commentopia What the World Is Saying A SERVICE BRINGING YOU THE BEST READERS' COMMENTS FROM TOP NEWS SOURCES ON THE WEB ENVIRONMENT ARCHIVES — MARCH 2010
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MARCH 8, 2010 -- MARCH 21, 2010 SWISS NIX LAWYERS FOR FIDO, FLUFFY AND FISH
Rights for animals is a tricky one. I am vegan, but I have to accept that the plough, spade etc that digs the fields that contain my vegetables more than likely killed bugs, worms etc in the process. What if in place of the pike we put a dog on the end of that anglers barbed hook, and pulled it around for ten minutes - would that be acceptable? But therein lies the dilemma and ambivalence of humans attitudes to animals - personally I can't bring myself to kill and exploit animals in anyway I can avoid, but each to their own Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/The jury's out on lawyers for pets. <> Lawyers for pets? No thank you, I already have a lovely pet boa, cuddles, that I love to bits. He really knows how to squeeze--and it doesn't cost me a penny!! Seriously, how would lawyers for pets work? If my husband and I are in a custody battle over our boa, would cuddles call up Legal Aid to ask for a lawyer to represent him in court and would the judge put cuddles on the stand and ask him which of us he prefers to live with? I have visions of the waiting room of a large law office and all the clients waiting to see their lawyers--would they segregate the humans from the animals and would that be against the law? Animals could begin to feel discriminated against so I imagine they would want to file Animal (I almost wrote Human) Rights complaints--just imagine a whole new industry opening up to put more money in the pockets of lawyers. In America, there are animal psychiatrists so I could foresee the time when opposing counsel would call their own expert witness to testify on the mental state of the pet in question. This begs another question--since people are tried before a jury of their peers, could pets also demand a jury of their peers? "Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice as she hurtled down the rabbit hole. Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/The jury's out on lawyers for pets. HOW SHOULD GLOBAL WARMING BE TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM?
I don't think primary schools should teach anything specific about global warming. I think they should focus their science education toward how humans can have an impact on their environment. For example, how during the industrial revolution so many toxins were released into waterways and the resulting damage to wildlife and the ecosystems they depend upon. Or, how farming has had an impact on the Everglades, or how logging affects wild fires. And, there are certainly plenty of other examples to impart in students that we are stewards of our environment and need to protect it, not only for ourselves, but for all living creatures. Read the article USA TODAY/What should schools teach about global warming? <> How does anyone expect this country to maintain its edge in science and technology when people like Tim Moore want kids to graduate with a deliberately distorted view of the foundational theory of modern biology? It's a testament to how much we take our top place on the world stage for granted when we think public schools can present religious beliefs as though they were scientific theories and still expect the rest of the world to take us seriously. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Darwin foes add warming to targets <> Yes, of course dissenting views should be taught in schools. But have you seen the "hypotheses" that evolution and global warming deniers put forth as "dissenting views?" They say the Grand Canyon was created by the flood of Noah: a lake formed as the water receded, then the dam burst. They say that snow storms in Washington, D.C., are "proof" that global warming isn't happening, even though there almost wasn't any snow for the Olympics in Vancouver. Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Darwin foes add warming to targets <> It is, as any good scientist knows, the very criticism of a current theory that leads to advancement of knowledge. Any scientist who claims any theory is beyond reproach is not a good scientist, but an ego-maniac. Climate change is an ongoing occurrence, the question remains how much "change" is due to the activities of man. It would appear man's activities have little, if any affect on climate. I think children are smarter than some people give them credit , and should be taught many possible scenarios, allowing students to decide for themselves the most plausible answers Read the article POLITICS DAILY/Climate change, evolution linked, as lawmakers urge teaching of dissenting views
MARCH 1 , 2010 -- MARCH 7, 2010 SIX REASONS WHY THE BLOOM BOX IS A BRIGHT IDEA
There are several reasons why this is a good idea:
Read the article CBS NEWS/Bloom Box energy machine unveiled. <> The huge benefit of fuel cells is the theoretical efficiency - close to 100% vs 35% any other way. So, this device does have significant benefit regarding emissions. I'm pleased they have some real samples out there developing real kilowatts; power density and expensive platinum group metals are the problems with fuel cells - not to mention catalyst poisoning - i.e. service life. We all knew some clever bugger would find a better cheap catalyst. Hype aside, this does look genuinely promising. Read the article THE REGISTER/Silicon valley hypegasm for miracle shoebox power plants
FRESH DIALOGUES: K.R.SRIDHAR INTERVIEW I agree it’s good to be skeptical. But it sounds promising given that it was developed by NASA scientists, backed by the most successful VC’s with $400 million, it has been in the works for 10 years, and it already has A-list companies on board as customers. I am surprised at how many posters on other forums have called Bloom Energy snake oil and a scam. Do they really know the science behind it? If we want to propel the economy forward, this is exactly what we should be doing – bet big on major, disruptive technologies, with our best scientists and engineers doing the work, and then be patient for those ideas to be commercialized. Read the article TECHCRUNCH/John Doerr on Bloom energy launch" "This is like the Google IPO
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