Study predicts imminent irreversible planetary collapse

[Blind groper]

Crumple

Show us your evidence.

[Atheist-Lite]

Crumple

Show us your evidence.

There are plenty of ruins around to show what happens when a civilization hits critical resource buffers if you dig a little.

[Blind groper]

Historically, major disasters come from war, famine, or epidemic disease. Currently wars are getting smaller and less destructive. Famine has shrunk. Epidemic diseases tend to be controllable. Over the past 100 odd years, the death toll as a percentage of the whole population from any of these three has dropped, and dropped dramatically.

Frankly, Crumple, I think your predilection to predict disaster reflects a twist in your own personality - not anything happening in the real world.

[Atheist-Lite]

Historically, major disasters come from war, famine, or epidemic disease. Currently wars are getting smaller and less destructive. Famine has shrunk. Epidemic diseases tend to be controllable. Over the past 100 odd years, the death toll as a percentage of the whole population from any of these three has dropped, and dropped dramatically.

Frankly, Crumple, I think your predilection to predict disaster reflects a twist in your own personality - not anything happening in the real world.

Obviously personality is important. Not everyone has a critical eye on the weather. Some just take what they are told by authority as gospel. It takes effort to go against a consensus and stand against the crowd. Not all have the strength to do that. And answers to questions which represent a existential threat will lead to denial for most. Questioning the so called 'evidence' becomes more difficult as it becomes widespread ignorance.

[Blind groper]

The thing is, Crumple, you have presented no evidence.

[Rum]

Is there any way I can make Crumple's posts invisible? Ignore doesn't quite do it and the last thing I want in the morning when I log on is to see his misery ridden name on my screen.

[Blind groper]

To Rum

Yeah.

With Crumple, I get the same kind of feeling I get when I see two young men in black suits, white shirts and ties cycling up towards my house. I know that nothing rational or evidence based will come from any conversation.

[Atheist-Lite]

To Rum

Yeah.

With Crumple, I get the same kind of feeling I get when I see two young men in black suits, white shirts and ties cycling up towards my house. I know that nothing rational or evidence based will come from any conversation.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg1 ... table.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Flash_Crash

[Blind groper]

To Crumple

Well, at least that is an attempt at giving evidence. Not very effective because
1. Your first reference cannot be accessed
2. Your second reference is just about a fall in stock market prices.

But I will give you points for making some kind of attempt, even if it was very feeble.

[Atheist-Lite]

To Crumple

Well, at least that is an attempt at giving evidence. Not very effective because
1. Your first reference cannot be accessed
2. Your second reference is just about a fall in stock market prices.

But I will give you points for making some kind of attempt, even if it was very feeble.

It can be accessed. Are you poor?

[Blind groper]

Not poor, but not stupid enough to spend good money chasing a chimera.

[Atheist-Lite]

Not poor, but not stupid enough to spend good money chasing a chimera.

It is hardly a fortune. Seems to be willful ignorance considering the quality of New Scientist journalism.

[Seth]

As a non Brit, let me state my view. The Brits have shown their courage and determination on many occasions. They fought a much superior Luftwaffe to a standstill in 1939, and, in the very unlikely circumstance where they need to do it again, they will stand up to adversity in a way the world can admire.

And die in droves, all with a stiff upper lip. Hurrah for them, they won't be missed.

On the other hand, there is no need to fear. There is no more cold war. The risk of nuclear war has diminished markedly. The only potential enemies to the west are weak and disunited. Most of those nutters who like to predict disaster have moved from military disaster to ecological. They will be proved just as wrong as their predecessors.

Perhaps, but poor planning promotes piss-poor performance.

Of all those nutters, among the silliest are the so-called survivalists with their stockpiles of guns and ammunition. They are far more a part of the problem than the solution.

Depends on what you think the problems and solutions are.

[Seth]

What's a Lima Mike India? I looked up LMI on google and couldn't figure it out. Like-minded individuals?

Yup.

[Blind groper]

Seems to be willful ignorance considering the quality of New Scientist journalism.

From what I could see from the free portion, it is an opinion piece anyway. New Scientist does those fairly often. They reflect someone's opinion, and that opinion may or may not have value.

When I ask for evidence, I hope for something more than that.