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Have an article about the extreme dangers of climate change and sure enough a couple Big Oil Sockpuppets show up doing the usual nonsensical fear-mongering about Fukushima. As usual no numbers, no knowledge, no analysis, just the usual:
"those horrible radiation thingies leaking into the ocean, how scary, the world is doomed, the end is near, nuclear is bad, gas is good"
So Climate Change, and the #1 source of clean energy on the planet is nuclear energy, and unlike the Sockpuppets fav natural gas energy source, which releases 100X the radiation to the environment, and a millionX other emissions, Nuclear actually contains its wastes. Funny how these cretins never complain about the fracking radiation emissions released right into our homes, our drinking water sources, local lakes, rivers, land & air. The sockpuppets don't want to talk about their giant Porter Ranch radiation leak right into Los Angeles. Radiation being one small part of what was being released.
"... wild pigs, full of radiation...".
It is hard to imagine how anyone on this planet could be stupid enough to believe crap like that. Idiots.
"Another Climate Record Bites The Dust"
- In order to stop the cycle of record-breaking temperatures", we must also adopt a whole foods plant-based lifestyle in conjunction with breaking our addictioin to fossil fuels. Our current meat/dairy-centric culture worldwide contributes more each day to global warming than the impacts of burning fossil fuels for all transportation.
Google the 2006 FAO United Nations Report "Livestock's Long Shadow" for all the scientific documentation.
To Erin Rose:
Japanese media are talking about this, I know as I live in Japan. The problem is that western news aren't picking up the stories because translation from Japanese to English is just too much trouble for them.
Fukushima hasn't stopped leaking since the 2011 quake and resultant tsunami that damaged the facility. It's big news in Japan and has been since the quake. The people are protesting every day, it's in the news daily and as a result, nuclear facilities have either been shut down or running on limited capacity. We are in a constant energy conservation mode here which they call 'setsuden' (節電). Energy use has been drastically decreased, particularly during the hot, humid summers where air conditioning is kept at about 28 degrees celcius (about 82 F).
It's uncomfortable but worth the effort. We spend a lot of time wishing spring and autumn were longer seasons!
In response to Kend:
Your comment is proof that the willfully ignorant are alive and well. For starters, try running a search (Google works well) regarding the scientific studies proving the significant impact that human activities, particularly those that release carbon and other gasses into the atmosphere, are having on climate change overall.
While production of alternative energy technology equipments do use some processes that emit gasses into the atmosphere as well as create other types of pollution, emissions from the process of converting solar to usable energy is nil. Your statement that "it (whatever 'it' is) will reduce carbon ten times" is hyperholic at best.
Alternative is the way of the future if we expect to have one. If you rely on oil for your paycheck, I recommend that you spend some time learning about alternative energy production so that you might find work when the oil industry goes tits up. Which I fervently hope that it does as soon as possible.
I saw a post the other day talking about Fukushima in Japan; it's leaking again. Also, wild pigs are turning up in Japanese residential areas full of radiation. No one is talking about this, either.
The people who have managed to get themselves into positions of authority have their heads stuck in the sand and are refusing to see anything except their "right to make money". We are in the hands of mad men and exactly what it will take to turn this around, I don't know. Probably some horrific natural disaster that no one can ignore.
You are one ignorant ASS......who is "we"....and
Hillary will save you......making you one ignorant ASS.
But guess WHAT....you can keep saying this.....FOREVER!!!!!
Now won't that be fun.......FOR YOU!!!!
I wonder if the device to which you refer employs coal-direct chemical looping or CDCL. For the past few years the energy community has been excited about the work started at Ohio State. The process reportedly strips 96.5 percent of the carbon released during the process while increasing the cost of electricity by 28.8 percent. And the "energy penalty" of the process is a fraction of current methods. But the question is what to do with the CO2?
The "ideal" scenarion calls for pumping it deep underground inot old oil and gas wells. Last year DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory published its fifth edition of the Carbon Storage Atlas studying the solution. For me this solution makes me just as nervous as the nuclear solution as it all depends on someone ensuring stability of the products of the production of energy.
I grew up with the view of the beautiful Rockies and deplore the thought of our continuing destruction of our natural beauty. I also grew up with the spectre of Rocky Flats (now a wind farm). Both these strong memories make me look askance at the "clean energy" solution.
I am with Alan. This was totally expected. Both sides use every little tempature change to push their point. Where is the proof it is carbon that the cause of climate change. Alan we are using carbon capture in our oil feilds up here in Canada. They are so close to breaking through but when it works it will reduce carbon ten times what solar would. Let's all hope. But then again this isn't about reducing carbon it's about hating fossil fuel energy companies.
i'll "do something".... when you "get" China & India, -to do their part.
In a December 2015 Scientific American there is an article expressing the severity of climate change and the urgency to end it. There is also an article on ScientificAmerican.com (.org) about climate chang/fossil fuels.
Thanks for that, Thom! A recent little book by Karen Shragg, "Move Upstream, A Call to Solve (Human) Overpopulation", asks to consider the root, headwater cause of this and all the myriad other environmental impacts of modern men and women: overpopulation. The technological fixes for our overpopulation problem have been in existence for some time now, and we only need to be motivated to use them to reduce our population world-wide. Averaging one-child per couple, by voluntary contraception, will bring our worldwide population down from its current 7.3 billion back to 2.5 billion in 2,100. If we choose to ignore this well-spring problem, we will face world-wide species extinctions, including our own, if the huge volume of ecological research on numerous mammalian species is a guide, and, of course, it is. We have an inborn mammalian population regulation mechanism in our endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. I've blogged about it, and the free e-book, "Stress R Us" that fully describes it, elsewhere on this fabulous website. According to the animal models, all human reproduction will turn off at the highpoint of our population expansion. The real question, then, is how far we are from that point of no return. Any guesses? Thanks for this opportunity! Glad you have seen through the Hillary for President B.S.
This big jump in temperature is likely due to the strong El Nino. The last strong El Nino in 1998 also showed a big jump in temperature. We should expect next year to have lower temperatures than this year if the El Nino has expired. That won't mean that global warming is slowing down. It just won't have the extra push of an El Nino.
You write that we must break our fossil fuel addiction. I disagree as I see the problem being simply too much CO2 going into the atmosphere. Since my company will be introducing later this year a device that will safely and efficiently take the CO2 out of emissions from large smokestacks, we can continue to burn fossil fuels at those sites.
Wonder how the ordinary US citizen can adapt.
Underground housing?
Moving north?
Not a solution to the general problem.
But individuas/communites have to form local plans on the high
probability that governements are gridlocked.
ct
What's up the thom Hartmann app for iPhone?
I am so glad that I chose to live and work in a rural area. Instead of waiting for vacations or retirement, I've had the privilege of living and playing in the woods for nearly 40 years. Yes, I could have made more money living in an urban setting, but it would have also been more expensive to live there. The quality of life has been a real bargain, in my opinion.
I must live by Willie. I to hate those mosquitos. We go to the mountains all most every weekend. Not only do we see all of the about but last trip we saw elk, deer, rocky mountain sheep and a huge black bear. A big sign near our home says "the mountains shall bring peace to the people". Boy do they ever. I am lucky to live here. Well except January and February. Banff and Kootenay National park google it is paradise. Come visit our dollar sucks great value .
Re: Daily Take on Blankenship, etc. Why keep referring to it as the Criminal Justice system when you keep making the point the system does not produce Justice? If one is presumed innocent, why is it Criminal justice? The input is people who are presumed innocent, hence not criminals; the output is people whose innocence has been upheld and those who were found guilty of some crime. Need a new way to refer to it that changes the frame. Don't play the game by adopting a term that reinforces the false mythology.
This is why for the last 40 years I've chosen to vacation in places where hiking and camping are easily accessible. Often, hiking and camping are the main focus of my vacations, particularly during long weekends. There's noting like waking up to the clean air and no man-made sounds that wilderness provides. It allows us to connect with our spirituality and sense of purpose. There truly is magic in nature. Spend a few hours in a forest and just listen. The inner peace that can be experienced is very nearly overwhelming.
Hi Thom,
The solution to all these Bernie-or-Bust arguments on your show is very simple, obvious, has been right in front of our faces, is consistent with everything that you and very caller has said, and will unite all of together:
We should vote for her, but it's perfectly fine to THREATEN to not vote for her.
Think of all the energy and passion of the people who support Bernie.
Now imagine all of that energy being channeled into a letter writing campaign to Hillary saying "I won't vote for you in the general election beause of [Insert your favorite reason(s) here]". That would scare the begeezus out of her, no?
Now she's no dummy... she knows what you have been saying all along: Better her than a republican, and Obama triumphed despite similar sentiments. But of course you have been saying that till you're blue in the face but the callers keep calling in. So that means she won't have any better luck. So from her perspective, the threat will look very real and should push her harder in a more progressive direction.
So instead of telling the callers that they should vote for her anyway (which doesn't seem to be working), I recommend you tell the Bernie-or-Bust callers to write to her. Turn all that negative energy into something productive.
Keep up the great work.
I guess it depends on where you live. I have all those creatures you mentioned. You forgot mosquitos. I'd like to do a little "Toxic Correction" on them. DuPont can't hold a candle to mosquitos.
Where are ALL the butter flies, catepillars, fire flies, moths, beautiful birds, we used to see when I grew up in 50's & 60's ? Does anyone even notice or care ? They are ALL being Killed by Toxic Chemicals.. Dupont .... etc Possibly causing some cancers as well Corp GREED won ! Beauty & Nature LOST .
@bpentony - The problem with the Democratic party is the propaganda, not the facts. People like you believe the propaganda about corporate, but that's only a small part of the party. Dems have a cross section from rich to poor, rural to city, blue collar to white collar, i.e. a big tent.
Our system is what it is. No third party has succeeded, and unless we change to a parliamentary system, or have instant runoff elections without considering any parties, we have just two parties. Choose one. Join. Stop complaining about corporate Dems. There are a lot more of us who aren't. What's wrong with corporate Dems, anyway, as long as they support the positions that are good for all of us? Most do.
If you decide to vote third party in November, or stay home, it's like a vote for Trump, or whover their nominee is, like all those self-rightous Nader voters in 2000 who gave Repubs a chance to throw the election to their friends in the Supreme court.
The big problem is the 2 party system...Republican or Democrat. Both parties embrace the top 10 percent and to hell with the bottom 90 percent. Money and corporate interests have drowned out the average citizens needs and wants. There should be a third party, the People's Party, made up of true Progressives who support the Sanders, Warren wing of the D Party. We will not continue to support the corporate D Party.
You are correct. Parties are businesses in. the sense that their purpose is to produce a product, ie. electing representatives, passing legislation and furthering the interests of their constituents. They do this by raising money, advertising and getting people to vote. There is nothing noble or democratic about their work other than sheer pragmatism. Like many businesses they can do some good but they can also be bought, sold and subject to hostile takeovers.
The warming in the Arctic has been increasing at an increasing rate. As Dr. Jim Hansen has said, we need to stop emitting CO2 into the atmosphere right now. That means stopping the burning of fossil fuels but our society is not ready to live without the electricity that our fossil fuel-burning power plants now supply.
Scientists have said that we need new forms of energy to replace fossil fuels as wind, solar, etc are not enough. However there are no new sources of energy on the horizon so options are slim to nil.
Fortunately, that is really not the case but information about this has not been available. My company will be introducing later this year a device that goes onto large smokestacks and causes the CO2 to break down into carbon (precipitate) and oxygen. This is a leapfrog technology that will dramatically reduce the amount of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere. Of course it will take time to manufacture enough of these to make a difference but we are well financed and we have a large manufacturing capability, at least to get off to a good start. We've been keeping under the radar as there are players in the energy community who will not be happy with the outcome and may get in our way.
Alan