🚀 go-pugleaf

Richard Vialls wrote:

> In article <907508042.10302.0.nnrp-03.c2de9a2e@news.demon.co.uk>, Max
> Beran <max@oldboot.demon.co.uk> writes
> >You display a trait that is very common among the "radical concerned"; a
> >diminished ability to distinguish a proper level of response to risks that
> >we know exist from those that we do not know if they exist. And when I say
> >"know", I really mean "know", not just "suspect" or "fear".
>
> There is an element of this in environmental circles, but I believe it
> is a minor element.
>
> >For example, when we design a structure like a bridge, its basic properties
> >are governed by a known set of risks - risks - wind, traffic load, ravages
> >of time. We incorporate the unknowable risks within a factor of safety that
> >is added to the basic. We rightly would not  act as if the unknowable risks
> >were knowable and incorporate them explicitly in the design. That way, it is
> >true, no bridge would ever fall down, but on the other hand we would not
> >have the funds to build many bridges.
> >
> >I trust the analogies with the subject matter of this thread are clear.
>
> To take your analogy, you're building a bridge on a major earthquake
> fault. You don't yet know whether the fault is still active but there's
> growing evidence that it is. Now do you build in earthquake protection?
> Or alternatively, do you build your bridge further up the valley where
> it will be far more likely to be safe from earthquakes but will cost a
> little more.
>
> My problem with the arguments over climate change is that things have
> polarised into the fossil fuel, car industries, etc. who are making out
> that climate change is still only a vague possibility and as such we can
> safely ignore it; and on the other side, the more extremist
> environmentalists who claim that global warming is a fact and we're all
> going to die as a result.

    We're all going to die, if they've found another answer that is the way to go
- A trip on Hale - Bopp or perhaps a trip to meet Allah with dynamite around the
waist..

>
>
> In practice, the evidence for global warming is pretty good (although by
> no means conclusive) and the most mainstream models suggest that the
> results of climate change will be extremely significant, but not
> necessarily completely catastrophic.

    IMO the evidence for global climate warming may be valid or may not - mans
contribution to total C in the system represents less than 0.1 %. and thus cannot
be the diving force, the tail doesn't wag the dog. Climate has been changing since
the earth was formed and certainly man was not a factor one way or another. One
thing that would be unusual is that if it wasn't changing. One thing for sure we a
in between ice ages whether we are still coming out or heading back in is ? and
the only thing is try to adapt and go with the flow the same as man walking across
the Bering straits with pointed sticks poking mastodons in the ass. we sure should
have better equipment to handle the situation.

� Nature limits what we can do, Science limits what we understand,
Theory what we can think, and Religion what we can hope � Lindaberry 1998

Harold Lindaberry    reply E - mail    harlind@epix.net
visit OXGORE website at  http://www.epix.net/~harlind
RESEARCH GOES WHERE RESEARCH LEADS

>
>
> My concern with the original article was that it sounded rather too much
> like an apology for the oil industry: 'There's no point us doing
> anything right now until we're entirely sure, but look at all the other
> things that could be done to save lives'. It's a bit of a smoke screen
> to cover the possibilities for at least some measures to be taken to
> counter the threat of climate change.
>
> We can't go overboard at this stage and completely change everything we
> do overnight just in case, but I do believe that more can be done than
> is currently being done and that many of these measures make sense even
> without the threat of global warming. For example, reducing car usage in
> the UK makes sense economically and on health grounds - traffic
> congestion is a serious problem in this country.
>
> Richard Vialls              (please replace nospam with demon for email & WWW)
> Black Cat Electronics - contract electronics design
> Bodrwyn, Cerrigceinwen, Bodorgan,                     Phone: +44(0)1407 720717
> Anglesey, LL62 5EF, UK.                    Email: rvialls@blakcat.nospam.co.uk
>                                           Web: http://www.blakcat.nospam.co.uk