Archive for the ‘Scrapbook Of Sighs’ Category
The Climate Change Debate and The Sun?
After having watched the interview with George Monbiot on Real News, I continued to read the comments left by Youtube users on the film. One user, ‘TroyaE117’, left a comment that I could not resist replying to. Climate Change is an issue which I feel very strongly about and I thought of nothing better to do than to start a healthy debate.
Here are the original comments that ‘TroyaE117’ left on the page:
“Oh yes, another climate change expert depicting doom, tipping points, and promising that he can stop it by producing less CO2. The earth has had far more CO2 in the atmosphere in the past, and it has survived.
And not one single mention of the output of the sun.
Is this guy selling a book on the subject or something?
I have read, and read on this subject, and the evidence of warming is debatable and the cause of it more nebulous.
Ask him why there was an ice age ending 10,000 years ago, or why Romans were able to grow grapes in Scotland 2,000 years ago, or why the medieval warming period happened, and he will look at you like you’ve got two heads.
He doesn’t speak much about the old sun either.
A doom-merchant selling a book, expensively, on how people like him can change the world’s climate.”
Here is my response:
TroyaE117, Monbiot’s book is not at all expensive in comparison to the cost of ignoring climate change. You claim to have read and read on this subject, but it seems to me you clearly haven’t. Do you have a science degree? And can you back up your arguments rather than slating Monbiot with criticism for not mentioning your bluster. The view you represent about climate and the sun has been proved wrong countless times. Here is an article from Monbiot’s website which I would encourage you to read:
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2007/03/13/channel-4s-problem-with-science/
If I were to predict your next move, it would be to launch into a comment about my naive shortcomings in believing the view of one man. Fair enough, that’s understandable, I am a cynic like yourself, and I once was in denial. However I discovered that Monbiot does have a science degree and that all of his articles and papers are backed up with plenty of research and real science. The problem with your argument is that you fail to realise that it is not the real science, it is the swindle itself. The “scientists” involved with tarnishing the views of many are 9 times out of 10 being paid by the fossil fuel industry to say what is on the auto-cue and they are being pressured by their lobby groups. If not they are in so much denial of the terrifying effects of climate change in the 21st century that they refuse to accept it and they use their position as once respected scientists to promote a view which is not really theirs, a view which is distorted because it is backed up by no real science.
I hope you don’t stop reading here, their is nothing wrong in being cynical over this issue, but make sure that what you read has its points backed up with proper scientific research which should inevitably point towards the overwhelming conclusion that climate change is happening due our human activity on earth.
An Interview with George Monbiot – A Must See
Here is a very important interview with the author and activist George Monbiot. The interviewer is very thorough in getting George to back up everything he says, which is great and even better when George comes back with a fully valid and researched response. Issues on the agenda are; the urgency of climate change, why it is happening, the Stern report, what is politically possible, the effect of the media on a sense of urgency and how a 90% cut in our carbon emissions can be achieved.
Part 1
Any comments would be much appreciated in order to further this discussion.
Iran: Nuclear Weapons or Oil?
Babak Yektafar reports from Washington D.C.
With Iran emerging as a regional power and now the source of 17% of China’s oil is the U.S. really concerned about nuclear weapons or is it more about the geo-politics and oil?
This video from Real News is further proof that the US interest in Iran is really only for its oil and over the Republican nightmare of a super-strong Chinese nation. The media still spins the idea of an Iran that is practically a dictatorship with a monolithic government whereas actually there is loads of in-fighting, as this video shows. Even the British media is censored by money, it sounds radical but it’s inconvenient for the multi-millionaires in charge to go against the grain.
George Monbiot & Khalid Mahmood debate Climate Camp
From BBC’s newsnight, 13th August 2007. Monbiot commits himself to DA whilst a Labour stooge waffles. Kirsty Wark sits on the fence. It’s an interesting interview if you aim to be frustrated by the usual strawmen or if you want to once again see clearly why Monbiot is the best living activist. He really has done his homework, and yes, unlike most, he does have a science degree.
I think it’s appalling how that MP can say that terrorism is more immediate than climate change. Terrorism obviously has to be dealt with now but climate change affects everybody and it certainly is just as immediate as any terrorist threat. I hate the way that the MP and presenter just redirect the argument into terrorism, aren’t they suppose to be talking about the climate camp? Direct, active protest and terrorism are two completely different things.
Government Response to Live Music Petition
This week the PM’s office has finally got round to responding to the petition for live music not to be restricted by licensing regulations (see previous article).
2 July 2007
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to recognise that music and dance should not be restricted by burdensome licensing regulations.”
Details of Petition:
“The recently introduced changes in licensing law have produced an environment where music and dance, activities which should be valued and promoted in a civilised society, are instead damaged by inappropriate regulation. We call on the Prime Minister to recognise this situation and take steps to correct it.”
The Government’s response
“Thank you for signing the epetition expressing concerns that the new licensing act is restricting music and dance.
The Government recognises the vital role that live music and dance play in our national life and wants to see it expanded not reduced. So there is absolutely no intention of restricting performances through unnecessary licensing regulations. But it is also the case, of course, that some live performances can impact on the wider community, not least through noise, public safety or nuisance to local residents.
So the aim of the Licensing Act was to streamline the system which had grown up over many years, reducing unnecessary burdens but giving local communities a greater say in the licensing decisions that affect them. The Act, for example, has removed the need to apply for several different permits to put on events and enabled more venues to put on performances.
Overall the evidence so far does not suggest that the Licensing Act has had a negative impact on the amount of live music. Research for the Department for Culture, Music and Sport (new window) into the impact of the new rules on smaller venues found that twice as many found the licensing process easy as difficult. It also highlighted the fact that bureaucracy and expense were only rarely mentioned as reasons for not applying licences.
But the Government does accept that some venues feel unnecessarily constrained by restrictive conditions. While those that have stopped hosting live music have generally been balanced by the emergence of new venues, we do recognise that the loss of an established venue can have an impact on individual musicians and music fans.
It is in response to these concerns that DCMS has already set out areas where it thinks changes might be made to reduce further administrative burdens. The Government also set up the Live Music Forum in 2004 to monitor the impact of the Licensing Act and to recommend how government might better promote live performances. We expect to receive the Forum’s findings and recommendations in the Summer and will look closely to see if action is needed.”
Hmmm, we’ll see.
Mobilisation, Mobilisation, Mobilistaion
Monbiot is completely on the ball here. It’s up to us now to raise awareness COLLECTIVELY.
The Waste Won’t Waste Away
Don’t forget to tell your grandchildren to
make sure they let their grandchildren know
how to instruct their grandchildren to show
their grandchildren how to clarify to their
grandchildren in what way their grandchildren
could enable their grandchildren to look after
our nuclear waste.
Broken-Beat Fever 