For those that thought the last presidential election was bizarre..

[noharleyyet]

Bin Laden was considered in 2001 but Guliani won out. Time received much criticism.

 

[Europe]

I thought I deserved to be the picture of the baby on the Gerber's baby food products but Ann got that gig and I never forgave her )-:

 

[VikingsGuy]

For those of you who are dismissive of climate change, it’s urgency, or it’s implications... I sure hope you are right.

I am not a climate change denier, but I am not a fanatic "at all costs" true believer either. It is a complex topic that deserves more subtle assessment than is typically seen on the internet. Suffice to say my views are comfortably in the middle between, "we need a retroactive one-child policy to save the polar bears (sorry kids but it's for the best)" and "it's all fake news from communists (time to put another lump of coal in the boiler)." From that place, I share a little perspective for those who can't understand those who aren't apoplectic about climate change. In a gross oversimplification I think there are 4 general reasons:

First, some grew up being told by the experts and our teachers that nuclear war, global cooling, peak oil, nuclear winter, Japanese economic hegemony, catastrophic increase in global poverty, sweeping hunger in north american and europe as the new norm, peak copper, peak iron, peak everything . . . was imminent and unavoidable. The only doom and gloom prediction I can remember being right was the ozone concern - and I am glad they caught and I am glad the world reacted in time to resolve it mostly. But frankly, the doomsayers have been wrong far more often than even the nightly weather guy.

Second, even if one is all in on the science, too often the "solutions" appear to be repackaged long term cultural war topics. An almost gleeful rush to the most extreme solutions by some, the re-surfacing of an anti-capitalism, anti-industrial age, anti-automobile, anti-"American dream", anti-international trade, anti-modern agriculture and many other antis-, and the "eco shaming" approach all have caused many intelligent people to just turn their back on the whole topic as there seems to be no place for a reasonable discussion and reasonable solution. We really should be asking how with the least money, least effort and least disruption can we get back on the right track. We need something more like the the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act, and less like the "Green New Deal" (that if you actually read it has a lot more to do about creating a socialist utopia than actually addressing climate change).

Third, the curse of the "public commons". When everybody is part of the problem and everybody is needed to be part of the solution, an individual's actions can appear irrelevant. Many look at the expanding carbon footprint of China and developing world and believe any sacrifices they make in the US will just be spent in other places with no actual improvement in the climate situation in the end. This is a dangerous way to view global problems, but it is very much a reality of human thinking.

Fourth, simple partisanship - if you are for "it", I am against "it" (and visa versa), what "it" is is irrelevant. This one I really grow very weary of, as it seems to be driving both sides more than ever. This has been truly politicized by many politicians and media folks on both side who in fact care little about its merit either way and instead use it to make money, build influence and signal their shiny virtue.

At some point, hopefully the thoughtful middle will tell both sides to shut up, but I am not holding my breath, as culture wars are apparently more profitable and more "fun".

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

seriously?

Dont take life to seriously
You'll never get out of it alive.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

One kid.

 

[VikingsGuy]

And this is helping the discourse, how?

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

And this is helping the discourse, how?

It's not...I'm just blowing it up so its locked.

 

[Big Fin]

It's not...I'm just blowing it up so its locked.

Looks like that is the best alternative. Gonna be a long offseason.