The Off Topic Topic

[jimmy olsen]

How much thought should you put into a gift that will wind up in some warehouse?

If it's nice it'll end up in his presidential museum.

[jimmy olsen]

Yup, pretty much

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/climatologist-arctic-carbon-release-could-mean-%E2%80%9Cwere-fucked%E2%80%9D

[derspiess]

I like how South Korea just gave him some random electronics.

Dude, have you seen how expensive OEM stereo cables are in stores??

[Malthus]

Obama's gifts. That Maori club is awesome

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/04/every-gift-given-to-barack-obama-between-2009-and-2012-ranked/

What would be awesome would be Obama using that club on certain congresscritters. 

[derspiess]

Yup, pretty much

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/climatologist-arctic-carbon-release-could-mean-%E2%80%9Cwere-fucked%E2%80%9D

I'm still losing sleep over the ozone hole.

[alfred russel]

Does the president get to use the stuff?

[DGuller]

Yup, pretty much

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/climatologist-arctic-carbon-release-could-mean-%E2%80%9Cwere-fucked%E2%80%9D

I'm still losing sleep over the ozone hole.

[jimmy olsen]

Yup, pretty much

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/climatologist-arctic-carbon-release-could-mean-%E2%80%9Cwere-fucked%E2%80%9D

I'm still losing sleep over the ozone hole.

The ozone layer is healing because we banned the chemicals that were destroying it. Hardly the example someone who doesn't want us to do anything about climate change should be citing.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

How much thought should you put into a gift that will wind up in some warehouse?

If it's nice it'll end up in his presidential museum.

Or in a national museum.  There is a distinction between personal gifts to the President and gifts to the United States through the President.

[derspiess]

Yup, pretty much

http://www.iflscience.com/environment/climatologist-arctic-carbon-release-could-mean-%E2%80%9Cwere-fucked%E2%80%9D

I'm still losing sleep over the ozone hole.

It was really scary.

[derspiess]

The ozone layer is healing because we banned the chemicals that were destroying it. Hardly the example someone who doesn't want us to do anything about climate change should be citing.

But we were fucked back then when it happened!  I remember Lewis Black screaming about how we broke the sky

[jimmy olsen]

The ozone layer is healing because we banned the chemicals that were destroying it. Hardly the example someone who doesn't want us to do anything about climate change should be citing.

But we were fucked back then when it happened!  I remember Lewis Black screaming about how we broke the sky

And that was completely true. And what do you know, we were inspired to act and fix the problem before it was too late.

We are not acting this time.

[derspiess]

How should we act this time, Tim?

[Valmy]

How should we act this time, Tim?

Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions.  Of course we are kind of doing that.

[alfred russel]

And that was completely true. And what do you know, we were inspired to act and fix the problem before it was too late.

We are not acting this time.

The problem with the ozone never got solved. It it listed as a risk for someone visiting patagonia or antarctica.

In any event, I don't think there is really anything we (meaning the US) can do to significantly change the trajectory of global warming. Anything we do to slow consumption just makes the consumption in other countries cheaper. It seems a much more effective way to reduce the impact of global warming would be to take steps to slow or halt the production/exploitation of fossil fuels. That doesn't seem very likely.