One of the most incredible debates of the 21st century is IF Global Warming is occurring. I see no reason for debating this as a "possible" phenomenon. It is a fact that there is a current increasing of planet-wide temperatures. It is a fact that the increasing temperatures are occurring very rapidly. There is nothing to debate with regards to if it is happening. It is happening and that is that.
The legitimate debate is about why Global Warming is occurring, how long will it remain, and what the long term impacts there may be. OK, so while the professionals and politicians attempt to agree on all this stuff why can't we move froward with dealing with the fact that it is happening right now? Whether it is due to our contribution to greenhouse gases or due to the changing solar cycles, or something else ,or a combination of it all that shouldn't prevent us from taking immediate action to decrease what we do know is contributing to the dangerous warming of our planet.
Why can't everyone understand that finding a definitive reason(s) why our planet is warming so rapidly over the recent years shouldn't prevent us from taking immediate actions to help mitigate the problem? Can it be possible to agree to disagree why this is happening yet continue to research it, and still move forward with what we do know to be fact now? How about we agree to work on the fact we know that greenhouse gases are trapping the earths heat, we know that we are the ones creating those excessive greenhouse gasses, we know that we must change that behavior to improve the impact on reducing the greenhouse gases.
OK, so there may be multiple, complicated and legitimate causes for this planet-wide increasing of temperatures. In my research into the causes of this phenomenon I have found a very good example of a complicated and legitimate cause. Solar activity waxes and wanes in approximate 11-year cycles. The increase of solar activity increases the radiation levels on earth which inturn increases global warming. Solar Cycle 23 began in 1997 and it peaked in the year 2001 then began to lessen. It was supposed to have reached it's end of the 11-year cycle in 2008. But it didn't and still hasn't yet in 2010. This means that we might see a reduction of the solar radiation levels on the earth for a longer that normal period of time. In fact the next Solar Cycle 24 is predicted to have the lowest peak in any cycle since 1928.
My point is that this slowing and low peaking of solar radiation effects on earth might provide us with a window of opportunity to make significant progress with mitigating the Global Warming event by reducing our greenhouse emissions dramatically. While the earth goes through a potentially cool period we might have the time we need to make the changes we know can help to reduce Global Warming and then include work on the other causes that may exist that we may be able to address.
It is really simple don't you think, when you really think, hard and serious? Come on....give me any good reason why we can't start reducing our greenhouse emissions now while we continue the debate for the cause(s) of Global Warming.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Victims - ones without common sense
Common sense is a topic that would take too much time to blog about in entirety, but it can be broken down into situational stories. Makes it easier to chew on although not any easier to swallow.
Recently, I took over the liaison position of our neighborhood watch program with the local police department. Let's say that includes about 300 homes. OK, so one of the issues we continue to have is during the overnight hours are that some of the vehicles left out in the driveway are being broken into. Wait it gets worse, not the severity of the crime, the reason for the crime to begin with.
Our neighborhood is in fairly upscale area and most of the time don't have many crime issues to deal with. With the fact that the homes are rather large, the builder was smart enough to install all of our homes with outdoor security lighting. These big bright lights cover all four sides of the property/home very nicely.
Here is the dilemma I have with the lack of our neighbor/victim's common sense. You know the ones that obviously have high paying careers...they had to get there some how, how they did it without common sense is...yet another blog topic. To me it is a no brainer that if you want to prevent someone from picking your home to target for a burglary or an auto larceny you might want to have those existing security lights ON overnight. Hey how about putting your car in the garage instead of leaving it in the driveway, (because you have so much crap in the place where the vehicle would be parked). I got another idea that could deter prowlers is it ummmmm, I don't know...locking the doors or rolling up the windows of the car that is being left out in the driveway. The last and most obvious prevention step that I would recommend is that you DON'T leave your cell phone, navigation devise, wallet or yes, even the keys to the car in the car that is unlocked, with the windows down, parked in the dark corner of your driveway.
The best part of all of this is that when we talk with these people about taking appropriate steps to safeguard their home AND our neighborhood, most of them don't care. Yes, most don't care. Often a reply is "oh, it's just the neighborhood kids causing trouble." So let me get this straight. Our neighbors not only are oblivious to doing the commons sense things to secure their home/property it is likely their own children are committing the very crime we are dealing with so often? What? Really?
It is really simple don't you think, when you really think, hard and serious? Come on...give me any good reason why people can't turn on those security lights, take their property into the house, and lock the doors on the car?
Recently, I took over the liaison position of our neighborhood watch program with the local police department. Let's say that includes about 300 homes. OK, so one of the issues we continue to have is during the overnight hours are that some of the vehicles left out in the driveway are being broken into. Wait it gets worse, not the severity of the crime, the reason for the crime to begin with.
Our neighborhood is in fairly upscale area and most of the time don't have many crime issues to deal with. With the fact that the homes are rather large, the builder was smart enough to install all of our homes with outdoor security lighting. These big bright lights cover all four sides of the property/home very nicely.
Here is the dilemma I have with the lack of our neighbor/victim's common sense. You know the ones that obviously have high paying careers...they had to get there some how, how they did it without common sense is...yet another blog topic. To me it is a no brainer that if you want to prevent someone from picking your home to target for a burglary or an auto larceny you might want to have those existing security lights ON overnight. Hey how about putting your car in the garage instead of leaving it in the driveway, (because you have so much crap in the place where the vehicle would be parked). I got another idea that could deter prowlers is it ummmmm, I don't know...locking the doors or rolling up the windows of the car that is being left out in the driveway. The last and most obvious prevention step that I would recommend is that you DON'T leave your cell phone, navigation devise, wallet or yes, even the keys to the car in the car that is unlocked, with the windows down, parked in the dark corner of your driveway.
The best part of all of this is that when we talk with these people about taking appropriate steps to safeguard their home AND our neighborhood, most of them don't care. Yes, most don't care. Often a reply is "oh, it's just the neighborhood kids causing trouble." So let me get this straight. Our neighbors not only are oblivious to doing the commons sense things to secure their home/property it is likely their own children are committing the very crime we are dealing with so often? What? Really?
It is really simple don't you think, when you really think, hard and serious? Come on...give me any good reason why people can't turn on those security lights, take their property into the house, and lock the doors on the car?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Words - the snide ones
I have noticed that when engaged in a light hearted, spirited, or even heated discussion regarding opposing perspectives, civility doesn't seem to be a part of the equation. I think I can safely say that it likely is never a part of the equation. Unfortunate as that may be I do feel it is accurate to say.
I think the main problem is often the wrong emotions come into play and those emotions make people say snide remarks. These sly insinuations often are tremendously disrespectful, offensive, inaccurate, and down right painful. Throwing snide words at someone, is with the intention of making oneself feel less vulnerable and more in control. Fear, jealousy, anger, lack of compassion, inability to be empathetic and many more of those negative emotions are largely at fault for the poor choice of words used in many so called debates.
I do think personality is another contributing element to one making snide remarks. Ones insecurity, lack of self worth, poor attitude, character flaws, and many others add fuel to the fire.
I guess what I don't understand is why can't people see, know, understand, respect and accept the fact that we all have our own perspectives, perceptions and personalities?
Those are the things that make us individual and unique from one another. My perspective is only mine and cannot be owned by anyone else. My perception is what I take away from my observations regardless of the intent of the those I observe. My personality is what my DNA, my nurture and my experiences in life have given me. How is it that ones opinion of something is better or worse than another's opinion?
It is really simple don't you think, when you really think, hard and serious? Come on...give me any good reason why can't we have a disagreeable discussion without snide remarks?
I think the main problem is often the wrong emotions come into play and those emotions make people say snide remarks. These sly insinuations often are tremendously disrespectful, offensive, inaccurate, and down right painful. Throwing snide words at someone, is with the intention of making oneself feel less vulnerable and more in control. Fear, jealousy, anger, lack of compassion, inability to be empathetic and many more of those negative emotions are largely at fault for the poor choice of words used in many so called debates.
I do think personality is another contributing element to one making snide remarks. Ones insecurity, lack of self worth, poor attitude, character flaws, and many others add fuel to the fire.
I guess what I don't understand is why can't people see, know, understand, respect and accept the fact that we all have our own perspectives, perceptions and personalities?
Those are the things that make us individual and unique from one another. My perspective is only mine and cannot be owned by anyone else. My perception is what I take away from my observations regardless of the intent of the those I observe. My personality is what my DNA, my nurture and my experiences in life have given me. How is it that ones opinion of something is better or worse than another's opinion?
It is really simple don't you think, when you really think, hard and serious? Come on...give me any good reason why can't we have a disagreeable discussion without snide remarks?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
