Chat

[pommystuart]

Anybody interested in the Dutch ship Batavia?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/ ... /102594728

[Randi]

[Michael]

[pommystuart]

more on hot weather.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-16/ ... /102607620

[Michael]

[Morgan]

I presume I am speaking to a sympathetic audience here:
Unlike some inland areas, it has not been unseasonably hot here near the southern California coast. With all this week's news on heat, I have run into several climate change nay-sayers who declare "It's not any worse than any other year." These are people I would have expected to be reasonable, ration people! I am looking for a quick one-liner to let them know I do not agree and disapprove. Usually, and luckily, I am rather slow witted and think of something hours later; Something that may not be charitable or well received.
I want to stand up and make my point of disagreement convincingly and politely. I know they may be people who will not readily change positions, but I feel responsible to speak up. Any ideas??

[pommystuart]

Sorry Morgan.
I do not do polite well.
________

I joined the forum from which I got the Centaur picture, put up a short bio, and on the same day the officer whom I relieved got back to me.
Small world.

[Randi]

I don't know how useful it would be, but maybe you could just say something along the lines of:
Yes, we have been very lucky here [so far].

[pommystuart]

You could try something like.
"It's a good thing I kept my cool clothes from (insert name of a hot place you have been to) to wear."

[studentforever]

Hardly devastating but you could remark on how many places are recording record temperatures this summer and in so many countries. [Have a few names up your sleeve in case of challenge.]

[Maikel]

Why not politely agree with them?
Though they might think you're stupid.

You're probably right, climate change is a hoax.
Even if it's real, it'll only affect my neighbours, not me.

[studentforever]

I suppose another tack since I am childless and getting 'on a bit' would be to say - well I probably won't be around when the scientists find out who's right so I'm not going to lie awake and worry about it.

[Michael]

There really isn't much that you can see, I'm afraid. It's a case of willful blindness:

There Are None So Blind as Those Who Will Not See

I suppose, if they are devout Christians, you could quote this:

Hear now this, O foolish people, without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not. Jeremiah 5:21

and then say, "Climate change is real!", and leave it there.

[arboggs]

My default mode is sarcasm so if they said "it's not any worse than any other year" I'd probably come back with "I'll be sure to inform the Canadian wildfires" or something equally snippy.

But then, I'm the same kind of person that when the weather is unseasonably "nice" in the winter and someone comments on it positively I will be sure to point out that it's a bad thing, actually.

[Michael]

CBC has made a Podcast about the Canadian wild fires. It's very interesting. I spent 20 years as a forest fire meteorologist for the Yukon Wildland Fire Service.

[Morgan]

THANKS! I knew I would get witty replies. Now when in this situation, I will snicker trying to decide which to use!
Michael, you must be just devastated by the fires. Perhaps my best come-back will be related to that.

[pommystuart]

Now quite Canadian wildfires but a devastating fire in Sydney shows just how quickly a fire can raze a building.
Some very opportune video footage from a returning chopper.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-13/ ... /102560828

[Michael]

Hi Morgan, I was thinking of a reply to your friends about climate change.

I can see why why the idea of climate change bothers you. It really troubles me, too. The idea that climate change is happening is very scary, and finding ways to deny that it's happening can be a comfort. Sadly, denial doesn't change the fact that climate change is real.

[pommystuart]

Ever wondered what to do with your used beer cans?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/ ... /102610484

[Randi]