National Parks affected by the climate changes

[Alan Klein]

Interesting way to phrase that. It's as if all those people were individually responsible for the mistakes, although you may not have meant it that way. I'd say that this is a good example of a possible failure in public governance. It was the responsibility of public planners to think about and plan for all the ramifications. It's a mistake to rely on the knowledge of individual property owners or (even worse) property developers, since those constituents have almost zero interest in the long term. That's not their fault, the incentives were (are) established incorrectly.

I say that it's a "possible" failure in governance allowing for the possibility that no one could have done better. That may itself be a cop-out, long-term planning principles are not unknown or obscure, but you need people in place to learn about them and use them.

The problem with complaining about public planning bodies (government) or starving them of cash is that when you need them, they're not there. Eventually, everyone pays the price of course.

I listened to an interesting podcast the other day, a conversation between two economic philosophers, neither of them particularly left wing, one American and the other Canadian. One thing they seemed to agree on about public governance is why Americans are, in general, against it and that's because US public institutions are not very good compared to the rest of the democratic world. It's one reason why Canadians and western Europeans, for example, have a difficult time understanding why Americans are against government. Maybe if you had better more efficient government, you would see it as an asset. As an example, I've detected an attitude about US public schools that is mystifying. Everyone complains about it but instead of fixing them, you seem to prefer to hand over money to private education companies instead. I think that's hare-brained myself, especially when the world is filled with examples of how to run public school systems well. But the US seems to have lost interest in public infrastructure, human and otherwise. This is very odd because it was precisely that infrastructure that got you to where you are and now you're throwing it all away. I think you should give your heads a shake.

Human society outgrew the libertarian "every man for himself" stage centuries before Ayn Rand was born, but the trouble is each generation needs to grow up independently, you can't absorb historical knowledge by osmosis. This means thinking, schooling, reasoned discussion, all of which are in shorter and shorter supply.

I agree with a lot of what you said.  Let me add, that people and governments are irresponsible.  Here in New Jersey, the government provides subsidized flood insurance to people who live on the Jersey shore or near pretty rivers and streams where hurricanes flood the area every few years.  That only encourages people to live there.  They figure if the stilts under my home aren't high enough, well then the government will pay for a new house.  Then, the politicians stand on the boardwalk around election time reminding the voters how they provided that cheap insurance so they can get their vote.  It's insidious.

Government is often just delinquent because no one there really cares.  I worked for 14 years for the NYC government.  I went to my boss once with this great idea that would cut costs and save the taxpayer money.  After describing the plan, he looked me in the eye and offhandedly said, "What do you care what it costs?" Nothing happened.  It was the last time I offered a cost-saving plan.

[TechTalk]

...For example, the earth in many areas is one-third greener because of higher levels of CO2.  Fauna grows thicker as well. (see link below)...

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/earth-getting-greener-nasa-s-new-maps-confirm-69361

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/earth-getting-greener-nasa-s-new-maps-confirm-69361

The bottom line of the article...

You provided the article.  I can't read more into than it says. It never mentioned anything about any positive beliefs he or anyone else involved in the article had that warming would provide a positive impact of any sort other than more vegetation would have a cooling effect. Maybe it was the reporter's fault.  The media often removes positive news about global warming in keeping with their biased views on global warming.   

No. You provided the article. But... You didn't read it. You apparently glanced at it thinking it supported your view and then referenced it and linked it in your post. I simply replied to the article you provided and quoted from it.

No, I didn't provide the article you linked. But... I did read it. You can't even recognize the very brief article that you referred and linked to in your post?

How do you function in life being this blind and deaf to everything around you?

Next time you're doing a Google search to find articles, you might try reading what you link to first. Just a suggestion.

[Peter McLennan]

Human society outgrew the libertarian "every man for himself" stage centuries before Ayn Rand was born, but the trouble is each generation needs to grow up independently, you can't absorb historical knowledge by osmosis. This means thinking, schooling, reasoned discussion, all of which are in shorter and shorter supply.

Well said, Robert.  Thanks.

It'd be interesting to do a "streeter", a series of interviews with random Americans asking them the meaning of the term "governance".

[TechTalk]

...For example, the earth in many areas is one-third greener because of higher levels of CO2.  Fauna grows thicker as well. (see link below)...

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/earth-getting-greener-nasa-s-new-maps-confirm-69361

So, you've got these scientists and their game all figured out... at least in your own mind. Where your x-ray vision reads between the lines and your intuition guides you to uncover their conspiracy with THE media to mislead everyone! Hero of the day!

Unfortunately, Mr. Science Detective... you don't recognize or remember or even read the evidence you provide. And you certainly don't understand any of it.

"Fauna grows thicker as well. (see link below)"... OK, I did what you asked and read the link below. There was no mention of anything growing "thicker" and zero mention of any "fauna". By the way, you might want to look up the definition of the word "fauna" before using it again. It doesn't mean what you think it means.

[TechTalk]

When you see all the mistakes people make in so many fields, you become attuned to commonplace errors.  You read between the lines.  It becomes intuitive, maybe due to age.

Something has come with age. But, I don't think that it's seeing all the mistakes people make, becoming attuned to commonplace errors, reading between the lines, or intuition.

[Alan Klein]

Biden is two years older than me.  I'm thinking of running for president in 2024.  I'll be 79 and Biden will be 81.  My campaign line will be: "Vote for Me.  I'm Younger."

What do you think? Catchy isn't it. Better than MAGA.

[TechTalk]

New campaign slogan to appeal to Election Deniers, Science Deniers, etc...

I can't read

[Alan Klein]

New campaign slogan to appeal to Election Deniers, Science Deniers, etc...

Sorry.  My line is funnier.

[TechTalk]

Mine is more accurate

[Peter McLennan]

I worked for 14 years for the NYC government.  I went to my boss once with this great idea that would cut costs and save the taxpayer money.  After describing the plan, he looked me in the eye and offhandedly said, "What do you care what it costs?" Nothing happened.  It was the last time I offered a cost-saving plan.

I believe that's the third time you've told that story, Alan. 

[Robert Roaldi]

...
Government is often just delinquent because no one there really cares.  I worked for 14 years for the NYC government.  I went to my boss once with this great idea that would cut costs and save the taxpayer money.  After describing the plan, he looked me in the eye and offhandedly said, "What do you care what it costs?" Nothing happened.  It was the last time I offered a cost-saving plan.

I worked almost all of my career in private industry with a 4 year stint at a Crown Corporation. The idea that private companies are efficient makes me laugh out loud.

Given what the private sector is set up to do and what the public sector is set up to do, to compare them on such narrow terms is nonsense. But we've been through this one before too.

[Alan Klein]

I worked almost all of my career in private industry with a 4 year stint at a Crown Corporation. The idea that private companies are efficient makes me laugh out loud.

Given what the private sector is set up to do and what the public sector is set up to do, to compare them on such narrow terms is nonsense. But we've been through this one before too.

Because there's no profit motive, government is very wasteful.   

Since everything is political, they rather talk about January 6th than inflation, recession, and the economy. People are watching their purchasing power evaporate. Meanwhile politicians are talking about spending another trillion dollars that will cause even more inflation.

[Robert Roaldi]

Because there's no profit motive, government is very wasteful.   
...

How do you introduce the profit motive into the design of a 25 year immigration policy?

How do you introduce the profit motive into a national transportation policy?

How do you introduce the profit motive into the design of voting districts?

How do you introduce the profit motive into municipal zoning decisions?

How do you introduce the profit motive into abortion or capital punishment or firearms ownership issues?

Please don't answer these rhetorical questions, they are presented to you only the for purpose of self-reflection. Surely even you should be able to understand that the function of government is not the same as the function of private companies. This is not at all a difficult concept. or even a controversial one.

Let me give you a simple example. Buying and selling black people was very profitable, but government stopped it anyway. Buying and installing asbestos made a lot of people money but it was stopped. Building very polluting cars was once normal. Government forced us to stop that, automobile manufacturers continued to make profits AND we ended up with better cars.

Please, please, I'm begging you, stop saying stupid shit. Educate yourself, it's not difficult.

[Alan Klein]

How do you introduce the profit motive into the design of a 25 year immigration policy?

How do you introduce the profit motive into a national transportation policy?

How do you introduce the profit motive into the design of voting districts?

How do you introduce the profit motive into municipal zoning decisions?

How do you introduce the profit motive into abortion or capital punishment or firearms ownership issues?

Please don't answer these rhetorical questions, they are presented to you only the for purpose of self-reflection. Surely even you should be able to understand that the function of government is not the same as the function of private companies. This is not at all a difficult concept. or even a controversial one.

Let me give you a simple example. Buying and selling black people was very profitable, but government stopped it anyway. Buying and installing asbestos made a lot of people money but it was stopped. Building very polluting cars was once normal. Government forced us to stop that, automobile manufacturers continued to make profits AND we ended up with better cars.

Please, please, I'm begging you, stop saying stupid shit. Educate yourself, it's not difficult.

Please stop calling my contributions "stupid shit".  It's that disrespect that chases people away. 

The fact is agencies and government employees have no real incentive to save money and make their organizations efficient.  When I went to my public agency boss and suggested a way to save the organization and effectively the taxpayer's money, he should have been receptive.  But he didn't give a hoot about the public or the taxes they pay.  He could have just as easily said, yes, let's try to implement that plan to see if we can save.  But no one cares because there's no profit motive.  Money is budgeted from taxes and the agency just spends it. 

What's stopping the government and Congress from instituting legislation that allows smart reductions in spending to be allocated in returning bonuses to government employees of that agency.  Why not use some economic incentives to encourage government employees to save money?  There does not need to be a profit motive like in private businesses to implement these things.  But the government doesn't care.  (I believe some agencies might have these incentives.  I have not researched it.  But it should be government-wide.  When I worked for a NYC agency, we offered additional payment to contractors who completed their work before the contractual completion date.)

[TechTalk]

It's that disrespect that chases people away.

Have you considered the possibility that it's boredom from seeing the same repetitious talking points parroted over and over endlessly?

[Robert Roaldi]

A short video from Veritasium addressing some of the usual objections re climate change including the global cooling thing, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWXoRSIxyIU.

[Peter McLennan]

Please stop calling my contributions "stupid shit".

But, Alan, that's exactly what they are.

Worse, you persist in making the same stupid shit "contributions" over and over and over.

At the very least, please come up with some new stupid shit.

[digitaldog]

But, Alan, that's exactly what they are.

Worse, you persist in making the same stupid shit "contributions" over and over and over.

At the very least, please come up with some new stupid shit.

Amen!

[budjames]

Concerned about climate change, then don't fly a helicopter which pumps out massive amounts of carbon.

Personally, I'm waiting the arrival of the sixth ice age.

Now, play nice.
Cheers,
Bud

[TechTalk]

I'm waiting for the return of the next ice age. It should be good for frozen Margaritas.

According to Al Gore's prognostications from years ago, we all should be dead by now.

Concerned about climate change, then don't fly a helicopter which pumps out massive amounts of carbon.

Personally, I'm waiting the arrival of the sixth ice age.

So, to summarize Bud's understanding of climate change: Margaritas, Al Gore, death, helicopters, carbon, ice age. Thanks for sharing your insights with us.