Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute scientists have theorized that global warming induced by natural and/or human factors could actually bring colder temperatures to some highly populated areas like Eastern North America and Western Europe.
In the North Atlantic, an increasing amount of fresh water, perhaps coming from melting ice in the Arctic, has been accumulating and lowering the salinity of the ocean for the past 30 years. Fresh water in the ocean can upset the ocean currents that are the key to our planet's climate control system.
In February, WHOI oceanographers presented new evidence that this northern freshwater buildup may be approaching the threshold where it could alter currents in a way that would cause an abrupt drop in average winter temperatures of about 5 degrees Fahrenheit over much of the United States and 10 degrees in the Northeast. This change could happen within a decade and persist for hundreds of years. The dramatic and abrupt cooling would be especially noticed throughout the North Atlantic region of the United States and Europe where some 60 percent of the world's economy is based. Read more below!
Following the Woods Hole link leads to a lot of interesting historical information:
These shifts almost certainly involved changes in the ocean's circulation. There were shutdowns and restartings of the Ocean Conveyor. These warm-to-cold transitions happen in about 3 to 10 years. The cold periods lasted for 500 to 1,000 years. Such oscillations in temperature and ocean circulation have occurred on a regular basis.
About 1,000 years ago, during a period of unusually warm temperatures in the North Atlantic, the Norse established settlements and vineyards in Greenland that would not be possible today. Those settlements were abandoned about 500 years ago, when we believe the most recent shutdown of the North Atlantic Ocean circulation system occurred.
During that era, called the Little Ice Age, northern Europe was much colder than it is today. Glaciers spread outward and downward in the Alps. Winters, on average, were more severe. Farming was affected. Famine was frequent.
In the 1730s and 1740s, abrupt European cooling caused famine across western Europe, especially in Ireland and France, where farmers depended on wheat and potatoes. In Ireland, this is known as the "forgotten famine." As many people died during the forgotten famine as died during the famed potato famine of the 1840s.
The 16th-century Flemish artist Bruegel couldn't have painted his famous frozen landscapes today, because now canals in the Netherlands rarely freeze, as they regularly did back then. And likewise, the winter in Valley Forge might not have been so cold, and Washington's crossing of the ice-bound Delaware River wouldn't have been so dramatic, if he had done it a century later - because our climate conditions have shifted since then, and today, the Delaware River rarely freezes.
If you read David McCullough's biography of John Adams, you will remember that the British were about to set Boston on fire when George Washington was able to bring the cannons of Fort Ticonderoga down from upstate New York in record time. He was able to do it because the ground was frozen solid and they could slide the cannons to the Dorchester hills of Boston in time to persuade the British to retreat from Boston and to change the course of history.
So we have solid evidence that the Great Ocean Conveyor has slowed down or shut down in the past. And we have seen dire impacts on our climate. It begs the question: Could something throw a wrench into the Great Ocean Conveyor in the near future? And could that trigger abrupt, dramatic climate changes throughout our planet? The answers to those questions are, indisputably, "Yes and yes."
Uh Oh! Theory alert! Well actually they really don't have any theories, just the conjecture, based on some recent measurements, that this abrupt change may happen soon. The connection to "'global warming" as a result of human activities is barely given a passing mention, but I suppose one can't get published in climatology these days without some such.
Obviously the ecoweenie position will be that any change in climate patterns has to be the fault of the selfish citizens of the USA, but if this cooling takes place, I wonder how they are going to explain to the populace that global warming turned chilly?
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:43 PM -
LONDON (AP) -- Extremist Muslim clerics will meet in London on Sept. 11 to celebrate the anniversary of the attacks on the United States and to launch an organization for Islamic militants, an organizer of the conference said Saturday.
Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed of Al-Muhajiroun, a radical group that supports making Britain an Islamic state, said the conference will argue that the terror attacks were justified because Muslims must defend themselves against armed aggression.
The event at Finsbury Park mosque in north London, ``Sept. 11, 2001: A Towering Day in History,'' will also mark the launch the Islamic Council of Britain.
Mohammed said the council will aim to implement Sharia law in Britain and will not exclude al-Qaida sympathizers from membership.
Hmmm, I guess "The Satanic Verses" won't be one of the Islamic Council's book club selections.
Ahmed Shah Massoud's goal was freedom. It cost him his life.
Massoud, the first hero of Sept. 11, died two days earlier. Two al-Qaida suicide bombers posing as Belgian journalists killed him with an exploding camera at his camp in Afghanistan's remote Panjshir Valley.
...
He died unable to fathom U.S. abandonment of his anti-Soviet, anti-Taliban fighters. Nor could he comprehend U.S. backing for Pakistan, whose infamous intelligence service had created the Taliban.
Americans don't realize what they owe Massoud, says Sebastian Junger, author of "The Perfect Storm" and "Fire."
Massoud made America's victory in Afghanistan possible, says Junger, who spent a month with Massoud for National Geographic Adventure magazine in 2000. "Had he not held out against the Taliban for so many years, militarily what we would have faced would have been vastly more complicated and costly."
...
Said Junger: "We ignored Massoud's warnings about what was happening there. The connection between his assassination and 9-11 is absolute.
"I had interviewed a Taliban prisoner. He said, 'We have to kill Massoud. He's the last wall standing between us and our goal.' "
That goal was "a militant Islamist belt from Sinkiang to Chechnya," said Haron Amin, deputy chief of the Afghan mission in Washington, D.C.
Massoud had a vision for his country, says Amin, Massoud's emissary in the U.S. "It was one of social justice, tranquility and progress, keeping the Islamic character but integrating women into politics and the labor force."
His intellect, leadership, humanitarianism and war record made him a figure of mythic proportions.
Much more information about an exceptional man by following the link.
Knickers, Tightly Twisted From June Thomas in Slate:
When George W. Bush attacked Saddam Hussein in a speech Wednesday, the British papers were boggled by the president's vocabulary, described by the Financial Times as "his inimitable populist argot," specifically his references to Saddam having "stiffed" the world and "crawfished" the international community.
The Times' Washington correspondent accused the president of inventing the verb "to crawfish," which it claimed was "unknown even to slang dictionaries" and worried that he would "plunge the simultaneous translators into meltdown" when he addresses the United Nations on Sept. 12. The Independent was more resourceful?turning to Webster's for a definition of crawfishing ("to retreat from a position, to back out, to fail to stick to a statement made").
The consternation of the simultaneous translators and the newshawks is way down the list.
An Inside Look at the Earth Summit In the latest Laissez Faire Electronic Times, Jim Peron has the third in a lengthy three part (so far) series on the Earth Summit which he attended as an NGO delegate. The title is "My Encounter with the Poverty Pimps" which is a good description of the Earth Summit all by itself. Some excerpts:
By the time the registration's were over something was apparent. The number of delegates was no where near the promised amount. The UN issued a press release saying how thrilled they were that delegates numbers were far in excess of projections. In truth the turn out was less than 50% of prior projections. Yet the UN said the large turnout proved the importance of an environmental agenda for the world.
I wondered about that. Before the hoedown, 65,000 delegates were "expected" but as it commenced the number kept getting revised downwards. There's much hilarity in Peron's tales of attending this botch job in the combat zone which is modern Johannesburg, but in the interests of brevity, I'll cut to the chase.
When the Summit actually got underway it became clear that South Africa would use it to push for massive amounts of international welfare. President Mbeki played the race card again?some suspect it's the only card in his deck. He talked about "international apartheid" . SA's Finance Minister Trevor Manuel went on television to lament how globalization had benefited some?the rich nations of the west. The World Bank released a report saying that the 20 wealthiest nations in the world were 30 times richer than the 20 poorest nations in the world. Every left-wing lunatic, fringe Green groupie, trade unionist, communist and eco-feminist was soon bleating the same tune.
Of these groups only the World Bank was technically correct though its spin was a bit deceptive and the gullible media couldn't figure out what this meant. Mbeki, Manuel and the chorus of Leftists were just plain uninformed about the facts. And if they knew the facts they were intentionally lying for political gain.
The World Bank has noted that the average "rich" nation of the world was growing by only about 2% per annum. This is not a growth rate to crow about by any means. On the other hand Third World (or poor) nations that globalized by reducing tariffs, increasing foreign trade, privatizing and deregulating were growing at a rate more than twice as fast as the rich nations: 5% per annum. If anything the real winners in globalization are poor nations that adopt market policies. Trevor Manuel's claims were the exact opposite of the facts. President Mbeki was just trying to use guilt to shame the West into more funding for corrupt African leaders.
The World Bank's statistic is true but misleading. The 20 poorest nations are nations that have centralized control over the economy, protectionists trade policies and corrupt governments. The Bank has admitted elsewhere that poor countries that refuse to globalize are seeing their economies shrink by 1.5% per annum. So globalization ends up getting blamed for the results in nations which refuse to globalize. Considering that rich nations with liberal market policies are growing at 2% and poor nations with authoritarian policies are shrinking at 1.5%, then the differences in wealth between them will continue to grow. But poor nations adopting market policies are catching up with the West very quickly.
...
Of course such facts go contrary to the policies being promoted by the Poverty Pimps of the NGOs and the Vampire Elite who rule African nations. These groups want aid not trade. The Poverty Pimps earn their living acting as the conduits by which the West passes aid to Third World nations. The Vampire Elite are the people to whom the aid is given. This allows them the luxury of lucrative Swiss bank accounts, fancy cars, the latest defense weapons and other goods. They can channel money to favored causes, regions or tribes for personal political gain?much the way Mugabe's land redistribuiton policy has enriched his wife and closest friends. Aid becomes a tool by which the Vampire Elite subjugate their own people. It is a means of controlling the masses while enriching oneself. Trade is a bit more difficult to control since Individual companies or entrepreneurs tend to trade with each other. This doesn't leave much for the Poverty Pimps or Vampire Elite. Their bias will always be for more aid since that is what directly benefits them. Bugger the poor.
China's widely criticised blocking of the web's most popular search engine Google can be defeated by viewing a strange Google mirror site through a mirror, New Scientist has discovered.
The mirror site, called elgooG, is a parody of the English language version of Google in which all the text on the web pages has been reversed. The text terms used for searches are also entered in reverse. The site, which returns all the same hits as Google, can be accessed from behind China's "great firewall".
Viewing the page using a mirror makes it somewhat easier to read, and would allow someone to find a website.
...
The company behind Google has released programming information that provides remote access to its search capabilities. This means mirror sites can be created without having to duplicate Google's colossal database, though to date New Scientist has only identified elgooG.
Check the site out at http://www.alltooflat.com/geeky/elgoog/, but don't try it without a mirror - it's a major headache inducer. This is an idea whose time has definitely not come. Hmmm, I've already said that about a web site.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:05 PM -
Congressional leaders said today that they would undertake weeks of hearings and debate on whether to support military action against Iraq, a move that could delay a final vote until after the November elections.
"I'm more concerned about getting this done right than getting it done quickly," said Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Democratic majority leader, a day after President Bush agreed to seek congressional approval before any invasion. Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, the Republican minority leader, also made it clear that he did not favor forcing a quick vote, although on Wednesday Congressional and administration leaders had predicted that the debate could be concluded by early October.
Even as Congressional leaders discussed an extended timetable, a United Nations official said today that international weapons inspectors had identified several nuclear-related sites in Iraq where new construction or other unexplained changes had occurred since their last visit nearly four years ago.
Here's a clue, guys: November elections. The spectacle of the bloviators jawing away for two months is going to make folks a tad testy.
About 100 American and British aircraft took part in an attack on Iraq's major western air defence installation yesterday in the biggest single operation over the country for four years.
The raid appeared to be a prelude to the type of special forces operations that would have to begin weeks before a possible American-led war. It was launched two days before a war summit between President George W Bush and Tony Blair in America.
Maybe sponsoring terrorism isn't an optimal career choice.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:37 PM -
Kumbaya Alert! Dave Winer emits a steaming stream titled Lessons of 9-11:
9-11 was, imho, a small upheaval in getting to some kind of equilibrium in how the US participates in the world, both from the US perspective, and the world's perspective. That we got so much sympathy says how big the human heart is. That there wasn't more celebrating in the streets of world capitals says that they forgive us for our selfish attitude, which is back in force as if 9-11 never happened.
So what was the lesson of 9-11 that the US has failed to learn? I think it's that God doesn't think we're as important as we do. The concept of national security is obsolete. We can't close our borders. We live on this planet with everyone else. Global warming, AIDs, terrorism, all penetrate all borders. New York is a world city. The last gasps of isolationism will be snuffed out by more humiliation, until we get the truth, we aren't above the rest of the world, but we are part of it.
The Fat Guy (from whom I stole the link) is kind when he says "As a political columnist, Dave Winer is sure a fine software genius."
I say, add a reason to the top of the list for not using Radio.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:03 PM -
Terminal Cluelessness Professor Bunyip has an amusing dissection of Donohoue Clyne, one of the self defacing cast of Islamic apologists that seem to infest academia. Sample:
It's an eye-popping piece of work, not because it lays out the intense sexism to be found in Australia's insular Muslim enclaves, which it does, but for what it says about Donohoue Clyne's broad-minded acceptance of it. No doubt, she'd be up in arms if some chauvinist swine at the Parkville Asylum insisted that she sit only in a sex-segregated section of the faculty lounge, defer to males at all times and accept being ignored when speaking to a man who, for whatever reason, was disinclined to respond.
Telling It Like It Is Today President Bush declared "... for 11 long years Saddam Hussein has sidestepped, crawfished, wheedled out of any agreement he made not to develop weapons of mass destruction".
Randall Mikkelsen at Reuters apparently got a few chuckles out of a little plain speaking. Perhaps he ought to study up on Texan. And perhaps he ought to run down the catalog in Indepundit's Saddam the Psycho. I rather think President Bush was too polite in his characterization.
Lack of Group Memory John Hawkins has collected some of the best ecowhines over the years in Environmentalist Wacko Quotes. There are so many juicy ones, it's hard to choose, but I have a lot of affection for:
Every time you turn on an electric light, you are making another brainless baby -- Helen Caldicott, Union of Concerned Scientists
Named Helen?
And I also rather like the global cooling fad of the 70's:
The continued rapid cooling of the earth since WWII is in accord with the increase in global air pollution associated with industrialization, mechanization, urbanization and exploding population. -- Reid Bryson, "Global Ecology; Readings towards a rational strategy for Man", (1971)
This [cooling] trend will reduce agricultural productivity for the rest of the century -- Peter Gwynne, Newsweek 1976
This cooling has already killed hundreds of thousands of people. If it continues and no strong action is taken, it will cause world famine, world chaos and world war, and this could all come about before the year 2000. -- Lowell Ponte "The Cooling", 1976
World leaders have adopted a global action plan to help protect the environment and lift billions of people out of poverty, following two weeks of tough negotiations at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation was approved at 16:35 during the summit's final plenary session in the Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday.
The United Nations and South African officials have hailed the WSSD as a success and the document as a solid foundation for future actions to help protect the planet.
More blather by following the link. It looks like the US taxpayers got off easy (other than subsidizing this wankfest) although we won't know for sure 'til all the dust settles. All this guff could be avoided by the simple expedient of parting ways with the United Nations and its battalions of bureaucrats seeking to justify their existence and stipends.
And thank the good Lord that the Goron wasn't President! We'd have all been getting out our checkbooks about now.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 12:10 PM -
Environmentalists shouting "Shame on Bush" heckled Secretary of State Colin Powell while he spoke at the Earth Summit on Wednesday.
"Betrayed by governments," read a banner held up by the protesters, some of whom were rapidly hustled out by security guards as they whistled and booed and shouted slogans critical of President Bush.
... Protesters began shouting at Powell when he mentioned the drought in southern Africa and singled out Zimbabwe and its controversial land seizure campaign.
Figures.
Apparently our domestic whiners were amongst those lighting up the hall with their intellect.
One of the protesters, Roberto Frau, an American from a non-governmental organization, said he was enraged by U.S. policy.
"It was just enraging as an American to hear what your country is doing. It's complete bullshit what Colin Powell was saying," Frau said. "It's lies, and when you are part of that country it's really frustrating."
zzzzzz......
Shows what happens when you let the NGO's into the main tent. A number of them had staged a walkout as Powell arrrived, but some cockroaches remained.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:53 AM -
TV bosses are making the sickest reality show - with contestants trying to get as many illnesses as possible.
In Sick Day, three lads will live in the same house for two months and try to catch ailments like nits, lice, flu, venereal diseases and warts.
It is being made as a pilot for digital channel E4 by Princess Productions, which also makes breakfast show RI:SE.
Teacher Ray Downing, 23, from North London, auditioned for the show and said: "I was shocked when they told me what it was about. "
"It's up to contestants to find ways to catch the disease, but they talked about snorkelling in sewage."
Contestants were told they would be paid and that a doctor would make sure they did not become too ill.
An E4 spokeswoman said: "None of the illnesses will be life threatening."
John Beyer of Mediawatch UK, which fights for TV decency, said: "This proves reality TV is scraping the bottom of a very deep barrel."
Snorkeling in sewage is pretty cool, but I can't wait to hear how they plan to catch the veneral diseases. And only the non-life threatening ones.
When I hear stuff like this, I try to imagine what it was like at the staff meeting when the idea was thought up.
"OK troops, I've decided - we'll have a TV competition to see which contestant can catch the most diseases!" "Fantastic idea, boss!" "That'll really bring in the audiences!" "And the adverts! Think of the tank cars of disinfectant it would sell!" "And the condoms!"
And the barf bags.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:50 PM -
Flame On! Andrea Harris puts the hammer down on the nattering class of America hating whiners, ninnies, and totalitarian stooges.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:42 PM -
What's Wrong With This Picture? Hmmm, things seemed to have changed a tad at college since I was a pup. The Boston Globe regales us with On campus, comforts are major:
They may be called the Spartans of Michigan State University, but students lucky enough to live in Shaw Hall can enjoy two therapeutic bubble-jet tubs as they watch television in one of the dorm's larger bathrooms.
''They aren't sitting around in the hot tub, having a party and watching Jenny Jones,''' said an exasperated Russ White, a university spokesman who contends he has spent too much of this summer trying to correct the impression that MSU students are overly indulged. ''But it is pretty amazing what you find on college campuses these days,'' he acknowledged.
Indeed, Spartan doesn't describe student life on most campuses. Once the tearful goodbyes are over and the family minivan has pulled away, there are enough sushi stations, big-screen televisions, personal trainers, cable channels in the dorm room, cybercafes, and videos available in the library to distract and entertain even those freshmen who came to college to study.
Administrators who have overseen several years of swanky-suite construction and cafeterias morphing into food courts admit there is an accelerating trend toward providing college creature comforts. It's fueled both by fierce competition among institutions to keep up enrollment and by sophisticated market research on what you need to keep an 18-year-old happy.
''This is definitely driven by a competitive marketplace. Campuses are trying to attract the best students, and amenities catch people's attention,'' said Kevin Kruger, associate executive director of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
''The campus experience many older people remember is still there, but it's been slicked up a lot,'' Kruger added. ''It's not a hardship to go to college.''
Parents may understandably fear that all these amenities contribute to the high cost of college. But college administrators argue that by maintaining their enrollments and keeping students' disposable income on campus, it actually helps the bottom line.
A generation ago, campus tours for prospective students made a stop at the chemistry building, showed off the library stacks, and took an obligatory peek at the chapel. Now, guides from the admissions office make a beeline to the brand-new, multimillion-dollar fitness center featuring squash courts, a climbing wall, customized exercise machines, gargantuan pools, and spin classes to rival the most upscale, downtown health club.
Much more in a similar vein by following the link. I'd feel better about this if I thought that the education matched the amenities.
Carol Hacker, dean of student affairs at the Babson Park campus, said providing perks isn't just about recruitment and retention; it's aimed at revitalizing campus life and engaging students in activities and conversations. Some colleges are encouraging theme dorms; others are putting classrooms into residence halls to get students out of their rooms and away from their e-mail.
''It's not about pampering,'' Hacker said. ''It's about community-building.''
Unsnap your holsters, it's a Kumbaya alert!
But like the parent who can't say no, some colleges are finding that new amenities just encourage students to crave more. At Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, administrators are balking at demands from students to provide premium cable channels for the wide-screen televisions they are hauling into dorm rooms.
''I don't understand how they can get any studying done with so many distractions,'' said James Matthews, IWU's dean of students. ''We learned Homer in 1970, and they learn Homer today. Are all these enhancements that draw students helping them learn it any better?''
Homer? I thought dead white guys were persona non grata. But I agree with the spirit of the question.
Keep Your Hand on Your Wallet The current Russian government seems to be rather a bottom line bunch, so I was puzzled by Russia to Ratify Kyoto Protocol. Then I read the details:
"Russia has signed the Kyoto Protocol and now we are preparing for its ratification," Kasyanov said. "That ratification will occur in the very near future."
... the Kyoto Protocol, which requires developed nations to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases to 1990 levels by 2012.
... Russia, whose industry ? and pollution ? has declined dramatically since 1990, had hoped to benefit greatly from Kyoto mechanisms that allow those who come in under their emissions quota to sell the right to pollute to other nations.
Not bad Comrades! Your industry goes in the dumper and you can charge the economically able for it. But there is a fly in the ointment:
But the United States, as the biggest polluter, was expected to be the biggest buyer.
The check is in the mail, Ivan!
Hey, ratification doesn't cost the Russians anything and if the US ecowhiners ever get half a chance, the taxpayers will be anteing up for this foolishness.
Uh Oh! Nellie's on the Blower Again! I was going to wax lyrical on Nelson Mandela's latest eructation, but Scrappleface beat me to it with White House Blocks Mandela's Calls.
Zambia's president has refused to overturn his ban on genetically modified (GM) food aid despite the food crisis which is threatening up to 2.4 million people.
Levy Mwanawasa said he would not allow Zambians to eat "poison".
Easy for you to say, Levy. You haven't missed a meal in eons.
Earth Summit Results As the running gag winds to a close, News24 lets us know that Business is brisk at summit:
Johannesburg - The WSSD has lived to its expectations in the hospitality industry with restaurant owners around Sandton, Illovo, Rosebank, Hyde Park, Melrose Arch and surrounding areas conducting brisk business from the beginning of the Summit, according to Johannesburg World Summit Company (Jowsco) CEO Moss Mashishi.
The majority of headquarter hotels accommodating heads of states and other VIP's are serving these delegates exclusively due to heightened security requirements.
"South African cuisine is a favorite among the guests with most visitors favouring game meat.
"Europeans think that wild animals are kept as pets, which makes it interesting," said one happy restaurant owner.
Would messieurs care for another slice of Sally the Springbok or Wally the Wildebeest?
South Africa showcased its finest delicacies as well as the fare of the very poor at the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development's official banquet in Johannesburg on Monday, attended by leaders and ministers from more than 180 states.
The feast kicked off with terrine of guinea fowl, served with wild mushrooms and lentil salad with a sweet pepper sauce.
For the main course, there were medallions of Karoo lamb, served on a bed of polenta cake and mealie-meal - a corn porridge that is the staple of most of the population - with a tamarind and mango dressing.
Dessert was pear and pineapple mousse, with fresh berries and a drizzling of raspberry sauce.
Wines were export-grade cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sparkling wine, all from South African vineyards.
Yeah, the "fare of the very poor" sure was a big part of the soiree.
And in further news, the Earth Summit boosted South African car sales. Vroom, vroom, ecoweenies!
The Religion of Peace The Bar Code King has the skinny on taqija:
Dissimulation - Taqija
Islam's attitude towards lying and honoring agreements with non-Muslims. This conclusion is taken from "The 4th Conference of Islamic Research" at Al Azar University in Cairo, 1970. The teachings at Al Azar University is normative for all Sunni Muslims. For Shiites it is Qum in Iran.
Taqija The expression taqija means to dissimulate and is used when serving the propagation of Islam or benefitting a Muslim compared to 'infidels'. Lying to 'infidels' is officially acknowledged and is religiously motivated.
Lying is okay In essence taqija means that a Muslim is allowed to hide his or her intentions in a difficult situation. For instance in regard to Koran interpretations, the more mellow verses are emphasized towards people with no thorough knowledge of the matter, and threatening, harsh verses are hidden.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:31 PM -
Feeding Time at the Zoo With the possibility of cash in the offing (and a lot of partying in the meantime), all the usual grifters have started showing up in Johannesburg.
Bobby Mugabe took time off from shopping and declaimed "Let me keep my Zimbabwe," which of course is the basic problem - he thinks it's his personal property. All that he hasn't pawned already of course.
Then the Prime Minister of Tuvalu showed up with his favorite wheeze:
"We want the islands of Tuvalu, our nation, to exist permanently for ever and ever, and not to be submerged under water merely due to the selfishness and greed of the industrial world," Prime Minister Saufatu Sopoanga told the summit.
Of course, it's baloney, but we don't want to spoil Saufatu's little racket as Green poster boy.
Jacques Chirac was also there to aid and abet:
"Today in Johannesburg, humanity has a date with destiny," said French President Jacques Chirac. "Our house is burning down and we are blind to it," he added, suggesting a "solidarity levy on the wealth created by globalization" to help the poor.
An aide suggested taxes on air tickets or financial deals.
Don't call us Jacques, we'll call you.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:09 PM -
The gunman suspected of attempting to hijack a London-bound plane planned a "very serious crime unprecedented in Sweden", Swedish police have said.A spokesman told Sky News Kerim Chatty plotted another atrocity in addition to the alleged hijacking. "He is suspected of attempted hijacking and is now also suspected of airplane sabotage or of airport sabotage," said police spokesman Ulf Palm.
Asked if that meant Chatty was planning to crash the plane - possibly into a US embassy as reported - Mr Palm said he could not comment.
"This is a very, very serious crime and very unusual in Sweden," he said.
Johannesburg (CNSNews.com) - In what some see as a sign that the Earth summit is literally going down the drain, an environmentalist at the Earth summit here has lamented the introduction of the flush toilet.
One of the panelists taking part in a television special on the Earth summit complained about the "pernicious introduction of the flush toilet," according to Competitive Entreprise Institute President Fred Smith, who also was a panelist on the program.
The TV special, hosted by hosted PBS's Bill Moyers, was taped on Tuesday and is set to air Friday night.
A female panelist from India complained that the flush toilet encourages excessive water consumption around the world and is not ecologically friendly.
The remark prompted an associate of Smith, CEI's Chris Horner, to ponder what alternative the woman would suggest. "Presumably the preferred solution to human waste problems is now abstinence," Horner quipped.
Not a problem for the Greens, they're already full of more crap than a Christmas goose.
A critic of the green movement, Danish author Bjorn Lomborg, told CNSNews.com, "Changing how we flush toilets is not going to change water supplies."
Lomborg also served as a panelist for the PBS television special and he said he, too, heard the Indian panelist condemn flush toilets during the show's taping.
According to Lomborg, household water consumption worldwide constitutes only 8 percent of total usage, so changing the way we flush will not have any significant impact on water usage, he said. Agriculture accounts for 69 percent of water usage, while industry uses 23 percent, Lomborg said.
''You don't start with making the 8 percent (household water consumption) more efficient,'' he said.
Also a tip of the hat to one of my favorite topics which is mentioned in the article: Al Gore toilets and toilet smuggling.
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 12:37 AM -
It's not all talk and no action at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The WSSD delegates from non-governmental organisations in the eastern bloc, Europe, the west, African countries and their more distinguishable political counterparts are sampling the goods that South Africa, and particularly Johannesburg and Pretoria, have to offer.
An Arab delegate, who enjoyed his cigar and rounds of wine costing R300 a bottle while caressing the slim legs of a prostitute at a Pretoria hotel, praised South Africa's warm climate and "red-hot" women. "Life is like heaven here. I like it very much. The weather is good and the women are red-hot," said Abdullah Essop, pointing at blonde "Betsy".
Essop and the early arrivals, especially African delegates, have not only gone on a wild shopping spree for food and clothes ahead of the start of the summit tomorrow, but they already have the best times of their lives by living it up at top hotels. The delegates have been feeding on oysters, caviar and the best gourmet meals in town and have gone on a drinking and sex binge as well.
Pikers. Now that Bobby Mugabe has arrived, the shopping can really start!
posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 12:55 PM -
Germany has told the United States it will withhold evidence against Sept. 11 conspiracy defendant Zacarias Moussaoui unless it receives assurances that the material won't be used to secure a death penalty against him, Germany's justice minister said in remarks released Saturday.
In further news, Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin says she is learning to "bend over and bleat like a goat" to make the Islamic terrorists in Germany feel right at home.
"It is a sort of disease when you consider yourself some kind of god, the creator of everything, but I feel comfortable about it now since I began to live it out."
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