The Political Discussion Thread

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

So.. you "just know"?

Poor Scientific Method

Not all of the ice is floating in water.

There is land under Siberia, Alaska, Greenland and northern Canada.

Also Antarctica.

Do you know what happens when you dump that much fresh water into saltwater?

[garhkal]

Washington State has filed an anti-transgender bill.

That's Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Washington. And it's only January 11.

So will the NBA/NCAA do to all these states what they did to North carolina??

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

*looks into crystal ball*

I want to say anti-discrimination laws will shut these bills down. But the attacks on the Ethics committee, and Republican control of Congress and the Senate make it unclear.

I'm sure you fully support discriminating against a subset of the population. It's not like they deserve basic human rights, right?

Being so much less worthy of existing than straight/cis people.

[SoulReaver]

Do you know what happens when you dump that much fresh water into saltwater?

the saltwater becomes less salty

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

the saltwater becomes less salty

*gives SoulReaver a gold star sticker*

What effect does the reduced salinity have on buoyancy? Or ocean currents?

Remember this is basic Science for 8 year olds and Ian-S.

Although I remember learning about the differences between salt and fresh water, buoyancy, and water density when I was 5.. so..

[SoulReaver]

*gives SoulReaver a gold star sticker*

don't know about the difference in volumetric mass density between fresh & salty water but even if it's negligible the main problem is there's enough ice on dry land which once melted & added to the seas would produce an anything-but-negligible rise in sea levels

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

You don't want another gold star sticker?

FH likes shiny things..

Someone else will have to explain the science to the wilfully ignorant (and they know who they are).

I really can't be bothered with them any more.

[SoulReaver]

why educate themselves in science when Exxon & Fox News do the scientific thinking for them?

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

Because if they were capable of understanding even a little bit of it they would understand how bad things are about to get.

But they want to live in ignorance. So, who am I to try to change their minds?

[SoulReaver]

So, who am I to try to change their minds?

a Communist™

[jelgate]

*gives SoulReaver a gold star sticker*

What effect does the reduced salinity have on buoyancy? Or ocean currents?

Remember this is basic Science for 8 year olds and Ian-S.

Although I remember learning about the differences between salt and fresh water, buoyancy, and water density when I was 5.. so..

I learned to not eat the grass when I was 5

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

I was correcting the other students' spelling

And telling the substitute teacher all about the Dodo. I read a book about them I kept it under my pillow, with all my favourite books.

[Ian-S]

So.. you "just know"?

Poor Scientific Method

Not all of the ice is floating in water.

There is land under Siberia, Alaska, Greenland and northern Canada.

Also Antarctica.

Do you know what happens when you dump that much fresh water into saltwater?

Larsen C isn't on any land mass, well not according to the article I read. Yes the ice on the land mass is another issue and when / if that melts it will effect sea levels, I am not and have never disputed that. The argument you are making is it doesn't matter what I think or know, a scientist has said the Larsen C iceberg will rise sea levels by 10cm and I must accept that without question because I am not qualified.

Well those same scientists were saying diesel engines were safer than petrol ones 30 years ago and we all know how that has worked out.

As for "just knowing", I've already given you the method to prove that particular science (that ice already floating in water doesn't affect the level once its melted) to yourself, it is not a difficult method to follow, if an 8 year old can grasp the concept I'm sure most people can.

Its not a poor scientific method, its the very core of scientific research, they call it peer review, someone discovers something and to confirm their findings shares the method with others so that they can confirm the findings, of course if you'd rather believe that ice floating in water will increase the water level when it melts because some nameless expert is quoted as saying it will in a newspaper then go ahead.

As for temperature, sure the immediate area water temperature might be affected (but it is pretty cold anyway, so maybe a not), but not water 6000 miles away, why do I think this? Because I'm applying common sense to the question to come up with a reasonably plausible answer, if I light a match it'll effect the air temperature immediately around it, but it won't make a difference to the air temperature five foot away, you may call it poor science, I call it common sense.

I'm also pretty sure millions, perhaps billions of gallons of fresh water are introduced to sea water every day, they're called estuary's, and it's been happening for millions of years without killing us and will probably continue for millions more years without any major effect.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

RIP Scientific Method

Here lies my beloved Science, my autumn flower. Somewhat less attractive now it's all corpsified and gross.

[Ian-S]

A therein lies the problem with all the climate change lot, whenever their science is questioned or dismissed they change the subject or resort to ridicule.

Here's a radical idea, instead of worrying about an iceberg who's future is way outside of our control, why don't we fix something we can do something about and get rid of diesel engines and stop chopping trees down to build yet more luxary offices nobody will occupy?

Perhaps if we fixed the easy and obvious things, the icebergs will fix themselves?