“Thus, we need to abandon the Kyoto process”
I’ve just spent 1.5h this day before Christmas Eve doing something I wholeheartedly recommend everyone else to do as well - reading Bjorn Lomborg’s book on climate change. Named “Cool It ” (and yes, while I am a quick reader it is quite short) it makes an excellent case explaining that even though humans indeed cause some of the climate change in the world our response to that should be to basically continue on the same path as we already are instead of throwing money on projects like Kyoto that actually might cause more harm than good. Select excerpts:
Book · Climatechange · English · Globalwarming
334 words
2 minutes
An availability cascade is a self-sustaining chain of events, which may start from media reports of a relatively minor event and lead up to public panic and large-scale government action. On some occasions, a media story about a risk catches the attention of a segment of the public, which becomes aroused and worried. This emotional reaction becomes a story in itself, prompting additional coverage in the media, which in turn produces greater concern and involvement. The cycle is sometimes sped along deliberately by “availability entrepreneurs,” individuals or organizations who work to ensure a continuous flow of worrying news. The danger is increasingly exaggerated as the media compete for attention-grabbing headlines. Scientists and others who try to dampen the increasing fear and revulsion attract little attention, most of it hostile: anyone who claims that the danger is overstated is suspected of association with a “heinous cover-up.” The issue becomes politically important because it is on everyone’s mind, and the response of of the political system is guided by the intensity of public sentiment. The availability cascade has now reset priorities. Other risks, and other ways that resources could be applied for the public good, all have faded into the background.
Book · Climatechange · Consciousness · English · Globalwarming · Science
294 words
2 minutes
[it’s teh book review] A few weeks ago I read an interesting book; I am a strange loop - by Douglas Hofstadter. He’s quite famous for earlier works, and this book is supposed to set the record straight regarding some things he felt didn’t came out right earlier. I don’t know - I haven’t read his previous material.
Book · Consciousness · English · Transhumanism
354 words
2 minutes
[it’s teh book review] I’ve just finished reading Don’t Believe Everything You Think: The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking - a book dealing with the common mistakes us humans often make when judging events in the world around us. Depending on how much you already know about those pitfalls the book might be anything from a yawn to a revelation.
Book · Consciousness · English · Funny · Transhumanism
189 words
1 minute
A pretty informal study made the global headlines a week back about how 40% of everything posted to Twitter amounts to just "pointless babble".
Book · Consciousness · Culture · English · Twitter
305 words
2 minutes