Senate Global Climate Change

Yeah, that would be terrible.

 

I might still think that.

 

Are you a parody sock?

 

Is he ASR? Has he denied the Holocaust yet?

 

That might be coming up.

 

ok ok, here's the deal people. The Earth does not orbit the Sun. The Earth (and the Sun and all the other planets) all orbit the Solar System's center of gravity. The tricky part is that, given that all these objects are in motion, the Solar System's center of gravity is therefore not a fixed point. Sometimes it is located within the Sun itself, but sometimes it is not.

So ya see how things are often a little more complicated than they seem?

 

Okay, but in principle, the Earth orbits the sun. Same as humans are the main drivers of climate change.

 

Totally confused right now about how the guy with the moustache icons manages to whip up an applicable clip of Michael Jackson with a moustache.

 

Most people upon going through a freshman astronomy class and learning about how gravity works don't end up like you.

Technically the Earth and Sun both orbit a point between the centers of masses of the Earth and the Sun. However, due to just how much larger and more massive the Sun is, this point is inside the Sun and very, very near the center of the Sun. So much so that the "wobble" of the Sun is negligible. This is different from, say, the Pluto-Charon system. which both orbit a point outside either body. Basically you have no point.

Next time when you try to use physics to make some dumb contrarian point, at least know what you're talking about.

 

i feel like beezer is talking about this stuff.



i have a friend who is really into this nassim haramein guy and always going on about this kind of thing. it's definitely not my field though so i usually just listen with a somewhat skeptical ear, but if someone smarter than me could explain why that video is either right or wrong i would appreciate it.

 

From what I can tell about this video: Basically the person in the video is being really stupid and nitpicky with words, so much so that he's wrong (kind of like beezer). Yes, the Sun moves around the center of the galaxy in an orbit. Yes, the planets are "following" the Sun. They still orbit the Sun though because they're caught in its gravity well.

It's a stupid point that doesn't really mean anything.

 

okay thanks vivec, that was my feeling as well but it's good to have it confirmed by someone who actually knows about this kind of thing.

 

I'm always open to Lowbacca (who is an actual astronomer) to come in and override me on these matters. Beezer's just plain wrong though.

 

I have good news and bad news. All in one article.

The bad news first: ExxonMobil apparantly knew way back in 1981 that their operations led to global warming - 8 years before it become publicly known.
The good news: ExxonMobil has announced this week that it has stopped funding climate change deniers!

I think the good news is the more important news here.

 

Oh. Sorry.
I have more bad news.
Global Temperature Increase of 1 Degree Caused Sea Level Rise of 6 Meter

 

Is there anything we can do (short of nuclear war) to cool the planet down?

 

We kick some ice! What wiped out the dinosaurs, the ice age!

 

It is considered a war crime to influence another country's weather. So any geoengineering plan would have to be put into action by the international community. Estimate the chances of that happening.

 

I got it, build Giant ice makers in the south and the north to cool the planet. You could even use Oil to power them.

oh wait.

 

Well this is doing the rounds today. So internets, when did you start controlling the weather/science community?

 

A few minutes of research indicates that the Independent is grossly exaggerating the idea of "new ice age", to the point of journalistic malpractice. The original Royal Astronomical Society press release simply states that "predictions from the [solar dynamo] model suggest that solar activity will fall by 60 per cent during the 2030s to conditions last seen during the ‘mini ice age’ that began in 1645." The research does not, as far as I can tell, involve any climate modeling, which would be required to make any claims of ice ages, etc. And the solar scientists are not making that claim.

A few more minutes of research indicates that Dr. Zharkova has multiple presentations at the National Astronomy Meeting 2015; this seems to be the one relevant to the press release:

Ice ages, amirite? But, hey, tabloids gonna tabloid.

 

China to announce "Cap and Trade", as a result of a deal with Obama

China will announce Friday that it will launch a national carbon emissions trading market in 2017 as part of a joint climate change statement with the United States meant to boost prospects for a global climate pact, U.S. officials said.​

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The statement will be one of the few policy announcements the two countries are expected to make during Chinese President Xi Jinping's meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama Friday. The leaders will meet amid tensions over alleged Chinese cyber spying, Beijing's economic policies and China's regional territorial disputes.​

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The "joint presidential statement" will build on the breakthrough announcement Xi and Obama made last year where both countries pledged targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020.​

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On Friday they will outline new and existing domestic measures to show the world's two biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses are serious about reaching those targets and will "lead the world toward a durable global climate agreement," the U.S. official said.​

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/china-climate-change_56049218e4b0fde8b0d20a01?joytx1or​

 

moar like "crap in the shade"

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because if you crap out in the open you'll get a sunburn

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from the climate change

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or the ozone depletion or whatever

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cap and trade is stupid

 

It's a significant step in the right direction.


And one of the right-wing talking points has been: well China's a bigger polluter and they're not doing anything! so why should we?

 

its worse than doing nothing because it gives the illusion of doing something while actually just allowing the same amount of pollution but with more finagling

neoliberal smoke and mirrors at its finest