The unimportant news thread

[DavidW]

I really think that this is the important bit that sums up the article as a whole:

Still, Jones added that overall, carbon offsets have a limited capacity for tackling climate change. Drastically reducing emissions is imperative for climate mitigation, while carbon offsets can have the negative impact of giving people moral license to continue business-as-usual emissions, she said, with companies problematically claiming "net zero" emissions based on carbon offset programs while continuing to emit greenhouse gasses.

Reducing deforestation is critical for combating climate change, as is reducing emissions, so a model that trades one for the other won't be wholly effective, Jones said. Offsetting does not reduce the need for urgent climate actions like the minimization of emissions, forest restoration and remediation, and conservation, she said.

[Todd]

I really think that this is the important bit that sums up the article as a whole:

Effectively reducing emissions requires some type of effective taxation (eg, a coordinated carbon tax) and reforestation requires massive wealth and income transfers from high-income economies to developing economies, as in trillions of dollars over decades.  (This would have to be part of an overall package of "ecological equity" policies.)  The policy solutions are well known, they are just politically impossible.  Expect (much) more greenwashing, continued deforestation, and increases in greenhouse gas emissions into at least mid-century.  As such, one can expect an uptick in sensationalist press coverage of natural disasters.  Natural disasters will continue to intensify for at least the rest of this century using best available data and models.  Current projections of 83 million excess deaths by the end of the century due to climate changes are probably way too low. 

In other words, it's too late to adopt policies that will result in demonstrable improvements in climate change in the lifetimes of most people currently considering the topic.  That makes it a harder sell politically.  Protecting notional grandchildren and great-grandchildren is not the motivator some people think it is.

[DavidW]

Sadly I really think that is the complete truth of it.  That won't stop certain newspapers from trying to create hysteria and guilt of private citizens that are not the main contributor to carbon emissions.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I ran across this article earlier today.  It really makes you wonder about people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66628465

High-altitude heist shocks Switzerland

"Thieves in Switzerland have conquered one of the country's most challenging protected climbing routes.
They ascended to an altitude of 2,350m and traversed gorges on narrow steel cables - all to rob a collection box.
The box belongs to a local climbing club, which maintains Switzerland's longest protected climbing route on the Gemmi pass above Leukerbad village.
What has caused the biggest shock is that the donation box is accessible only to the most experienced climbers."

There's more to the story at the link above.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

'I witnessed the best of America': remembering the March on Washington 60 years on.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/26/march-on-washington-60-anniversary-martin-luther-king-civil-rights

[Karl Henning]

I really think that this is the important bit that sums up the article as a whole:

Thanks. That was worth reading. 

[Karl Henning]

I ran across this article earlier today.  It really makes you wonder about people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66628465

High-altitude heist shocks Switzerland

"Thieves in Switzerland have conquered one of the country's most challenging protected climbing routes.
They ascended to an altitude of 2,350m and traversed gorges on narrow steel cables - all to rob a collection box.
The box belongs to a local climbing club, which maintains Switzerland's longest protected climbing route on the Gemmi pass above Leukerbad village.
What has caused the biggest shock is that the donation box is accessible only to the most experienced climbers."

There's more to the story at the link above.

Wow!

[Todd]

Sunflower field owners ask visitors to stop taking nude photos

[LKB]

I ran across this article earlier today.  It really makes you wonder about people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66628465

High-altitude heist shocks Switzerland

"Thieves in Switzerland have conquered one of the country's most challenging protected climbing routes.
They ascended to an altitude of 2,350m and traversed gorges on narrow steel cables - all to rob a collection box.
The box belongs to a local climbing club, which maintains Switzerland's longest protected climbing route on the Gemmi pass above Leukerbad village.
What has caused the biggest shock is that the donation box is accessible only to the most experienced climbers."

There's more to the story at the link above.

That's a lot of trouble for a one-time heist which probably didn't amount to a huge sum. Boredom probably wouldn't provide sufficient motivation, perhaps the club angered someone into a desire for vengeance...

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

President Biden spent August trying to escape Washington.


https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/27/politics/biden-summer-vacation-maui-ukraine-2024-election/index.html

[Karl Henning]

 Japan launches XRISM, an uncrewed orbital probe that will measure incoming X-rays that originated from deep space

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Japan launches XRISM, an uncrewed orbital probe that will measure incoming X-rays that originated from deep space

Sounds quite interesting!

[LKB]

President Biden spent August trying to escape Washington.


https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/27/politics/biden-summer-vacation-maui-ukraine-2024-election/index.html

And yet, some people say he has cognitive issues...

[Karl Henning]

And yet, some people say he has cognitive issues...

Exactly!

[KevinP]

Meanwhile, Chicago's Fine Arts Building is losing its historic elevators. Worse: the new ones are going to be automatic, with buttons you have to press yourself and everything!


https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment-and-culture/2023/8/28/23848226/fine-arts-building-manual-elevators-will-be-replaced

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/30/judge-orders-default-judgment-sanctions-against-rudy-giuliani-in-election-workers-lawsuit.html

Cue the melting hair dye and whoopee cushion.

[T. D.]

It's getting funnier!

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/31/giuliani-loses-financial-support-of-billionaires-langone-cooperman.html

Giuliani loses support of billionaires Langone, Cooperman: 'I wouldn't give him a nickel'

Many funny quotes in the article.

Can't help thinking of the tune MacArthur Park: ...all that sweet brown hair dye flowing down...

For those with a taste for schlock (Richard Harris's version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DmDPor1EM&t=6s

[T. D.]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66651506

A Utah woman, who ran a once popular parenting advice YouTube channel, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse after her malnourished son escaped from home, officials said.

Ruby Franke and her business partner Jodi Nan Hildebrandt were arrested in Ivins, Utah on Wednesday.

Officials also found Ms Franke's 10-year-old daughter in a malnourished condition at her partner's house.

Ms Franke and her business partner face two felony counts of child abuse.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's getting funnier!

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/31/giuliani-loses-financial-support-of-billionaires-langone-cooperman.html

Giuliani loses support of billionaires Langone, Cooperman: 'I wouldn't give him a nickel'

Many funny quotes in the article.

Can't help thinking of the tune MacArthur Park: ...all that sweet brown hair dye flowing down...

For those with a taste for schlock (Richard Harris's version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DmDPor1EM&t=6s

Surprised to see that things were getting so bad for him financially that he had to sell his apartment in NYC.

I feel more along the lines of the guy who said that he missed the old Rudy.

PD

[Spotted Horses]

I feel more along the lines of the guy who said that he missed the old Rudy.

The old Rudy was pretty similar to the new Rudy. When 9/11 happened Rudy was due to leave office because of term limits for NYC mayor. After 9/11 Rudy announced that only he could handle it and that the election of a new Mayor had to be delayed so he could stay in office. Sound familiar?