The totally off-topic thread

[blackcat20]

Recovering at home today after some minor surgery yesterday...looking forward to being allowed to drink wine tonight.

 

[penegal]

I agree to an extent, but I would list three groups.

Genuine environmental conservationists, the preservationist lobby, and a third group - a left of centre political group loosely aligned to the environment.

Whilst some members of the Australian Greens are quite heavily in the preservation "as is" camp, a lot of them seem far more focused on politics, rather than any kind of meaningful environmental activity or policy whatsoever.

 

[drron]

I would find the ignorance amusing if it wasn't depriving me of glaciers to hike on and coral reefs to dive on.

You are obviously not looking in the right places then as I have done both this decade.
In fact in early 2011 we were able to land on the Antarctic coast in Commonweath Bay directly from our zodiacs from the cruise ship.This January the team who went down to work on Mawson's Hut had to have a French icebreaker get them off at the same time of year as our visit in 2011.here is a picture from that Expedition-

.

When we were there the view would have been open water not sea ice.
Pushka,the glaciers I walked on were surrounded by ice and snow so not a major concern environmentaly.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Glaciers are in retreat across the globe.
I saw plaques showing the 30 metre drop in the last 15 years at Montenver, near Chamonix, in December.
But it's hardly an isolated example.
And the ocean is unquestionably becoming more acidic and that cannot be due to solar activity or natural thermal cycles.
It's ridiculous that this discussion even continues as if there is any doubt.

 

[JohnK]

Oh my goodness. First wine, then coffee and now back to global warming.

Golf is a lot more fun. Even if you drink a wine or coffee afterwards.

 

[Pushka]

There used to be glaciers at Hallett Cove Sth Aust in the Permian era. Heck, before mankind dared walk on the planet. Damn Gondwanaland and pesky continental drift.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

RACV - Australia Best Cars 2015/16

 

[vetrade]

I would find the ignorance amusing if it wasn't depriving me of glaciers to hike on and coral reefs to dive on.

Contrary to popular belief in some quarters coral grows/regenerates quicker in warmer water. There have been a number of studies confirming this over the last decade which prove that coral reefs don't get killed off by warmer sea water at all, as many climate scientists falsely claim. Here's one quote below - there was another one published last year (which I can't find just now) done on coral off the coast of WA which showed how beneficial warmer water is for coral (if it is, in fact, warming).

How Coral Reefs Grow | Coral Reef Alliance
"Coral reefs grow best in warm water (70–85° F or 21–29° C). Corals prefer clear and shallow water, where lots of sunlight filters through to their symbiotic algae. It is possible to find corals at depths of up to 300 feet (91 meters), but reef-building corals grow poorly below 60–90 feet (18–27 meters). Corals need salt water to survive, so they grow poorly near river openings or coastal areas with excessive runoff."

Everybody loves to quote Prof Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the UQ Centre for Marine Science as the guru on coral reefs but his catastrophic predictions have been wrong so many times he should stop pretending he understands what is occurring. Certainly people should stop listening to him.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Contrary to popular belief in some quarters coral grows/regenerates quicker in warmer water. There have been a number of studies confirming this over the last decade which prove that coral reefs don't get killed off by warmer sea water at all, as many climate scientists falsely claim. Here's one quote below - there was another one published last year (which I can't find just now) done on coral off the coast of WA which showed how beneficial warmer water is for coral (if it is, in fact, warming).

How Coral Reefs Grow | Coral Reef Alliance
"Coral reefs grow best in warm water (70–85° F or 21–29° C). Corals prefer clear and shallow water, where lots of sunlight filters through to their symbiotic algae. It is possible to find corals at depths of up to 300 feet (91 meters), but reef-building corals grow poorly below 60–90 feet (18–27 meters). Corals need salt water to survive, so they grow poorly near river openings or coastal areas with excessive runoff."

Everybody loves to quote Prof Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the UQ Centre for Marine Science as the guru on coral reefs but his catastrophic predictions have been wrong so many times he should stop pretending he understands what is occurring. Certainly people should stop listening to him.

I made no reference to warmer water.
I referred to ocean acidification.
The natural pH of sea water is very high - around 8.2.
By 2020 it is expected to drop to a level at which hard corals cannot create new skeletons.
By 2050 it is expected to drop to a level at which the existing hard coral skeletons will start to dissolve.
This isn't a question of coral genetics, it's a question of chemistry.

 

[Cossie]

RACV - Australia Best Cars 2015/16

Got an email yesterday stating my new car was currently under construction at Saarlouis in Germany, can't wait!

It isn't on your RACV list, but a close model is, the RS however, will run rings around the ST.

 

[vetrade]

I made no reference to warmer water.
I referred to ocean acidification.
The natural pH of sea water is very high - around 8.2.
By 2020 it is expected to drop to a level at which hard corals cannot create new skeletons.
By 2050 it is expected to drop to a level at which the existing hard coral skeletons will start to dissolve.
This isn't a question of coral genetics, it's a question of chemistry.

Nah, it's really a question of sticking to the facts. Bleached coral on the Great Barrier Reef that we were told could never recover because of acidification has been recovering steadily. Significantly, nature is doing quite a good job of repairing the damage which is primarily caused by star fish and storms.

Oceans not acidifying – “scientists†hid 80 years of pH data « JoNova

The alleged fraud was uncovered by Mike Wallace, a hydrologist with nearly 30 years’ experience now working towards his PhD at the University of New Mexico. While studying a chart produced by Feely and Sabine, apparently showing a strong correlation between rising atmospheric CO2 levels and falling oceanic pH levels, Wallace noticed that some key information had been omitted.
Mysteriously, the chart only began in 1988. But Wallace knew for a fact that there were oceanic pH measurements dating back to at least 100 years earlier and was puzzled that this solid data had been ignored, in favour of computer modelled projections.

 

[OATEK]

Got an email yesterday stating my new car was currently under construction at Saarlouis in Germany, can't wait!

It isn't on your RACV list, but a close model is, the RS however, will run rings around the ST.

I am very content with my car; the i30 best small car under $35K.

 

[GarrettM]

I am very content with my car; the i30 best small car under $35K.

I tried to convince MrsGM to get an i30 when we were upgrading her ride prior to BabyGM's arrival. I thought the hatchback was pretty neat. She went with the Elantra instead cause she thought the boot was a better idea. Same car more or less, but also, not the same.
It's funny to hear some people still think of Hyundai as unproven when it comes to car manufacturing. But they've managed to get serious penetration in the small car market with successive generations of vehicles. The Excel, then the Getz, then the i30. Affordable, reliable, perfect for city life, and cheap enough to run.
And then they branched out into SUVs with some good success too! Plus they brought their sister company along. Again Kia is probably looked down on by a lot of people. But their success speaks for itself.
If only they would try their hands at the dual cab ute market.

 

[clazman]

Hyundai have certainly come a long way since there first introduction, unfortunately I still see them as a disposable car

 

[whatmeworry]

Hyundai have certainly come a long way since there first introduction, unfortunately I still see them as a disposable car

Brother and friend both about a decade ago got Hyundai Excel's. Nearly impossible to sell now at $400. Morons still wanted a discount. Also don't get a manual if your buying a cheap small car. Makes it harder to sell later.

 

[GarrettM]

Brother and friend both about a decade ago got Hyundai Excel's. Nearly impossible to sell now at $400. Morons still wanted a discount. Also don't get a manual if your buying a cheap small car. Makes it harder to sell later.

No one wants to do any more work than they absolutely have too these days. Lazy sods.

 

[Flashback]

And it looks like the end of Dick Smith is nigh: Dick Smith closes doors: 2,500 jobs gone - Hardware - News - CRN Australia

 

[Hvr]

Brother and friend both about a decade ago got Hyundai Excel's. Nearly impossible to sell now at $400. Morons still wanted a discount. Also don't get a manual if your buying a cheap small car. Makes it harder to sell later.

My 13 year old Mirage is now virtually worthless for insurance purposes but with less than 140,000 km and regular maintenance it is totally suitable for my needs. And yes it's a manual. Reckon there's a few more years in it yet.

Of course I do have 3rd party property insurance so if I hit you, you're covered.

 

[Hvr]

And it looks like the end of Dick Smith is nigh: Dick Smith closes doors: 2,500 jobs gone - Hardware - News - CRN Australia

The resistors failed and they pulled the plug.

 

[whatmeworry]

And it looks like the end of Dick Smith is nigh: Dick Smith closes doors: 2,500 jobs gone - Hardware - News - CRN Australia

I think we might get a senate enquiry over this.