used at every turn. People like Watts should be shunned. Screw etiquette."<br /><br />Amen to that!<br /><br />Re: "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence"<br /><br />According to Wikipedia at least (I know, don't believe everything you read on the 'Net) this is Hanlon's razor, which reads:<br /><br />"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."<br /><br />Throwing this back at them, these deniers aren't malicious; they're just stupid. I'd pity them, if it weren't for the harm they do. As things stand, they should be tried for crimes against humanity (not to mention all the other non-human species we're annihilating at a rate of knots), and then -- after a fair trial, of course -- shunned.<br /><br />Did I say 'shunned'? I meant 'hung, drawn and quartered.'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-28094803457124235862011-07-07T12:19:10.853-04:002011-07-07T12:19:10.853-04:00IMO it's a Q of what's the decent thing to...IMO it's a Q of what's the decent thing to do.<br />(and yes, we're human, we lapse; but what do we try for, & how do we rethink&respond...)Anna Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15176850465809297298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-47162256600238301672011-07-07T08:03:53.050-04:002011-07-07T08:03:53.050-04:00Thanks Neven. I know I tend to run on, but then a...Thanks Neven. I know I tend to run on, but then again, I saw one objection that I was taking photos of tree after tree that had obviously been hit by lightening. Really? One after the other along 3 blocks of Connecticut Avenue? So maybe there can never be too many!<br /><br />Anna, every comment goes into moderation automatically, and I am on East Coast time. I did think more than twice about Watt's Wedgie, but he is a public figure, and like any public figure, there will be images of him published that are less than flattering. I'm sure you can think of infinite examples of other famous people getting pies in the face or whatever, and this wasn't staged or photoshopped, it was just what I saw.<br /><br />I think the general rule is that fame and fortune come with some burdens, and being in the butt of the occasional joke (sorry couldn't help it!) is one of them generally considered well worth it, unless you listen to Sarah Palin, who is persecuted.<br /><br />Besides it was funny. I try to keep a sense of humor in the midst of ecosystem collapse.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-23620455639005564262011-07-07T07:56:07.550-04:002011-07-07T07:56:07.550-04:00I don't think it's right to publish unappe...<i>I don't think it's right to publish unappealing candid photos</i><br /><br />So, Gail should be a censoring propagandist then? When dealing with deliberate, misinforming scum like Alan Watts, irreverence should be used at every turn. People like Watts should be shunned. Screw etiquette.<br /><br />And Al Gore is fat. He's a slug. He's a Plutocrat. He's an opportunist, and in the end, he cares as much about the environment as does Alan Watts. How else do you explain Gore's lifestyle? I'm a firm believer in leading by example, and I've yet to see any evidence of Al mitigating his Carbon Footprint.Morocco Bamanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-20083879289625498942011-07-07T03:23:23.470-04:002011-07-07T03:23:23.470-04:00This was a pleasure to read, Gail.This was a pleasure to read, Gail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-45426504139568846892011-07-06T22:58:38.968-04:002011-07-06T22:58:38.968-04:00Gail, you are a delightful cupcake.
But - though ...Gail, you are a delightful cupcake.<br /><br />But - though I am not exactly Mr. Watts's greatest fan - I don't think it's right to publish unappealing candid photos, and IMO your report would be more persuasive without them. Whose interests are served, if we go back to "Al Gore's fat" discourse?Anna Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15176850465809297298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-21148412142602564052011-07-06T19:18:20.302-04:002011-07-06T19:18:20.302-04:00Well said, Aaron, and thank you. As a non-scienti...Well said, Aaron, and thank you. As a non-scientist, it is very frustrating for me to try to see from their perspective why ecosystem collapse from pollution and unsustainable resource extraction shouldn't be inextricably linked to climate change. They all have the same root cause - and they even have the same solution.<br /><br />I suspect maybe some scientists and climate activists ust indulge in the fantasy that there is a technological magical fix, or a bunch of them, that will save us from climate change. I disagree - I think if is only a matter of timing, and based on the rate at which trees are dying, I think it's pollution killing them that is going to become a raging torrent of disasters, from crop failures to the loss of the major CO2 sink, thus adding to the heating.<br /><br />The UNEP report basically says the same thing about "other" emissions from burning fuel - but then they too get a bit worked up about social and generational justice and things not purely scientific so there you go.<br /><br />Not to bore you but there are pictures all over the blog of many species in many different sorts of habitats from around the country. Also too, research has demonstrated many times that trees and other plants which have immune systems damaged from exposure to ozone are more susceptible to attacks by insects, disease and fungus, as well as drought and wind-throw.<br /><br />So I suspect there is more at work with the beetles than just warming. If it were just warming, you would see a distinct progression from lower latitudes to higher, and lower elevations to higher. Maybe that exists, I don't know.<br /><br />Anyway thank you for stopping by to read and comment, I am going to go check out your blog for tips about knitting!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-27668372944715030332011-07-06T17:40:23.708-04:002011-07-06T17:40:23.708-04:00There is a feedback loop such that When the number...There is a feedback loop such that When the number of lawyers and arborists both reach a critical density, tree limbs get whacked out of an abundance of caution to protect passers by. Thus, trees in DC are going to be over trimmed and look like old movie stars that have had too many face lifts, and too many “tummy tucks”.<br /><br />Better, would be photos of trees in forests where there are fewer lawyers and arborists. Unfortunately, there are tens of millions of acres of such trees that look worse than any of the trees in your photos.<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/science/18trees.html<br /><br />Yes, global warming is affecting us, here and now. All of our climate models (GCM) under estimated the impacts and underestimated how fast these impacts would occur. The case in point is Arctic Sea Ice, which has melted much faster than any GCM expected. (see http://psc.apl.washington.edu/wordpress/research/projects/arctic-sea-ice-volume-anomaly/ ) If a GCM missed the melting of sea ice, then that model will get everything after that sea ice melt – wrong.<br /><br />Now, we know that warmer North Atlantic waters are entering the Arctic and circulating at depths where clathrates are found. These waters are warm enough to decompose the clathrates at the depths of these currents. And, we have observed plumes of methane rising in the Arctic seas, so it is likely that clathrate decomposition is already occurring. We know that CO2 is out gassing from the tundra and high carbon permafrost materials are being eroded along rivers and Arctic shorelines. However, none of the GCM include any such natural carbon feed backs in their calculations. <br /><br />Nor do the GCM include any of the physics of ice dynamics as large masses of ice are warmed toward 0C, and start to lose the structural strength to resist gravity. This is a current issue, as the number of moulins where melt water is advecting heat into the core of the GIS has increased dramatically over the last few years. <br /><br /><br />Both the IPCC and the Heartland deny or ignore aspects of climate change that have important practical impacts. The difference between IPCC and Heartland is just a matter of degree. They both greatly understate the impacts and the urgency. Thus, we cannot split the difference between them for a political solution. A useful solution must address reality, and not some political fiction. The physical reality is worse than anything the IPCC has hinted at. The physical reality must be our basis of planning and action.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05150805906414546377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-87766954613275186772011-07-05T21:04:02.253-04:002011-07-05T21:04:02.253-04:00Thanks, and help yourself to pictures, Willard!Thanks, and help yourself to pictures, Willard!Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-20793142556564328432011-07-05T20:49:27.267-04:002011-07-05T20:49:27.267-04:00Nice pictures!
I liked this one:
http://neverend...Nice pictures!<br /><br />I liked this one:<br /><br />http://neverendingaudit.tumblr.com/post/7283169080<br /><br />I might steal more if you do not mind.<br /><br />PS: Tim Ball was a professor of geography, according to Sourcewatch.willardhttp://neverendingaudit.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-25121930920042281202011-07-05T11:35:35.089-04:002011-07-05T11:35:35.089-04:00Well, the "lady" you spoke with might we...Well, the "lady" you spoke with might well have a nasty shock; her children will, certainly. <br /><br />As for the speaker at the Heartland conference, I'm sure that resource wars are grand for business; if you aren't making money during a war, you aren't trying. In any case, the mayhem doesn't impinge on him since the US has fought its wars for nearly a century overseas. Can't even let John Q. Public see the repatriating of soldiers' remains, for fear of the penny (as they say here) dropping. What, of course, he's not taking account of is that the resource war(s) will be coming to the US eventually. His money, and that of the woman, will protect them. For a while. And then they both will discover what generations before them have always known: war is a bad thing, indeed, when you can't get out of the way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-72475154401959625032011-07-05T08:05:09.348-04:002011-07-05T08:05:09.348-04:00Ha, thanks Serinde, I did read the transcript as s...Ha, thanks Serinde, I did read the transcript as soon as he posted it online. What was so awful is that he felt compelled to apologize for speaking the truth!<br /><br />I think many deniers don't dispute an ultimate crash from resource depletion - they just don't think it is imminent. I talked to one woman yesterday, about my age or maybe a little older, who is a right-wing conservative wealthy person thoroughly enjoying her high carbon lifestyle, and she was like...so? Population has always been checked by famine or war or disease, so soon enough that will bring the level of humans back down again.<br /><br />She's convinced that won't happen for at least two generations though, and she doesn't think it will wipe out everyone, or civilization, or enough other species to matter to humans. So I guess to the extent she projects that far, she assumes her family will have enough wealth to be among the survivors and to hell with the useless eaters, is what it comes down to. I found myself looking at her and wondering whether she had any empathy within her at all.<br /><br />I think that is pretty much the attitude that prevailed at the Heartland conference. One of the speakers said something like, since when have resource wars been a bad thing?Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-30449801182263508452011-07-05T07:54:00.856-04:002011-07-05T07:54:00.856-04:00I don't know if you have come across Greg Crav...I don't know if you have come across Greg Craven, but he totally let the cat out of the bag in this address to the AGU in December 2010. I think you'll recognise his stance. It even got Uncle Eli going at RabbetRun.<br /><br />(sorry for ugly link)<br /><br />Serinde<br /><br />http://www.gregcraven.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64%3Acravenagutalk12-15-10&catid=2&lang=enAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-18895430671458795582011-07-04T13:43:07.077-04:002011-07-04T13:43:07.077-04:00MO - thanks for the picture, it's perfect! Of...MO - thanks for the picture, it's perfect! Of course I know the trees - but had no name for that. I think it is because the roots rot more quickly than what is above the surface. So the Death Lean it is. Please do send me photos! witsendnj at yahoo.Gail Zawackihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01800944469843206253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5549306427964459740.post-84771207096713233442011-07-04T12:49:33.749-04:002011-07-04T12:49:33.749-04:00I posted an article about the rejuvenated Texas Oi...I posted an article about the rejuvenated Texas Oil/Gas boon due to the magic of Fracking. Here's an update. You get what you deserve....maybe?<br /><br />http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/jul/02/amid-severe-drought-irion-county-residents-sound/<br /><br />It reminds me of what Moses said to Pharoah about the last plague from the movie The Ten Commandments.<br /><br /><i>If there is one more plague on Egypt, it is by your word<br />that God will bring it. And there shall be so great a cry…..</i><br /><br />And Gail, I'm coining a new term I think we should adopt in our reluctant death watch. I call it the Death Lean.....it's what many of the trees in this area are doing because they lack the strength and inner support to hold themselves up. They begin to lean at a pivotal point some way up the trunk until the lean becomes to severe and they snap. I was astonished at the amount of trees at Stone Mountain, and everywhere around here, lately, that are exhibiting the Death Lean. As as you have so often mentioned, no one seems to notice...or care. Here's an apropos image for the 4th. I've never been a fan of the 4th....even as a youngster. It always seemed false to me, I suppose. When I was younger, it was intuition, but now that I'm older, it's a conscious validation.<br /><br />http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5679/tumblrlnn6k04snm1qz6f9y.jpgMorocco Bamanoreply@blogger.com