Global warming truth or fiction

I've been thinking about the manner in which the media and policticians discuss global warming or climate change (depending on your political bent). I've heard descriptions used such as: apocalyptic, environmental catrosphe and point of no return. It's become fashionable and useful for some (politicians especially) to use these scare tactics.
So does this remind you of anything we've heard in the past? Perhaps some of these 'big scares' of the past might get you to thinking, as I have... might this be blown out of proportion? Remember these oldies...

-population explosion
-Global cooling (1970's)
-DDT scare
-Martians are coming
-Bermuda triangle
-Sars pandemic
-West Niles pandemic
and my personal favorite Y2K

Now I'm not saying that global warming is not happening. There appears to be little doubt about that. However, the question to be asked, how much of it is caused by mankind? And can we stop and even reverse the damage done?
I see no downside in cleaning up our environment provided it's done in a progressive and logical manner that doesn't destroy the economy. It goes without saying that we are all in favor of cleaning up pollution and protecting the environment. But the real question is; are we willing to pay the price that it will take to clean up on our past sins against the enviornment?
And finally, the price will be heavy and could come in many forms, such as a carbon tax. Somehow political leaders must convince us taxpayers that the pain will be worth it in the long run. I just hope that the media don't fall for the grandoise plans (such as the Liberals Kyoto Plan) that are long on words, promises and short on action. I still don't understand why the media never held the Liberals accountable for what amounted to nothing more than hot air!

How to stop drunk driving

Here are a few ideas that I think will work or at least help:

1) Toyota vehicles to refuse drunk drivers
System in cars detects alcohol in blood, dilated pupils
The Associated Press
TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. is developing a fail-safe system for cars that detects drunk drivers and automatically shuts the vehicle down if sensors pick up signs of excessive alcohol consumption, a news report said Wednesday.
Cars fitted with the detection system will not start if sweat sensors in the driving wheel detect high levels of alcohol in the driver's bloodstream, according to a report carried by the mass-circulation daily, Asahi Shimbun.

Too many glasses of this and the newest Toyota technology would ban you from your own vehicle.

The system could also kick in if the sensors detect abnormal steering, or if a special camera shows that the driver's pupils are not in focus. The car is then slowed to a halt, the report said.
(comment from my son....what if the driver wears gloves?)

2) and one of my own ideas: Take the unused police cars that are sitting in the police compound on weekends and park them on major roads after dark. Turn on their flashing lights and leave them until early morning. Impaired drivers will see the flashing lights and at the least will be super careful, being worried about being pulled over. Also, when drivers noticed that police seem to be everywhere on the weekend they might be too nervous to take a chance. As an added bonus of this concept any young drivers seeing the flashing lights ahead will be slow down and be cautious making the roads much safe. The cost: next to nothing!

3 Slightly kooky....from Freakonomics.com/blog

In an effort to curtail drunk driving, the Bennington (Vt.) Police Department has distributed 200 pint glasses to taverns and restaurants in town, each of them emblazoned with the Police Department’s logo. The idea is that if somebody is draining his third pint and notices the logo, he might be a tad less inclined to drive himself home. I am guessing this would work for a little while, until the novelty wears off (or until people steal all the glasses for souvenirs, which the article says is already happening).

Drink a beer...save a boob!

"A new study out of Denmark found that women who do 17 hours or more of housework per week, have a 30% less chance of ever getting breast cancer" I don't make this stuff up!
So men get back to the couch, grab a cool one, watch a game and do your better half a favor. You just might be saving her life (and her boobs). Glad I could help!

It's a paradim shift....think green!

" Sixty-three per cent [of Canadians] were "desperately concerned that if we don't take drastic action right now, the world may not last much longer than another couple of generations." Say what? Drastic action? Now? Or we die? " The political climate in Canada, like the UK, is changing as fast as the real climate. 2007 may be the year this show comes to the United States. (from Treehugger.com)

I'll say it again....this is the year everything turns green, from the environment, to government and finally to business...green is in!

Is God an idot?

Let's kill the innocents
and do it in his name
Praise be to Allah
we can give them such pain

Jesus, we pray, give us strength
That our team will find success
And when we win, we promise
to your glory, will we attest

So is God an idot?
You'd think so by our actions
I thought we were all his children
and not just some chosen faction

Imagine the consequences

Printed Solar Panels! Tomorrow's solar panels may not need to be produced in high-vacuum conditions in billion-dollar fabrication facilities. If California-based Nanosolar has its way, plants will use a nanostructured "ink" to form semiconductors, which would be printed on flexible sheets. Nanosolar is currently building a plant that will print 430 megawatts' worth of solar cells annually—more than triple the current solar output of the entire United States.

so what's the big deal you ask? Cost.....the cost of producing a solar panel will only be about 25% of todays cost. That means it will be economical enough to put on every new home and most exisiting homes and save the owners a bundle. Not to mention reducing energy consumption drastically. Want to get off the energy grid and do away with the bills that come with it...help is on the way in 2007.

And this type of technology is what is going to save us from worsening the global warming situation we are now in.

I predict (here I go again) that in 2007 we will see great advancements in greening our planet. And it will be the political hot topic for the year.

Sylvan Lake Sailing Club

Out for a summer evenings sail...because who wants to look at winter pictures anyway?
and its one of my favorite photos...

Here's wishing you a happy and very prosperous new year! Did you make any of those dam new year resolutions? I've made them in past years and usually forget about them or give up within the first couple of weeks.

So this year I'm thinking why make resolutions I'll probably never keep anyway. So friends I have decided that it would be better to make some I will most likely keep and if I don't, well, it will be fun trying. Here goes...

1) laugh more...

2) slow down and savour life, particularly my wine and food

3) enjoy my friends and family more

4) play more

5) spend more time looking for new ideas

6) take more pictures and videos. Not that kind of video! I just watched a video I had made of my son when he was 7 years old and couldn't stop thinking....damn I wished I had taken more. There is nothing like seeing the changes in people over time, hell in that video I had a great head of hair.

7) try new experiences...hmmm

I'll probably think of more later but that should make a good start. I rate my chances of success pretty good!