Mandarin Lessons

Laprin look askance at our Society

Dear Benjamin
You seem to have had a good year in sports. Well done. Verte play basketball Another evening he took me over fifty years! Not that I was good, but I had fun. Now I wonder what Laprin going to tell you this year. Remember, our goal is to clarify what is reality rather than the popular illusion about our wonderful company. We can not change what is happening, but you will be better to make wise decisions if they are aware of this reality. More for you, Laprin.

We have talked about the transportation problem and highlighted the trend towards minor, more fuel-efficient cars. I am sure that Benjamin, who is aware that this trend continues despite attempts by automakers to sell the virtues of his great new cars. However, it may not be aware of another important trend in transportation because it is stronger in Europe. For example, in Paris and a number of other cities, you can go to any of a large number of bicycle parks, insert a card and take a bike for the time you want then return it to another bike park. , Debit card when you return the bike. You will be charged if you have anything less than half an hour. Then will be charged according to the time you have it, including the total cost of the bike if it is returned. This bike rental system has only been in operation for one year or so, but has become very popular, for obvious reasons. Is being considered for Melbourne and Sydney.

I hope it is adopted here. Is not it, Benjamin? It would ease traffic congestion, save fuel, reduce pollution and give people more healthy exercise. I saw in the recent era there are plans to significantly increase the number of bicycle lanes in the area of Melbourne. That's good.

I hope not too many people are fooled by rising and downs of gas prices. The reality is that new oil field has not been found before birth, while fuel demand for cars continues increasing rapidly, partly because many Chinese can now buy their first cars. Most of the discussion by business people, politicians and media communication focus on the economics of supply and demand and ignore the reality that the limited supply of oil is increasingly scarce and difficult to extract, because easy since been burned.

It's really laughable, Benjamin, that the oil companies say they are ready for the extraction of oil from the large depths of the Gulf of Mexico. They would not be doing that, especially with the risks of hurricanes, if they could get elsewhere with less risk.

What So true, DA. Passenger planes are also in the news for his contribution to the emission of greenhouse gases. There are protests here and in England on plans to expand airports to meet growing airlines. It is really surprising that there is widespread concern about the supply of fuel for all these aircraft. Why do you think this is so, DA?

I have been in trouble, for years, Laprin, due to my work on turbine engines gas during its rapid development. The large turbofan airliners have been developed to work in a specific way about kerosene, which is refined from oil. As the supply of oil depletion, a new fuel will have to be tested after the engines have been modified to meet the different characteristics combustion. That takes a lot of work and time, however, there are few signs that it is doing now. However, the production of the new A380 Boeing Dreamliner and is aimed at meeting a growing demand for the coming decades. That can not happen. It is absolutely incomprehensible that people who are apparently well informed can be that bad. But it is also understandable that people like our Treasurer, Peter Costello, you can still boost economic growth when it is robbing generations future of natural resources that support our life support system.

So true, DA. There has been much discussion in the media in the past year climate change.

It has become the flavor of the year, is not it, Benjamin.

There are good reasons for that. The latest report IPCC basically confirmed that the projections of the models produced by thousands of climatologists for many years on how quickly the atmosphere warms. It is very fun to see the amount of celebrity fit to be skeptical about the results of people who have spent their careers learning about this complex issue.

Figure 1 – Radiation "Budget" of the incoming solar radiation

I thought you might find this interesting figure, Benjamin. I have a lot of information like this so that the concepts about how the burning of fossil fuels is warming the atmosphere. Now, back to what they were discussing. Many people believe that these skeptics because they have neither the time nor the inclination to study the issue. I have understood that Andrew Bolt is making comments in the Herald in which it attempts to debunk global warming. Hope, Benjamin, who knows how to consider the chatter of the stature of Bolt.

We know it must be very difficult so you can know which of contrary views to believe. It is often necessary to consider the question so you can decide what is most credible. In this case we have evidence that there are many other unusual weather events happening around the world at this time. The floods, heat waves and forest fires have affected Europe in recent weeks.

Sounds a bit like in Gippsland last year or so.

And the U.S. too. The Midwest is affected by weather very wild and flooding at the time while the southeastern and southwestern states are in the throws of drought as bad as parts of Australia and Africa.

And do not forget some parts of Africa, India, Bangladesh, Siberia and parts of South America.

The fires in Greece are awful, partly because authorities Greece does not have the experience to deal with them by the Australians and Californians have. This is a common problem in very unexpected natural disasters due to climate change emerging. There are so many unusual events that occur on the climate that is very believable that the climate is changing without having to rely on what experts say. Interestingly, Benjamin, that the flora and fauna are many demonstrating behavior that your environment is changing.

Yes, they have more knowledge of Bolt!

It is not only flora and fauna and human beings many who appreciate what is happening. Arctic sea ice tends to melt a bit in summer. Polar bears and seals take advantage that – or earlier. Melted much more in recent years due to global warming as there have been fewer ice floes for the bears to hunt seals. Observers have been horrified to find that many polar bears have drowned in search of food in isolated floes. While what is happening in the Arctic is quite surprising, the behavior of glaciers is probably more important, especially in Greenland and West Antarctica. Sea level has risen to a significant degree and the melting of these glaciers will cause it to rise considerably.

You will see many cities threatened by rising sea levels during his lifetime.

I'm afraid so, Benjamin. What happened to New Orleans was horrible, but there are many cities that are vulnerable to higher level Tues London authorities are considering what should be done to the Thames, including whether the barrier has to be lifted. Thames Estuary 2100 project has the responsibility to propose what to do. I have not heard of such planning for Melbourne. Did you, DA?

Laprin Yes, it is not surprising that many of the suburbs of the Bay and the coast are considered vulnerable. The government and the council are busy use of energy to desalinate water, deepening Bay of larger ships can bring more things and digging tunnels to race more cars! However, they have a program for that specialists are familiar with all its forces are generated by what may propose mitigation measures. But this is clearly a lower priority because the business promotion, as usual.

You are being sarcastic, DA. Have you no faith in the leaders?

Not

Well said, DA. And rightly too. After all, they're calling on people to cut back on energy use to reduce their carbon emissions. They give the impression that it will stop climate catastrophe. That is absolute rubbish. There's nothing Australians can do to slow climate change. Reducing global emissions dramatically, at best reduce climate change. But that requires large emitters, Americans and Chinese, their bit big and there are few indications that at the moment. The Australian do their bit not help.

Wait, Laprin. You seem to be telling Benjamin that there is nothing to gain by Australians to cut energy use.

I certainly do not want to do that! Anything that is encouraging people to make more efficient use of limited natural resources, including energy, is good but people has to be good reasons. The leaders are not doing that. They are actually insulting people expect Australians to believe they can influence climate change when is the big polluters like the United States and China that need to be trimmed. But other problems. I hope that many people are concerned about the problem of equine influenza having such a huge impact on races in Australia and other countries.

It would really be a shock if the Melbourne Cup could not continue on the first Tuesday November.

The point here, Benjamin, is that so much is made of the benefits of globalization. We cheap products from China, a large variety of foods from all international tours and is very popular one. That's the good side. It does mean, however, that this dispersion also applies to diseases and invasive species.

It is well known that damage has been caused by the introduction of rabbits in Australia. However, little has been learned from that lesson. Hope, Benjamin, you learn far more from their lessons.

It has been known for centuries that devastating pests may occur at any time for unknown reasons. So as you can catch a cold, nature can throw a plague. There was a 'flu epidemic in 1918 that killed more people than the war just ended. Despite this knowledge, we have come out of our way to make these natural pest easier to spread everywhere! It is doubtful, however, if the equine influenza avian flu "or other natural epidemics will make people desist from globalization – though not enough fuel for trucks, planes and boats! Little is can do to stop this devastation of the lush ecosystem. We can, however, help people make wiser decisions in difficult times that are emerging. Many Tasmania and major inland are having their say about the lack of wisdom in building Gunn a pulp mill at Bell Bay. They are saying the disadvantages outweigh the advantages presented by big business, Gunn's who takes care of the money they can win.
It will be interesting to see how much impact this people's power. Some thirty years ago, the Tasmanian government intends to dam the Franklin River to provide another hydroelectric scheme. The people rose and said that the devastation of our nature most for this purpose. His voice was so strong that ultimately the Hawke government intervened and said the Government of Tasmania You not going to dam the Franklin River. I hope we see more of this globally popular power now and in the future. I will comment more on this next year. Hopefully we seen some more progressive movements driven by the power of people with the help of Internet. Government and business should be aware of the fact that civilization is highly dependent on what is available in the ecosystem, Gaia. Have a good birthday, Benjamin.

Thanks, Laprin. You know where I am, Benjamin, if you have any questions. I would welcome a chat anytime. I have nearly finished my book on the subject called, "What went wrong? The bad direction civilization ". A recent project is in http://users.bigpond.net.au/jaymz/download/Gaia_and_Us-Denis_Frith-jun07.doc

All the best for your birthday.

Grandfather

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