The Off Topic Topic

[Valmy]

And allegedly America's role in it is also pretty nasty:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/books/review/the-blood-telegram-by-gary-j-bass.html?_r=0

Of course it was.  Had to back our buddies in Pakistan.

[garbon]

So yeah, carbon footprint, for sure; but I don't think if that store shut down the carbon output of transportation between Lisbon and Warsaw would drop one iota, since the same flights would happen in any case.

Presumably the flight wouldn't need as much fuel?

[Admiral Yi]

I thought our involvement in Pakistan's nastiness was limited to doing nothing.

Jacob: using your logic individuals should not be concerned about the environmental impact of their air travel either.

[Eddie Teach]

The fish, presumably, are a small part of the cargo of the planes they're on. Those planes could be passenger flights or they could be dedicated cargo planes, but in either case those planes are likely going to be flying whether or not someone is shipping fish from Lisbon to Warsaw.

So yeah, carbon footprint, for sure; but I don't think if that store shut down the carbon output of transportation between Lisbon and Warsaw would drop one iota, since the same flights would happen in any case.

Over time, I don't think we can assume that every parcel of fish is occupying space that would just be empty. If there's enough demand for Portuguese fish, it will ultimately increase the number of flights. Besides, even if there weren't more flights, the heavier plane uses more fuel.

[Jacob]

Jacob: using your logic individuals should not be concerned about the environmental impact of their air travel either.

Environmental impact is definitely a thing, for all kinds of actions. Personally, I think a successful strategy for dealing with carbon emissions is going to involve a combination of regulations (emission standards, surcharges, etc) and technological improvement. I am sceptical that that wrinkling our noses at fashionable bourgeois specialty imports is going to have much of an impact.

I am, however, pleased that both you and garbon are concerned with carbon emissions

[Admiral Yi]

I am sceptical that that wrinkling our noses at fashionable bourgeois specialty imports is going to have much of an impact.

No single act by itself "has much of an impact."  One CEO bopping around the globe on his private jet does not have much of an impact.  One person driving every day does not have much of an impact.  And obviously nose wrinkling has no impact whatsoever.

[Jacob]

I am sceptical that that wrinkling our noses at fashionable bourgeois specialty imports is going to have much of an impact.

No single act by itself "has much of an impact."  One CEO bopping around the globe on his private jet does not have much of an impact.  One person driving every day does not have much of an impact.  And obviously nose wrinkling has no impact whatsoever.

Something we agree on

[Ed Anger]

Time to get the Challenger out of the garage.

[mongers]

30 years ago today, the first domain was registered on 15 March, 1985.   

Fizzy bubbles at the ready: Dot-com celebrates 30th birthday
Symbolics registered first domain on 15 March, 1985
By Kelly Fiveash, 14 Mar 2015

In 1985 most commercial internet users were US government contractors, but all of that was set to slowly change after Symbolics became the first company to register a dot-com domain name.

Thirty years on, the total number of registered top-level domains (TLDs) surpassed 288 million at the end of 2014, according to the latest figures from VeriSign.

Back in the mid-80s, the globe was still four years away from the birth of the world wide web, when Tim Berners-Lee proposed the concept while working at CERN.

But that didn't stop Symbolics from registering the first dot-com domain name. In fact, just five domain names were registered in 1985.

.....

Full article here, including just how non-significant they thought it would be:
http://m.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/14/dot_com_turns_30/

[The Larch]

I'd be curious to know what kind of fishes get flown to Warsaw. Mart, next time they host that market take some pictures. 

[Ideologue]

I am sceptical that that wrinkling our noses at fashionable bourgeois specialty imports is going to have much of an impact.

No single act by itself "has much of an impact."  One CEO bopping around the globe on his private jet does not have much of an impact.  One person driving every day does not have much of an impact.  And obviously nose wrinkling has no impact whatsoever.

If enough people wrinkle their noses, the market for damaging activities will dry up and even those who will still wish to participate in that market will become ashamed.

[Ed Anger]

I'd be curious to know what kind of fishes get flown to Warsaw. Mart, next time they host that market take some pictures. 

Tilapia

[Ed Anger]

I've been thinking of using a service like NetJet. I just can't stand the cattle lines anymore at the airport.

[The Larch]

I'd be curious to know what kind of fishes get flown to Warsaw. Mart, next time they host that market take some pictures. 

Tilapia

Besides, tilapia would most probably be transported frozen in shipping containers. 

[Ed Anger]

I like horses