Yesterday I read something incredible: the team studying the melting of the Himalayan Glaciers concealed
awkward data to strengthen the case for action. No, that's not the incredible bit. This is: members of the do-nothing brigade took that opportunity to suggest that as it now seems that the worst scenario is only 90% certain (sic!), we should wait and see what will happen. I.E. Do nothing. This suggested the following lines to me.
Because the data might be faulty
earth survive a decade longer
would you leave it all to chance?
and
Space-ship Earth is boarding now
ten percent survival chance.
Like to buy a ticket sir?
For those who might be new or recently returned to my blog, my daily "Haiku" do not meet the criteria for a true Haiku. They are meant to be topical and the
message more important than the format. If you missed my intro' you can catch it
here
20 comments:
There are few more powerful forces in the Universe than inertia.
Lord help us.
Well said! & unfortunately, Barry has a point, tho I fear the even more powerful force in resisting action against climate change is the almighty dollar.
Like our president said last night..to those of you that still doubt the scientific facts doesn't it just make sense to have clean energy and a clean environment!"
Look forward to your Haiku
Keep them coming
JF
Two more good uns, Dave.
Scary, huh?
I think I conceal awkward data all the time on a personal level. If I don't understand the meaning of something that rises to the surface of my life, I just shove it off to the side and go on.
There are still people in the US who believe the climate change data is forged and untrue. It's a conspiracy on the part of the leftists who want power. My aunt believes this. Yikes. What will it take for those unbelievers to be convinced? An awkward question I think I shall shove aside.
Wow, when you put it like that (the 2nd Haiku), who would make that choice?
If poets agree
shouldn't we all drink Iced Tea
in Boston Harbor?
I read that too Dave. I think sceptics look for any excuse to wriggle out of doing anything about such enormous issues as climate change.
Barry
Well said. I'm sure that's true enough.
John
A poinnt, indeed - as do you.
The Turning Point
And doesn't it also make sense, when the stakes are so high, to act as though the worst scenario was certain?
Derek
Thanks
willow
Scary, yeah!
Enchanted Oak
Absolutely. I know people who believe it completely, who get very angry about climate change and global warming and say it's all a conspiracy. But by awkward data, I didn't mean something they couldn't understand: I meant something that indicated contrary to what they were lookig for. Science used to be dispassionate, investigations were neutral, but now they try to please the guy who's got the funding.
Kass
I'm for that. Lovely Haiku.
I was in physical therapy of all places... the pool. Three people around me started talking about how NOW it's coming to light that perhaps things are not so environmentally bleak as we thought, that data has been hidden. And what about those Chinese and Indians anyway who pollute now more than we ever did? I said, "So we have the quintessential kid argument? THEY are worse than WE are so why Should WE have to do something?" I also said, "So because it's not clear just HOW much damage we've done or how long before it really IS too late, we should all just not conserve and be complaisant?"
And they basically said, "YES." They thought the recycling had "gone too far, with all this worrying about boxes, for God's sake." It was really quite appalling. I finally asked, "So you think this is a liberal plot of some sort? to what end?"
"Scare us. You know how they do."
"Yup. LIke last summer, scaring everyone into thinkgin liberals wanted to rob old people of health benefits."
"He did. He does."
I then excused myself and exercised at a different end of the pool. I don't understand, Barry. I truly don't. I love your two haiku, and it was a relief to see comments. Common sense alone says, damage is being done. DON'T contribute to it, and try to be one who makes things better. Feh. Sorry. This all happened Monday, so it hit home today. Thank you so much for your blog!
wit in the of tragedy aye? :)
It's unbelievable that researchers who don't like the data find it "awkward" and shove it aside! Shall we stand in the rising water and pretend to be thirsty?
I'll take a ticket, thanks.
My husband works in the energy business and he went to a conference last week in which the gathered experts admitted that there is not the slightest chance that the UK will meet any of its targets to reduce carbon (etc.). Please forgive that extraordinarily long sentence.
Earth will survive, not us.
Can you point me to the ticket booth, please?
All the talk of melting Himalayan glaciers is very real to me. I was in upper Mustang and walked among the rubble of a glacier that had melted within 20 years, I saw people with much less water to irrigate fields than they had 10 years ago. Right now, in the winter, they have very little to eat. We here can stew about skewed data, but for the very poor people in those difficult mountains this is not a conjecture for tomorrow. I can be neither sanguine nor flippant about those glaciers that are gone or going.
Adrian is correct- the earth is just going through its changes as it will , only faster because of too many of us- like a cancer- on it's surface. Earth will be OK, at least until our star quasars. We humans may go the way of the dinosaur.So, I suggest we eat puddings and drink copious amounts of tea - live until we die!!!
JeanetteLS
I suppose the projections are a bit like the weather forecasts. The computer models a number of possibilities depending on a range of variables - and then the forecasters choose on. Which one they choose may be influenced by other factors, political, economic or plain domestic. As for climate change, though, it would seem prudent to me to act as though the worst scenario is proven - ev en though it may not be. All science is provosional, after all. It could even turn out to be worse than the bleakest prediction. The attitudes of your fellow therapees, though typical, I find incomprehensible, though.
Raj
Thanks.
Karen
That's a powerful image you conjure up. Someone should paint it - or at least turn it into a cartoon.
Bee
I'm sure that is correct. What is worst is that the majority will not think that it matters.
Adrian
True. I did consider using the word life instead of earth. Accuracy would argue that I should have done so.
Ronda
Ah, the only one I know of at the moment is Virgin's - but that will only bring you back again.
Linda Sue
You may be overlooking the time factor - between our suicide and the earth quasaring.
Weaver
It seems I overlooked you. Humble apologies and much thanks for the contribution - with which I agree most heartily.
Both are good, but I like the second one better.
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