Mar 16 2012: Well, yes.... the question is why does the "Libyan revolution look like a failure". I'll just put it like this: Libya looks like a failure because we DIDN'T do the dirty work of nation-building. So Iraq vs Libya can be seen as a contrast of the two methods of dictator removal... with or without nation building. Libya is failing for precisely the reasons Iraq didn't - but may yet still, because we may have left too early. Iraq may fail because we've essentially taken the Libyan approach to it.
Mar 16 2012: With all due respect, Ms White and Ms Pavis, you're missing the point. I have no problem with equality of men and women. I just have a problem with people that seek solutions to problems based on the even distribution of genitalia. Those solutions rarely seem to work, and usually carry baggage of their own. People who think that more vaginas are the answer, generally see more penises as the problem... and those people in my experience seem to have a hatred of penises as well. (Notice it was your first diagnosis, and your first solution - we HAVE to do something about all the penises in here.)
(Plus... I've never heard a man walk into a problem and declare that the issue was "too many women".)
The biggest part of my point you're missing is the obvious misandry in your opening paragraph. Swap some genders and read this:
"The most efficient way forward for Labia is for the female population to acknowledge their equality to men and to make sure that men participate on an equal basis throughout Labia. The design, planning, administration, religious and secular insitutions must reflect a 50% input from men and 50% input from women for that nation to function in a way that will bring health, prosperity and happiness for all Labian people. It's really that simple. Labians need to let go of their ancestral brainwashing and re-program themselves. I wonder why women do not realize the importance of admitting they are equal to men and encouraging men of all ages to participate actively in society. What is the fear, Iankovsky? The utter failure of female domination is obvious. Isn't it?"
Now when you do that... it starts to sound a little different to your ears, doesn't it? That's because, now it's misogynist. Before that, it was misandric.
You wish for "equality"; but don't realize the inequality in your own house.
Mar 11 2012: Ah, but there is the rub. CO2 does NOT drive climate. We have had a 30% increase in CO2 the last10 years, but a slight cooling in temperatures over the last 12. The climate always changes, that is always true. But to say CO2 is driving it, isn't. Facts don't lie - a child can do the math.
Mar 11 2012: We scoff, because while algae may be a great sources of fuels; they are still carbon based. It's still oil. And we laugh, because even the researchers think algae production is a decade out. And then we cry, because we need oil now. Because we know that most of the fossil fuel industry is plastics and derivavtives; fuel is actually the smaller part of their business.
I'm all for BETTER energy. But where is it? Until then, we need energy NOW. And regardless of how much you hate oil, or if switch to a different fuel - we are still going to need it for many, many, many years to come.
Mar 11 2012: Sorry, Liz, but truth is truth; it doesn't matter who pays for it.
In any case, there are hundreds of billions more being used pro-AGW right now. All the grant money is for green research... so perhaps you should be worrying less about fossil fuel companies and more about green energy companies that are owned by obama campaign donors that go bellyup and give their CEO millions in bonuses after receiving more subsidies than the oil industry ever dreamed of.
The only thing worse than male power is female power bitc#ing about male power. This myth that females are somehow less violent or less powerful is just that - a myth. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,
Try rewriting your post, but swap all the genders... I'm betting it will then appear as misandric as it really is.
Mar 11 2012: Because the US and NATO kicked over the hornet's nest... and left. If you think about it, this is the central argument behind nation-building. After you destroy a country, Should you stay and help them reform into something more peaceful and (in many cases) try to help them into the 21st century? Obviously leftwing pressure forced Bush to sign the withdrawal date as early as he did. We may still be leaving to early... but Iraq had our protection while it got its act together; so they stayed intact. (Notice, though, that Kurdistan is breaking away because Baghdad is still mired in factional politics.) Afghanistan had a lot of freedom and purple fingers under our protection... but to be honest, the best thing that happened to Afghanistan was Iraq - it drew most of the fighting there.
I'm not a warmonger by any means; but I do not suffer dictators lightly. I think the Axis of Evil was well-named, and there are countries who's citizens would probably be better off if they were invaded, despite the tolls in human life. Is ending the misery in North Korea worth it? And you have to admit, Iraq is not threatening any of its neighbors anymore and, despite its problems, was left pretty much untouched by the arab spring - meaning, its people are generally hopeful.
I guess a good way to look at it is that you shouldn't go toppling other people's governments; but if you do... you're obligated to nurture them until they can stand again. And if you don't, they will continue to break down into smaller and smaller groups until the fighting stops. It's chaos theory and entropy at work.
Mar 11 2012: Actually, their "ideal" seems to be some arbitrary day in 1971. that's always bothered me too, how they get to decide is "best". During the medieval warm period, the renaissance was in bloom and we had vineyards as far north as England. Humanity has always prospered during warm periods and contracted during cold. So even if you accept his warming alarmism, it doesn't really even mean doom.
But the bigger problem with his presentation is the way he throws certain facts around... for example:
- the atmosphere of Venus has more co2, but it's also 90 times denser. He doesn't mention that.
- just because co2 is an insulating gas, it does not mean that it is the only one. The largest greenhouse gas is water vapor, it comprises 91% of the greenhouse family and is 3-35 times more insulating than any other.
- Sure the last time the co2 was 390ppb the oceans were 15 feet higher... they were always higher in the past. The oceans have been rising steadily since the last ice age ended 12,000 years ago. In fact, 12,000 years ago, they were 380 feet higher. That doesn't make it our responsibility for the last 380 feet or the next 0.24 inches.
Stuff like that littered the presentation. These strange logical ommissions, a kind of "argumentative shorthand". It was bordering on propaganda, really. And these are all easy facts to find... they aren't controversial, they've all been known for some time, and even wikipedia has them right.
Hansen's even been implicated lately in tampering with several temperature datasets the last year, not to mention being a star player in both the climateGate scandals. This guy is a hack, if not a fraud. I'm sorry, but its people like him that are ruining this debate.
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A reply on Conversation: why does the Libyan revolution look as a failure?
A reply on Conversation: why does the Libyan revolution look as a failure?
A reply on Conversation: why does the Libyan revolution look as a failure?
(Plus... I've never heard a man walk into a problem and declare that the issue was "too many women".)
The biggest part of my point you're missing is the obvious misandry in your opening paragraph. Swap some genders and read this:
"The most efficient way forward for Labia is for the female population to acknowledge their equality to men and to make sure that men participate on an equal basis throughout Labia. The design, planning, administration, religious and secular insitutions must reflect a 50% input from men and 50% input from women for that nation to function in a way that will bring health, prosperity and happiness for all Labian people. It's really that simple. Labians need to let go of their ancestral brainwashing and re-program themselves. I wonder why women do not realize the importance of admitting they are equal to men and encouraging men of all ages to participate actively in society. What is the fear, Iankovsky? The utter failure of female domination is obvious. Isn't it?"
Now when you do that... it starts to sound a little different to your ears, doesn't it? That's because, now it's misogynist. Before that, it was misandric.
You wish for "equality"; but don't realize the inequality in your own house.
A reply on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change
He says unequivocally that we need to reduce CO2 from 390ppb to 350ppb; that's an 11% decrease.
The problem is the entire human race's carbon footprint is only 4% of the global CO2. So what does he propose to do AFTER eliminating the human race?
A reply on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change
A reply on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change
I'm all for BETTER energy. But where is it? Until then, we need energy NOW. And regardless of how much you hate oil, or if switch to a different fuel - we are still going to need it for many, many, many years to come.
That's why we scoff.
A reply on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change
In any case, there are hundreds of billions more being used pro-AGW right now. All the grant money is for green research... so perhaps you should be worrying less about fossil fuel companies and more about green energy companies that are owned by obama campaign donors that go bellyup and give their CEO millions in bonuses after receiving more subsidies than the oil industry ever dreamed of.
A reply on Conversation: why does the Libyan revolution look as a failure?
The only thing worse than male power is female power bitc#ing about male power. This myth that females are somehow less violent or less powerful is just that - a myth. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,
Try rewriting your post, but swap all the genders... I'm betting it will then appear as misandric as it really is.
A comment on Conversation: why does the Libyan revolution look as a failure?
I'm not a warmonger by any means; but I do not suffer dictators lightly. I think the Axis of Evil was well-named, and there are countries who's citizens would probably be better off if they were invaded, despite the tolls in human life. Is ending the misery in North Korea worth it? And you have to admit, Iraq is not threatening any of its neighbors anymore and, despite its problems, was left pretty much untouched by the arab spring - meaning, its people are generally hopeful.
I guess a good way to look at it is that you shouldn't go toppling other people's governments; but if you do... you're obligated to nurture them until they can stand again. And if you don't, they will continue to break down into smaller and smaller groups until the fighting stops. It's chaos theory and entropy at work.
A reply on Talk: James Hansen: Why I must speak out about climate change
But the bigger problem with his presentation is the way he throws certain facts around... for example:
- the atmosphere of Venus has more co2, but it's also 90 times denser. He doesn't mention that.
- just because co2 is an insulating gas, it does not mean that it is the only one. The largest greenhouse gas is water vapor, it comprises 91% of the greenhouse family and is 3-35 times more insulating than any other.
- Sure the last time the co2 was 390ppb the oceans were 15 feet higher... they were always higher in the past. The oceans have been rising steadily since the last ice age ended 12,000 years ago. In fact, 12,000 years ago, they were 380 feet higher. That doesn't make it our responsibility for the last 380 feet or the next 0.24 inches.
Stuff like that littered the presentation. These strange logical ommissions, a kind of "argumentative shorthand". It was bordering on propaganda, really. And these are all easy facts to find... they aren't controversial, they've all been known for some time, and even wikipedia has them right.
Hansen's even been implicated lately in tampering with several temperature datasets the last year, not to mention being a star player in both the climateGate scandals. This guy is a hack, if not a fraud. I'm sorry, but its people like him that are ruining this debate.