Dave Skinner's Blog, page 2

Can the Human Race survive Global Warming? Part 1

 

Can the Human Race survive global warming?

 

Greed is the underlying reason for the terminal conditions we find ourselves in. It is an old adage that ‘money is the root of all evil, but it is true. The quest for more money is destroying our climate, and polluting our environment. It has sold our livelihoods, our lives, and our work. It is killing off our fauna and flora. Life as we knew it is over. We have passed the tipping point.

The leaders of business and industry, our politicians, and the media all knew what was happening. It has been in the public record since the 1980’s.Business leaders and politicians chose and still choose to cover it up while most media outlets simply ignore it. Large corporations are not living up to their obligations to clean up their messes. That is why I believe in an extra tax on large businesses and the wealthy.

There are many people who are culpable for our current climate and environmental problems. For me, the obvious culprit is the oil and gas industry, but politician have to share some of the blame, as well as the general populations. Yes even the people who were duped into believing the misinformation being fed to them and still are share the blame. Financial institutions share some of the blame as well for supporting businesses that choose profits over their moral responsibilities. Some people can claim ignorance, and I accept that excuse from the general population after all we have had billions of dollars’ worth of misinformation and straight lies shoved down our throats. The people who I believe are most to blame are those who knew what was happening and chose to do nothing about it, or even worse, to cover it up for the sake of immediate profits. They are the virus that is willingly destroying us.

The current Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, made this statement when he was trying to justify his government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and their support of the oil sands:

“No country would find 173 billion barrels of oil in the ground and just leave them.”

That is a sentiment that is heard much too often as an excuse for continuing to suck oil and gas out of the ground. It values money over life. It is the classic misdirection. But stop for a moment and consider where we would be if the oil and gas industry chose to mine their resource responsible instead of only considering immediate profits. Think of what we would be doing instead of cleaning up the waste businesses are dumping on the ground and into the water.

Everyone, individuals, manufacturers, energy companies must consider about our planet’s health over profits.

The choice was made

The following is an excerpt from the Columbia University Record of October 22, 1982 regarding the Ewing Symposium, a three day gathering of 100 scientists to discuss “what the earth’s climate will be like for the next century.” Comments are from Taro Takahashi, one of the organizers of the event.

“There are three competing effects,” Takahashi said. “First, we think that the earth’s climate is warming due to the ‘greenhouse effect,’ the retention of solar heat by the discharge of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, largely by the burning of fossil fuels. Second, volcanic and industrial activity are sending dust particles into the stratosphere that shade the earth and cool it. And third, the earth’s climate has a mind of its own—there are many natural processes that have been going on for ages. Scientists will evaluate the relative strengths of these components and discuss what the climate is most likely to be like in the future.” Recent changes. in the polar ice caps will also be discussed. The symposium is being supported by the Exxon Corp., the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Climate Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In November of 2017, Dr. James E. Hansen wrote a forward for the book Unprecedented Crime, Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival by Dr. Peter D. Carter and Elizabeth Woody. Within the forward Dr. Hansen talks about organizing that Ewing Symposium with Taro Takahashi, “a continuation of a series of such meetings on fundamental topics in Earth Sciences, named for Maurice Ewing, the founder of Lamont Doherty Geophysical Observatory (LDGO).”

Pg 9, Unprecedented Crime, Carter and Woodworth.

Pg 10, Unprecedented Crime, Carter and Woodworth.

Pg. 10, Unprecedented Crime, Carter and Woodworth

Pg. 10 Unprecedented Crime, Carter and Woodworth.

Paul Horn, Inside Climate News

Triple Crisis in the Anthropocene Ocean. Part Three: The Heat of 3.6 Billion Atom Bombs.” Ian Anguse

Triple Crisis in the Anthropocene Ocean. Part Three: The Heat of 3.6 Billion Atom Bombs.” Ian Anguse

The Hill, Richels, Jacoby, Yohe, and Santer

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

Free, free , free. An economic alternative to a worldwide pandemic

An economic alternative to a worldwide pandemicAs countries scramble to keep their citizens and economies safe during the COVID-19 pandemic I can’t help wondering if there is a better solution than what we are doing. Governments are committing billions of dollars (in some cases trillions) to help their citizens and businesses, but what happens when this is over and the bill has to be paid. How is the committed money going to help countries restart their economies? Is there a better way of dealing with the economic problems of a worldwide pandemic? Before the next pandemic hits (and it will) we should consider how to do it differently. One alternative that I keep coming back to is to freeze the economy for all essentials.
The idea is that as soon as a pandemic is declared, everything that is essential becomes free. All payments like rent, loans, interest, credit cards, food, and fuel stop. Everything that takes money out of a person or a business’s pocket, and everything that puts money in, freezes. Whatever money you have in your bank account stays there until the country starts to function again.
If a country did this, they would have to take over payments for goods that are imported. We get food and materials from all over the world. Imports and exports of essentials would have to continue, but governments would cover the costs. That would be the only funds a government would have to pay.
There are many aspects of this idea that would have to be worked out, but that’s what governments are for. They are going to be planning for the next pandemic anyways, so take a look at this as a possibility while you’re at it. Do the calculations. Kick the tires. Sick the devil’s advocates on it. After all, I think it will make a restart of the country much simpler.

An economic alternative to a worldwide pandemic

An economic alternative to a worldwide pandemicAs countries scramble to keep their citizens and economies safe during the COVID-19 pandemic I can’t help wondering if there is a better solution than what we are doing. Governments are committing billions of dollars (in some cases trillions) to help their citizens and businesses, but what happens when this is over and the bill has to be paid. How is the committed money going to help countries restart their economies? Is there a better way of dealing with the economic problems of a worldwide pandemic? Before the next pandemic hits (and it will) we should consider how to do it differently. One alternative that I keep coming back to is to freeze the economy for all essentials.
The idea is that as soon as a pandemic is declared, everything that is essential becomes free. All payments like rent, loans, interest, credit cards, food, and fuel stop. Everything that takes money out of a person or a business’s pocket, and everything that puts money in, freezes. Whatever money you have in your bank account stays there until the country starts to function again.
If a country did this, they would have to take over payments for goods that are imported. We get food and materials from all over the world. Imports and exports of essentials would have to continue, but governments would cover the costs. That would be the only funds a government would have to pay.
There are many aspects of this idea that would have to be worked out, but that’s what governments are for. They are going to be planning for the next pandemic anyways, so take a look at this as a possibility while you’re at it. Do the calculations. Kick the tires. Sick the devil’s advocates on it. After all, I think it will make a restart of the country much simpler.

COVID-19 Episodic Story

COVID-19 Episodic StoryA few years ago, I picked up a book named, On Writing The Short Story, by Hallie Burnett. Ms. Burnett was an author and a co-editor (along with Whit Burnett) of the magazine STORY for more than thirty years (1942-1971). In addition to giving the usual information about the process of writing and some very interesting insights, she included six stories from the magazine which were submitted  by writers who were relatively unknown at the time. I had never heard of the STORY magazine, but I did recognize a couple of author names, Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams specifically.  One story stood out for me. The story, Address Unknown, was written in an episodic form (something I had never heard of) by Kressmann Taylor. It was presented as a series of letters between two men (A Jew and a German) who had been successful business partners in America before the German returned home to be part of the growing Nazi regime. It is tragic and moving. If you can find a copy I recommend reading it.Today (April 4th, 2020) while COVID-19 is ravaging the world, I received an email regarding a writing contest at Reedsy which was to be in episodic format (either a dairy or a journal). I didn't like the prompts so didn't enter, but it did start me writing. Here is my story.

Saturday, April 4, 2020.Dear Pastor,I recently saw your church featured in a piece on CNN. I must admit I was inspired by the fortitude of the parishioners who were interviewed. To have such faith in Jesus and God is truly inspiring, especially at this time in history. I have never been a believer, but hearing the faith expressed by you and your congregation has moved me. I would greatly appreciate being able to visit your church and to hear you preach. At this time when religious gatherings have been restricted in so many places, it is wonderful to see people coming together, hugging each other, and congregating for Jesus.I dearly pray that you will allow me to visit.Your sincerely,David Skinner=============================================================Monday, April 6, 2020Dear Mr. Skinner,I was delighted to receive your email. It was refreshing in light of the attitude being displayed by other with less faith. I read it to my congregation yesterday, and we all agree that a visit by you would be wonderful. We meet twice weekly on Wednesday and Sunday from 10:00 to 11:30. Please let me know if and when you will come. We are all looking forward to meeting and praying with you.Your faithfully,Your Pastor to be.=============================================================Monday, April 6, 2020Dear Pastor, I was excited to receive your reply, and to learn that you are open to my visit. I am not employed at this time, as I was laid off just last week when I tested positive for COVID-19. Learning of my condition by others has made me a social pariah even though I am mostly asymptomatic, but I am hopeful that someone such as you, who truly has faith, will not see my condition as a deterrent. I find myself longing for close social contact. I can leave for a visit anytime, but I realize you will want to pass this by your parishioners. Some may not believe as strongly in the protection of the blood of Jesus as you do. I wait hopefully for your positive reply.Yours hopefully,David Skinner=============================================================Wednesday, April 8, 2020Dear David.The Lord tests us all in many ways. Your correspondence has been a test for my congregation. I read your latest email to my people, and then we discussed it extensively. I admit there were a few who questioned the wisdom of allowing you to visit. They claimed to have faith in their belief that Jesus protects us from the virus, but their faith was not enough when faced with actual contact with someone who is infected. I can only hope that they will return to the fold when they see proof of the Lord’s mercy. The rest of the congregation is praying for you, and ready to lay hands on your body to drive the devilish corona virus from you.Your Pastor.=============================================================Wednesday, April 8, 2020Dear Pastor,Thank you, thank you, and praise the Lord. I will leave tomorrow and God willing will be with you for Sunday service.Yours gratefully,David Skinner=============================================================Thursday, April 23, 2020Dearest friends,I have returned safely from my trip, and I must express my gratitude to all of you for receiving me so graciously. I am now a true believer in the Lord’s mercy and am protected forever by the blood of his son, Jesus. You will be happy to learn that my illness has passed, and it was not nearly as bad as I was led to believe it would be. Your hands-on blessings and your prayers saved me I am sure. Naysayers will no doubt claim that I was one of the lucky ones who only had mild symptoms, but I know better. I tell everyone that your faith and ministry saved me.With my gracious thanks,David Skinner=============================================================Monday, April 27, 2020Dear Pastor,I was shocked to see the newscast that reported COVID-19 has infected your church. I pray for a quick recovery for you and the rest of the congregation. May Jesus’s blood protect you all.Yours in faith,David Skinner=============================================================Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Message undelivered. Please check email address for validity.

Eventually

Eventually“We found three shells casings,” the technician reported. “First one was a driller used to penetrate the bullet proof aluminum of the window. The second was a boomer, a tiny high energy microwave emitter that disabled all the electronics in the house, and killed the two children who were using the VR headsets. The third was the death shot for the male victim in the study. All three were seeker enabled.”“Thanks, Billy,” Detective Rogers said. He made an entry on his device before returning to the safe room where the widow and her parents had taken refuge. He had no hope of getting a coherent answer from the widow. She was a wreck, so he addressed the parents.“Is there somewhere else you can stay while we complete our investigation? CSI will crawl all over the house, the yard, and the neighborhood for at least a week.”“Of course we do, the old woman answered. We will go to one of our other properties, but this was supposed to be the safest place we could be. There’s a shield around the whole property, and the best security money can buy at the gate. How did they get in?”“No one got in. The shots were fired when the shield gate opened. It only takes a moment. Your Son-in-Law was the target. The children are collateral damage, although I can tell you, based on the sophistication of the weapon used, that the rest of you are in extreme danger. Someone is targeting your family.”“Why? We’re in the clothing business. Is it because of our wealth?”“Partially, but I expect we’ll discover it’s related to your family. That is what we’re finding with these cases--anyone in your family ever in politics, or involved with the emperor’s business friends?”“My father was a senator,” the elderly woman answered, “when the first Emperor Trump was elected as president, but that happened ages ago. We are not involved aside from donating to the party. Why target us?” Detective Rogers tapped several times on his arm and a display appeared in the air between them.“Is your father’s name on this list?”He used the screen displayed on his forearm to make the air-display scroll until the woman made a strangled sound. Her face lost the little colour it had retained.“What is this list?” the old man asked angrily. “How is our family involved?”Detective Rogers removed the oxygen mask from his face before answering. The hole in the window and opening and closing of the front door was allowing the air from outside to seep into the house. Everyone was wearing their masks when they weren’t talking because the electronics were still knocked out and the air wasn’t being purified.“It is a list of the people responsible for the state of the country. The people who dismantled all the protections in place before 2017 and the business people who took advantage of it.”“We had nothing to do with that.” “But your father did.”“So we are being targeted for what my father did?” the old woman said.“Yes. The list tracks the people responsible for the state the country is in and their families. The killings started a few years ago when things got terrible. That is when we learned about the list. I understand it has been around since 2017. The perpetrators are out for revenge. They are intent on wiping out every extended family member, or at least that is what the ones who are caught admit.”“Who is funding them? The munitions needed to bypass our shields must be expensive and hopefully restricted.”“Hardly,” Rogers snorted. “The ammunition used here is readily available to everyone. Every attempt to restrict sales has been shot down. We love our right to carry arms and our assault rifles.”“Why kill the whole family? I don’t understand that.”“Most of the people responsible for this mess died years ago. It took a few decades for the adverse effects of their regulation busting to be apparent in the environment and financially. One perpetrator had watched his parents, his wife, and his children die because healthcare was unaffordable to them. Many people can’t even afford these masks. He felt it was only just to wipe out the whole family.”“I’m finding this hard to believe, Detective,” the man said. “How can this be happening and not be reported in the media?”“It is reported. ABC ran a special on it last night, and CNN had one two weeks ago.”“They’re false news sites. I only watch Fox, and they have reported nothing about it.”“Maybe you should call Fox and tell them about what happened here, but don’t hold your breath waiting to see it on their news. Others tried.”“Is no place safe?”“There are fewer incidents in states that have the death penalty. You could move to Texas.”“Texas! No one in their right mind would live in Texas. The wall is crumbling, the off gassing from the oil refineries kills everything, and there are earthquakes every day from the fracking.”“There are other states, but most have the same problems except for those not close to the wall. Water contaminated by methane gas, land contaminated by pesticides, that type of thing. Fox covers those stories doesn’t it?” “Why aren’t the authorities doing something about this?” The old woman must have had all she could take because she started to wail. “Our daughter needs to be protected.” The old man looked at her, but his expression remained stony.“How long before you capture the people who have done this?”“There is never any evidence to identify them. Some give themselves up, but not until everyone in their target family is dead. Personally, I believe prison gives them a better chance at life than being on the outside does. At least they get their two meals a day. Our department doesn’t have the manpower to hunt them down. Most police departments don’t—budget cuts you know, so I don’t expect to make any arrests right away unless the perp comes forward and surrenders.”“Which won’t happen until we are all dead, right?”“Correct.”“This is ridiculous,” the old woman said, as she stood up. “I’m calling the Governor.” She pulled the door to the safe room open and stepped out. Detective Rogers heard the buzz of the bullet as it passed. The widow’s crying stopped as she fell to the side.“Do you have any brothers or sisters we can warn,” he asked, but the old man wasn’t listening anymore.End
 Dave Skinner is the author of four fantasy novels. All are Swords and Sorcery, and are available on Amazon.https://www.amazon.ca/Fathers-Swords-...https://www.amazon.ca/Blood-Magic-Wizards-Spawn-Book-ebook/dp/B07ZWGYZS3/

From Blood and Magic characters

Many years ago, when my wife and I were starting our family, I had a friend from university who gave birth around the same time. Her son was large, and because of his size people expected more of him, even though we knew he was much younger than he looked. He was the proverbial ‘bull in a china shop’.Some time ago, I looked up the actor Dan Blocker. He stared as Hoss in Bonanza. Dan was also a large child, weighing 14 lb at birth. By the age of 12, he already was 6' tall and weighed 200 lbs. A "TV Guide" story after his death reported that back in Texas, the young Dan once lifted a car off of a man after it slid off a jack and pinned him under the auto. ‘My daddy used to say that I was too big to ride and too little to hitch a wagon to," Blocker said, "no good for a damn thing.”From that memory and the Dan Blocker story came the protagonist, Nails, in my new fantasy novel From Blood and Magic. Nails has the architype of Orphan. His sidekick on his adventures, Brayson, is also an Orphan architype. They both have the core desire of connecting with others and the goal to belong.For those who have read my Warriors, Heroes and Demons trilogy, the birth of both characters was foreshadowed. Brayson, as the name suggests, is the son of Bray, one of the heroes of the trilogy, and the far darrig, faerie, Amadella. Nails, is the product of Micka’s tragic love for Nailmoe, created after his death, using his blood and magic.From Blood and Magic, is available as an ebook from Amazon. I have included the pitch for the novel here.Nails and Brayson are misfits by birth. Brayson—a Cross, son of a faerie and a human—should live in the comfort and safety of Crosstown, but the circumstances of his conception force him to flee. Nails—a creature created from magic and the blood of his mother’s, dead, KaAnian lover—is left with powers he does not understand and cannot control. Nails’ and Brayson’s friendship, and their need to belong somewhere other than on the outskirts of society, sends them on a quest to find a way to rid Nails of his magic. But, in a land full of slavery, pirates, faeries, wizards and thieves, every step contains danger and calamity until Nails must face the ultimate challenge; accept his magic or kill Brayson and all those he holds dear. eBook on Amazon.com

Killers

KillersDarby Swan waited at the defence table at the provincial courthouse in Toronto. His client would be along shortly the bailiff had said. Darby had no reason to doubt him. Even considering that Sarah needed a wheelchair, the court officers always got her into the courtroom promptly. He saw the bailiffs manage many rough characters in the five years he had been practising law, but today was not one of those days. Mrs. Sarah Cunningham was not violent. Hell, he thought, she can barely stand. Ninety-four years old and weighing even less than her age, Sarah would not be a problem. The only problem Darby expected was depression. Well, at least this sentencing hearing would not last long. Only one victim statement left to hear, followed by a statement from his client and then sentencing. Darby would make it to the bar by three. He would need a drink after today.He had hoped that he could get the prosecutor to dismiss the case on the grounds of mental deficiency. No such luck. Why would they. The woman had shot the man four times in front of witnesses then sat down to await the police. The fact that she was the oldest person ever charged with homicide did not hold sway here. It was an open and shut case especially considering his client had pleaded guilty. He had advised against that, but Sarah rejected his council. His thought, although he never mentioned it to her, was that by the time her case made it onto a docket she would be dead from natural causes.An increase in the undertone of conversation alerted him to his client’s arrival. The bailiffs brought her into the courtroom through the double doors at the back because the usual prisoner’s doorway was too narrow. The rise in conversation came from the family of the victim and their support group. Only the daughter would make a victim’s statement today. They had heard the mother’s statement yesterday. The bailiff pushed Sarah’s chair to the table beside him.“Thank you,” Darby said. Sarah looked dishevelled. One of the oxygen lines that fed the gas mixture to her nose had slipped from over her ear. It now hung down by her cheek. She did not appear to have the energy to deal with the problem. Darby reached out and hooked it over her ear. She smiled at him.“Thank you, Darby,” she wheezed. He smiled back, but before he could say anything the bailiff announced the judge’s arrival.“All rise.” The judge took his seat. “Be seated,” the bailiff said.“Let the record show that we are gathered to hear a final statement from the victim’s daughter in the case of the Crown vs Sarah Cunningham. The defendant has asked to make a statement after which sentencing will occur. Are we ready to proceed?” Darby and the prosecutor both answered in the affirmative. “The defendant will rise and face the court.”“Your Honour,” Darby said, “Do we have to do this again?” It was all he could do to keep the disgust out of his voice. “You have already dismissed the necessity of my client standing, twice.” The judge stared at him for a second.“Right,” he said. “Only for sentencing, I remember now. We will proceed with the victim statement.”The prosecutor brought the daughter forward and left her at the podium. Darby judged she was in her early thirties. Her blue pinstripe pant suit screamed money. She placed one sheet of paper onto the podium and then turned to face Sarah.“My father was the gentlest man I have ever known,” she said. “He never raised a hand to me or my mother. He attended church with us every Sunday when he wasn’t away on business. He gave freely of his money and time to help others. My mother and I loved him deeply. His grandchildren worshipped him. My two, loved to be held by him as he sat in his big chair by the fireplace. I will never hold my father again. My children will never be held by their grandfather again because you killed him. You never met my father, but still you shot and killed him. I will never forgive you and I hope you roast in hell for eternity.” She gathered her paper which she had not even glanced at and returned to her seat. Her mother placed an arm around her and held her close.“Counsellor is your client ready to make her statement?” the Judge asked. Darby glanced at Sarah. She smiled at him.“She is, Your Honour.” Darby said. He stood and maneuvered Sarah’s wheelchair out from behind the desk and pushed it to the podium. Sarah began when he sat again at his table.“Thank you, Your Honour, for this opportunity,” she started. The judge held up his hand.“I am sorry, Mrs. Cunningham, but we are unable to hear you,” The judge stated. “Would it be possible for you to stand at the podium?”“Your Honour!” Darby said as he came to his feet. “We have been through—” he started but Sarah held up her hand and waved it weakly to motion him over.“Help me up, Darby,” she said. “I can do this.” He helped her to her feet. She grasped the far edge of the podium with claw-like hands. He eased his support away, and she stood on her own.“My husband was a soldier,” she stated. “He died fighting for Canada and our way of life. I have two sons. One was a police officer. He was killed in the line of duty while protecting the people of this city. My other son was never a fighter. He has a gentle soul. He got a job at Sears when he finished high school and kept it until he retired last year. He had many positions at Sears. He worked his way up the ladder to a buyer position. He never became a manager because he only had a high school education, but he was respected and trusted. People liked him and he loved his job and he loved Sears. He bought a home for his family. He put his two children through university. Last year, when Sears went into bankruptcy, I worried about him, but he said his pension would see him through. It didn’t.” Sarah grimaced from pain as she turned to face the victim’s family.“Your father,” she pointed a crooked finger at the daughter, “stole my son’s pension so that he would get his executive bonuses. He underfunded the pension plan by two hundred and sixty million dollars. After everyone else lost their jobs, their severance and their pensions, your wonderful father and the remaining two board members managed to skim over a million more dollars from the businesses assets. Your wonderful father used his position to undermine all his employees for the sake of his own fortune.”“That’s a lie!” the daughter screamed as she jumped to her feet.“No it is not,” Sarah said. “What he did may not have been illegal, but it was immoral. It went against the values of society. Did he really think he could get away with it?”Darby heard someone cry ‘no’. He turned towards the sound. The daughter broke away from the hold her mother had on her arm, charge across the floor and knocked Sarah to the floor. Before the bailiff or Darby could reach them, she had pounded Sarah repeatedly.* * *Darby nursed his second drink. He would not have another. It was too late. His expectation of reaching the bar in the early afternoon had crumbled when the paramedics had been unable to resuscitate Sarah. Hours later, after the police had their statements, and the hysterics from the daughter’s arrest had died down, the courtroom emptied and Darby dragged his body across Queen Street to the Gavel. Now he knew it was time to leave, but he couldn’t find the energy. His body was numb. His mind kept playing Sarah’s last words over and over.“Did he really think he could get away with it?” she had asked. The implications of that question would not leave him. As a lawyer he believed in due process, in letting the law take its course, but what happens when politicians and businesses lie, cheat and steal from people in a way that that is technically legal but purely immoral. Will people accept it and move on? Sarah’s words suggested, no. You can only push people so far before they react, before they take the law into their own hands. Maybe he would have another drink, he thought just as someone else sitting at the bar told the bartender to ‘turn that up’. Darby raised his eyes to the television.“… was leaving a restaurant on the Danforth when a man shot him three times,” the announcer was saying. “Premier Ford was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses say the shooter, an elderly man who was sitting on the seat of his walker, was heard saying something about, ‘getting away with it’.”The End© Dave Skinner 2019

Understanding Climate Change

I see no point in debatingwhether the human race should be saved or not. The purpose of this post issimply to offer an alternative to self-destruction because our destruction iswell under way and I have lost all hope.
April 14th,2018

West Guilford,Ontario

Canada

The weather forecast fortoday is: “Significant snow with ice pellets expected into tonight. Freezingrain beginning Sunday.” For tomorrow the forecast reads, “Sunday morninganother round of ice pellets will move into the region quickly changing tofreezing rain later in the morning. The freezing rain will change over to rainSunday evening. Significant ice buildup is possible on Sunday. Power outagesare possible given the significant ice buildup combined with strong and gustywinds.”We sometimes have an April snowstorm, that is not unusual, but normallyit last one or two days and then it is gone. This “April storm” has been goingon for two weeks now. When I consider the other abnormal weather the world has beenexperiencing this winter I see no reason to doubt that the climate is changing.

2018 in Canada (as well asmany other parts of the world) began with extreme weather. It is all documentedin the following report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)which states the following about Canadian weather:

In acold snap which started late December, more than 70 low temperature dailyrecords set for long-term stations in Canada with records dating back to 1870sin some cases. The North Pole was 20°C warmer than some southernCanadian Prairie cities. In some locations in southern and central Canada, windchill values dipped between -45°C  and -50°C, freezing exposed flesh in aminute.

When Ifirst started hearing about climate change it was referred to as “global warming”.My thinking at the time was, great,Canada could be a few degrees warmer. Obviously I didn’t understand what Iwas hearing or the implications. I blame myself partially for that. I am not ascientist, I have Bachelor of Arts degree, and I worked in IT. I expected themedia and my elected officials to have my best interests—and those of everyoneelse they served—in mind when they made decisions. I was naïve, in hindsightthere is no doubt about that, but I truly expected that businessmen would notdestroy our planet's ability to sustain life, that politicians would do what was right for the peoplethey represent, and that the media cared about truth more than profits. Thatdid not happen, so I set out to learn the truth myself.

What is happening to the climate?

Itdoesn’t take much searching to identify that greenhouse gases (GHG) areresponsible for what is happening. The GHGs carbon dioxide (CO2),methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (H2O) are the mainplayers but other short lived pollutants play a part also with black carbon, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) chiefamong them. Theyare part of the air we breathe, but the proportions in the atmosphere areincreasing. NOAA NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION, State of the Climatein 2016 report makes this clear.

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201601

Thisreport is in its 27th year of publication and is contributed to by 468authors from 64 countries; and 16 editors on 3 continents.

How GHGseffect the earth is shown in the following diagram:

The keyfactors are absorption and reflection. More GHGs in the atmosphere means moreheat is radiated back to the earth Science refers to this as “radiation forcing”or “climate forcing” It is defined as “the difference between the sunlightabsorbed by the earth and the energy reflected back to space.”.Because climate change is a direct result of accumulated GHGs in theatmosphere, radiative forcing is seen as the best single metric for assessingglobal climate change. “Since 1990, the radiative heat forcing of the threeGHGs combined has increased by 40%” [4]

I wouldthink that even if no one was telling me about it I would have noticed a 40%heat increase in the last 28 years, but it turns out that about 90% of thatheat increase is stored in the oceans and the ‘ocean thermal lag’ as it iscalled, delays the heating of the surface air, sea, and land. We may not befeeling the heat yet, but it is locked in for the future. The world we leaveour children is going to be hotter than the one we are familiar with. How muchhotter is the question a lot of people are trying to answer accurately.

In 2014the IPCC Assessment estimated that ocean heat lag had committed us to 0.6° C (1.08°F),but not until well after 2100. (It is important to remember that input to theIPCC is from all policy makers of all governments plus leading scientists fromall world regions. Policy makers on the panel review every line of the reportand must agree on the final text before the report is published. Estimates areconservative at best.) Since the report in 2014 further research now suggeststhat we will reach a 1.5°C (2.7°F) increase within the next 10 years. If fact “the voluntary national emission reductioncommitments since Paris now put the world on a path of 3.4°C ofwarming by 2100 , and more than 5°C if high-end risks including carbon-cyclefeedbacks are taken into account.”[5]

There are4 global warming scenarios that scientists work with as shown in the followingchart. There meanings are explained in the chart.

As itsays, the best-case scenario requires the immediate decline of global emissionsin order to stay below the target set in the UN Paris Agreement. We are pastthe point where reducing emissions will guarantee our children’s future. Theonly choice left is to actually reduce the GHGs that are in the environment.

Theeffects of global warming that we are now seeing were not expected to happenthis quickly, and are having repercussions that no one saw coming. Arctic,Antarctic and Greenland glaciers and ice are melting faster causing sea levelsto rise and opening up parts of the oceans that were normally ice covered whichallows the water to absorb more heat. Ocean heat is causing the currents tochange which in turn causes the jet stream to become erratic. Arctic permafrostis melting and releasing more GHG’s into the atmosphere.

Is it too late?

The consensus among scientists is thatconcerted war-time efforts (similar to the nationwide effort undertaken duringWWII) may be able to limit global warming to 2○ Celsius if the worldstops all carbon emissions now. Unfortunately many of the major westerncountries like the USA are ignoring the warning and insist on pursuing businessas it was in the boom years of the early 20th century. Worse still,some countries like Canada say they are committed to the effort, but continueto invest in oil and gas exploration and technology like pipelines.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/03/06/analysis/theres-some-good-news-about-canadas-2020-climate-target

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/05/29/canada-to-buy-trans-mountain_a_23445896/

Worse yet, some politicians in Canadianprovinces—provinces are the equivalent of states in the US—are following thetrend occurring in the US recently and dismantling efforts that are underway.Doug Ford, leader of the newly elected Conservative provincial government inthe province of Ontario, has stopped the Cap and Trade system in Ontario.

https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/doug-ford-ends-cap-and-trade-in-ontario

Efforts and legal challenges areunderway to stop these actions, but is it enough to counteract the money andeffort made by the large oil and gas industry since the 1980s to discredit thescience? I do not believe it is.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05062017/exxon-climate-change-fraud-investigation-eric-schneiderman-rex-tillerson-exxonmobil

Despite winning some of the legalbattles recently, my belief the human race will destroy the ability of thisplanet to sustain us has not changed. By all means, do not give up the fight,but don’t put the survival of the race in the hands of those currently ignoringthe conditions or even the population in general. We are not going to changeour lifestyles in the ways being proposed. We are not going to give up eatingmeat, or cattle ranching, or dairy farming, or using plastic, or heating withgas/wood/oil. The planet will survive, but the environment will be toxic tohumans and most current life.

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-05-09/humans-didnt-exist-the-last-time-there-was-this-much-co2-in-the-air/

“Scientists estimatewe're now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate, withliterally dozens going extinct every day [1]. Itcould be a scary future indeed, with as many as 30 to 50 percent of all speciespossibly heading toward extinction by mid-century”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-is-becoming-a-top-threat-to-biodiversity/Whatcan be done?

Some people are sending their hope intospace. Colonies on the Moon and Mars have been suggested. Getting off ourplanet may be a viable option for 98.5 percent of the people. Doyou think you or your children will be included in those who colonize other worlds?I won’t be one of them. I am too old. My children, now between thirty and fortyyears old are not in professions that will be useful, so they will see theeffects of climate change in their lifetimes, but will have no escape option,unless we start to build off-world type colonies (new towns) on earth, startingnow.

The concept of large scale spacecolonies has been around for many years. I believe they were first proposed by Freeman John DysonFRS (born 15 December 1923) an English-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician. Themost famous is probably the O’Neill Cylinder, designedby Princeton physicist Gerard K. O’Neill. This design, is referred to as“Island 3” or 3rd- generation space colony. Consists of a pair of cylinders,each 20 miles long and 4 miles in diameter, the total land area inside thecylinders is about 500 square miles and can house several million people.

Building new enclosed cities using‘space colony’ technology and concepts, but locating them here on earth insteadof off-world is one way of ensuring that human’s survive the GreatAcceleration.

When I think of this type of city Iimagine a large enclosed (domed?) space where the structure itself generatespower through solar, wind and geothermal means and collects water from rainfalland wells. All consumables are grown and produced by the city’s population. Insimple terms the city is self-contained and self-managed. The concept followsthe current thinking of community based resources, but the idea is for a citywide community where resources are designed and built into the structure.

Building these ‘colonies’ on earthinstead of in space would be less expensive. Research at Cornell University isnow estimating that two billion people will be displaced by raising sea levels.We will need to build housing and structure for them, and I would like to seesustainable energy conscious structures instead of refugee camps.

 “By 2060, about 1.4 billion people could beclimate change refugees, according to the paper. Geisler extrapolated thatnumber to 2 billion by 2100.” 

http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/06/rising-seas-could-result-2-billion-refugees-2100

2060 is only forty-two (42) years away.I won’t see it, but my children will allowing they can still breathe the airaround them, find enough food to eat and clean water to drink. Where do peoplego when food, water and breathable air are not available?

https://public.wmo.int/en/media/news/start-of-2018-marked-extreme-weather

Blunden,J. and D. S. Arndt, Eds., 2017: State of the Climate in 2016. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 98 (8), Si–S277,doi:10.1175/2017BAMSStateoftheClimate.1.

Page 226, UnprecedentedCrime-Climate Denial and Game Changers for Survival, Dr. Peter D. Carter &Elizabeth Woodworth, 2018.

Page 226,Unprecedented Crime-Climate Denial and Game Changers for Survival, Dr. Peter D.Carter & Elizabeth Woodworth, 2018

http://www.resilience.org/stories/201...

This figure is notcompletely arbitrary. It represents the 1% who control/possess most of thewealth plus a small percent of drudges they will need if artificialintelligence does not work out the way they hope for.

The Great Accelerationrefers to the most recent period of the Anthropoceneduring which the rate of impact of human activity upon the Earth's geology andecosystems is increasing significantly. While the Anthropocene commenced with Industrial Revolution if not long before, the Great Acceleration begins in the20th century with the acceleration rate dramatically increasing after the Second World War.[1]This concept has been further extended to refer to the rate of change intechnology and society as a whole

Saving the human race

I see no point in debating whether the human race should be saved or not. The purpose of this post is simply to offer an alternative to self-destruction because our destruction is well under way and I have lost all hope.
April 14th, 2018West Guilford, OntarioCanada
The weather forecast for today is: “Significant snow with ice pellets expected into tonight. Freezing rain beginning Sunday.” For tomorrow the forecast reads, “Sunday morning another round of ice pellets will move into the region quickly changing to freezing rain later in the morning. The freezing rain will change over to rain Sunday evening. Significant ice buildup is possible on Sunday. Power outages are possible given the significant ice buildup combined with strong and gusty winds.” We sometimes have an April snowstorm, that is not unusual, but normally it last one or two days and then it is gone. This “April storm” has been going on for two weeks now. When I consider the other abnormal weather the world has been experiencing this winter I see no reason to doubt that the climate is changing.
2018 in Canada (as well as many other parts of the world) began with extreme weather. It is all documented in the following report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)What is happening to the climate?It doesn’t take much searching to identify that greenhouse gases (GHG) are responsible for what is happening. The GHGs carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (H2O) are the main players but other short lived pollutants play a part also with black carbon, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) chief among them. They are part of the air we breathe, but the proportions in the atmosphere are increasing. NOAA NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION, State of the Climate in 2016 report https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201601
This report is in its 27th year of publication and is contributed to by 468 authors from 64 countries; and 16 editors on 3 continents.
How GHGs effect the earth is shown in the following diagram:


The key factors are absorption and reflection. More GHGs in the atmosphere means more heat is radiated back to the earth Science refers to this as “radiation forcing” or “climate forcing” It is defined as “the difference between the sunlight absorbed by the earth and the energy reflected back to space.”

I would think that even if no one was telling me about it I would have noticed a 40% heat increase in the last 28 years, but it turns out that about 90% of that heat increase is stored in the oceans and the ‘ocean thermal lag’ as it is called, delays the heating of the surface air, sea, and land. We may not be feeling the heat yet, but it is locked in for the future. The world we leave our children is going to be hotter than the one we are familiar with. How much hotter is the question a lot of people are trying to answer accurately.
In 2014 the IPCC Assessment estimated that ocean heat lag had committed us to 0.6° C (1.08°F), but not until well after 2100. (It is important to remember that input to the IPCC is from all policy makers of all governments plus leading scientists from all world regions. Policy makers on the panel review every line of the report and must agree on the final text before the report is published. Estimates are conservative at best.) Since the report in 2014 further research now suggests that we will reach a 1.5°C (2.7°F) increase within the next 10 years. If fact “the voluntary national emission reduction commitments since Paris now put the world on a path of 3.4°C of warming by 2100 , and more than 5°C if high-end risks including carbon-cycle feedbacks are taken into account.”[5]
There are 4 global warming scenarios that scientists work with as shown in the following chart. There meanings are explained in the chart.

As it says, the best-case scenario requires the immediate decline of global emissions in order to stay below the target set in the UN Paris Agreement. We are past the point where reducing emissions will guarantee our children’s future. The only choice left is to actually reduce the GHGs that are in the environment.
The effects of global warming that we are now seeing were not expected to happen this quickly, and are having repercussions that no one saw coming. Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland glaciers and ice are melting faster causing sea levels to rise and opening up parts of the oceans that were normally ice covered which allows the water to absorb more heat. Ocean heat is causing the currents to change which in turn causes the jet stream to become erratic. Arctic permafrost is melting and releasing more GHG’s into the atmosphere. Is it too late?The consensus among scientists is that concerted war-time efforts (similar to the nationwide effort undertaken during WWII) may be able to limit global warming to 2○ Celsius if the world stops all carbon emissions now. Unfortunately many of the major western countries like the USA are ignoring the warning and insist on pursuing business as it was in the boom years of the early 20th century. Worse still, some countries like Canada say they are committed to the effort, but continue to invest in oil and gas exploration and technology like pipelines.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/03/06/analysis/theres-some-good-news-about-canadas-2020-climate-targethttps://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/05/29/canada-to-buy-trans-mountain_a_23445896/
Worse yet, some politicians in Canadian provinces—provinces are the equivalent of states in the US—are following the trend occurring in the US recently and dismantling efforts that are underway. Doug Ford, leader of the newly elected Conservative provincial government in the province of Ontario, has stopped the Cap and Trade system in Ontario.
https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/doug-ford-ends-cap-and-trade-in-ontario
Efforts and legal challenges are underway to stop these actions, but is it enough to counteract the money and effort made by the large oil and gas industry since the 1980s to discredit the science? I do not believe it is.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05062017/exxon-climate-change-fraud-investigation-eric-schneiderman-rex-tillerson-exxonmobil
Despite winning some of the legal battles recently, my belief the human race will destroy the ability of this planet to sustain us has not changed. By all means, do not give up the fight, but don’t put the survival of the race in the hands of those currently ignoring the conditions or even the population in general. We are not going to change our lifestyles in the ways being proposed. We are not going to give up eating meat, or cattle ranching, or dairy farming, or using plastic, or heating with gas/wood/oil. The planet will survive, but the environment will be toxic to humans and most current life.
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-05-09/humans-didnt-exist-the-last-time-there-was-this-much-co2-in-the-air/
“Scientists estimate we're now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate, with literally dozens going extinct every day [1]. It could be a scary future indeed, with as many as 30 to 50 percent of all species possibly heading toward extinction by mid-century”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-is-becoming-a-top-threat-to-biodiversity/What can be done?
Some people are sending their hope into space. Colonies on the Moon and Mars have been suggested. Getting off our planet may be a viable option for 98.5 percent of the people.The concept of large scale space colonies has been around for many years. I believe they were first proposed by Freeman John DysonFRS (born 15 December 1923) an English-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician. The most famous is probably the O’Neill Cylinder, designed by Princeton physicist Gerard K. O’Neill. This design, is referred to as “Island 3” or 3rd- generation space colony. Consists of a pair of cylinders, each 20 miles long and 4 miles in diameter, the total land area inside the cylinders is about 500 square miles and can house several million people.



Building new enclosed cities using ‘space colony’ technology and concepts, but locating them here on earth instead of off-world is one way of ensuring that human’s survive the Great Acceleration. Building these ‘colonies’ on earth instead of in space would be less expensive. Research at Cornell University is now estimating that two billion people will be displaced by raising sea levels. We will need to build housing and structure for them, and I would like to see sustainable energy conscious structures instead of refugee camps.
 “By 2060, about 1.4 billion people could be climate change refugees, according to the paper. Geisler extrapolated that number to 2 billion by 2100.” http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/06/rising-seas-could-result-2-billion-refugees-21002060 is only forty-two (42) years away. I won’t see it, but my children will allowing they can still breathe the air around them, find enough food to eat and clean water to drink. Where do people go when food, water and breathable air are not available?

Regret

Regret
It was the end of April and the first warm day of the year. Everyone was talking about the weather. A complete stranger plopped down beside me on the subway. “What a day,” he said, and I agreed. “Too nice to be working,” we both smiled. He was right, so I stopped at the park to appreciate the sunshine before returning home. Strange how little decisions can affect your life. If it wasn’t for that stranger.People were finishing off their lunch break when I arrived at the park, so I walked a bit before I found a bench in the sunshine. I watched the walkers and the riders flow by, appreciating the pageantry. People smiled when their eyes met. It was that kind of day; still I was surprised when someone stopped in front of me and blocked the sunshine. She was backlit, her face was in shadow but I could make out an expensive dress under an open suede coat and sensible sneakers.“Small world, Mike,” she said. The voice sounded familiar, and my heart fluttered in my chest. I tried to see her, but she moved sideways and the sunshine blinded me. When my eyes cleared, she was beside me.“Jessy,” I said while looking  around. “Is Danny with you?” I was half expecting Danny to pop up behind the bench and mess my hair, just like the good old days.“Danny is at home. I’m here alone. How are you doing, Mike? It’s been ages since we saw you.”“I know, twenty years at least, but Jessy you look just the same.”That smile I remembered so fondly blazed across her face. Jessy always liked to be complimented. That much hadn’t changed although I could see she had been marked by life. There were some lines around the eyes and at the corners of her mouth. Her hair was still that sun bleached blond, I and everyone else I suppose, was attracted to. She still looked damn good despite the passage of time. She took my hand in hers and looked me right in the eyes.“I was so sorry to hear about Jane. She was special. Nancy told me all about her. How are you coping?”“It was tough at first, but after two years I can cope. Sometimes I can go a week without thinking about it.” The last year of my wife’s life had been misery for both of us. The cancer came back with a vengeance and she withered away and there was nothing I could do to help. I didn’t want to think about that time.“How long are you here for?” I asked.“The conference starts tomorrow and runs until Friday. My flight home leaves Friday afternoon. We should do dinner.”“I would like that, but I’m leaving tomorrow on business myself. Does tonight work for you?”“It works for me. Why don’t we get a drink at my hotel?” She pointed towards buildings I could see above the trees. “It’s close and I’ll want to get cleaned up before dinner.”“I like that idea. I was just thinking how a cold glass of Riesling would complement this weather.”We stood. She linked an arm with mine and we strolled towards the street. People walking the other way smiled when they saw us. It could have been the weather making everyone happy. I thought it was us. I had always thought Jessy was special, ever since the first time I saw her. Danny had introduced us at the beginning of grade five. She was new to the school. I had been sick for the first three days of school and by the time I arrived Danny had her all wrapped up. I would never have interfered with their relationship. Danny was my closest friend. We met the first day of school and before Jessy entered the picture we had already taken a blood-brother oath. Jessy was with Danny. I never let on how I felt about her, but my friendship with Danny didn’t stop me from dreaming.Jessy told me about family. Danny’s parents were dead, but hers were still going strong. Their twins were both in college. Both wanted to be engineers like their parents. One was at Carnegie Mellon taking biomedical engineering and the other was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She said the name with reverence and I remembered she gone there.“Like her mother.”She smiled. “You remembered. Let’s make this stop light.” She took my hand and we hustled ourselves across the street. She kept my hand in hers as we walked up the sidewalk. I didn’t mind, although I hoped my hand wouldn’t start sweating. Pedestrian traffic was heavy so we didn’t speak again until we were seated at a booth in the hotel bar. I spent the time remembering. For the rest of elementary school and all of high school I waited for Danny and Jessy to break up. I dreamed up ways of helping it along and of comforting her after it happened, but they were just lust dreams. I never broke the blood bond Danny and I shared despite how intoxicating being close to Jessy was. I wept the day I left for college. They both hugged me and I felt like I was being torn apart. I never was sure if the crying was from pain or relief. Jessy said something to me, but the bar was too noisy to hear.“What,” I called back.She started to say something, but a boisterous commotion at the next table made her stop. She stood, came to my side of the booth and slid across the leather seat until our shoulders touched.“Noisy place,” she said. “I was remembering that really hot summer when we climbed into the Dugan’s back yard and swam in their pool. We looked so funny going home because our wet underwear was soaking through our clothes.  Some guy made a comment about me and you hit him.”“I remember,” I said. “My hand ached for a week.”“I called you my ‘knight protector’ after that.”“For a little while.”“Right. You didn’t like it, so I stopped. Then we all went off to college. I think that was the last time we saw you. Do you remember the day you left?”“Vaguely,” I lied.“I remember it. I have always remembered that last hug, the three of us all together and you holding us for so long. Danny commented on it. I never understood what happened after that. I always thought we would be close friends for ever, but you didn’t even attend our wedding.”“I was in the Marines then, and couldn’t get a pass.”“We gave everyone plenty of notice about the wedding. I sent invitations out six months before. You could have attended our wedding and then enlisted after instead of a month before.”“I had made up my mind. It was time to do it.”“You not coming to the wedding hurt him. He has never forgiven you.”“I’m sorry,” and I was. “The last thing I ever wanted to do was cause Danny or you pain.”There was another outburst from a crowded table. Jenny scowled at the men involved. “It’s too noisy here. I have a bottle of Grey Goose in my room. You can have a drink while I clean up and then we can find a quiet place for dinner—away from the convention crowd.We didn’t talk in the elevator. I was remembering that last hug and why I didn’t go to their wedding. I would sooner have died in Afghanistan than hurt Danny, and back in those days I couldn’t trust myself around Jenny anymore. That last hug had almost undone my resolve.Jenny led us to her room and let us in. “Get comfortable and pour me a drink as well. I won’t be long,” she said before she disappeared into the bathroom.There was a slight tremor in my hand as I poured the drinks. I took a deep breath and told myself to relax. You have known Jenny for over thirty years. You loved your wife and the life you made together. Even if you have stayed away from Danny for twenty years, he is still a blood brother.I was staring out the window when I heard Jenny exit the bathroom. She came and stood beside me, wrapped in a hotel bath robe. Her hair was wet and hanging down her back. She looked scrubbed and vibrant, pulsing with life.“You were in love with me back then, weren’t you?” she asked. I didn’t answer. She stepped closer and lifted a hand to the back of my neck. “You still are.” I stepped back. She stepped forward.Either way I’m going to regret this, I thought.The End© Dave Skinner 2018