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Ishmael
In: Toronto
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Interesting.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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In that case I will plough on with some stuff that just came in. The first email is interesting from both a Deserts and a Megalithic Empire (and an AE) perspective. It's from an Eric John Diesel who appears to be the brains of the outfit. First the science
The various native american groups and individuals who occupied California since the last ice age, all started accidental fires the same as any other humans using open flame fires, including now (with downed power lines, hot auto exhausts, firearms and explosions, etc., added today). Every group of humans has individuals who ignore fire safety, even when known. There were less humans in the past, but more use of open flame fires for cooking, warmth, etc.
So there is no "natural" state for California's current flora and fauna distribution, to use as a control for scientific studies and comparison with today. The composition of flora and fauna in California changes. But before recent human climate changing activity, climate changed gradually, not abruptly, so flora and fauna had time to migrate and adapt since the last ice age. However, I have seen no sound statistical analysis, correlating the amount of climate change as of today, with increased fires especially factoring out other possible causes of increased fires |
But now Diesel prepares for what we have found notably absent over here in our Facebook and Twitter exchanges, a fracturing in the liberal hegemony.
It is a magical thinking that native americans had "ancient wisdom" to manage fire prone ecosystems. There is only science vs nonsense magical thinking, and science vs willful ignorance or disregard for fire safety. And the current state of scientific knowledge, from science and sound statistical analyses, is minimal.
I'm copying Richard Halsey, since his writings seem to recognize the scientific complexity of causes of fires, that answers for one niche in location and time may not apply to others, and the need for lots more science, research, studies, and analysis. |
And gets it...
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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From one Mike Garabedian
Each paragraph here has ideas that are misleading, mixing up issues, incomplete, incorrect, irrelevant, or when correct are unhelpful or misapplied. The view of the practices of indigenous tribes is notably uninformed. |
But he can't exactly say why on account he's got a train to catch
I have existing deadlines and commitments to other issues that do not allow the time commitment right now to respond in needed detail. |
But just time for some unctuousness on a cosmic scale before he dashes out the door
I apologize for what I think are unintended slights to current and past tribes and tribe natural resources management. |
Vin Diesel puts the boot in
Mike Garabedian, You just publicly called me: misleading, mixed up, incomplete, incorrect, irrelevant, unhelpful, misapplying, uninformed, slighting. Then you said you have no time to justify calling me these 9 bad names, and signed off. That's name-calling, NOT rational argument. I should add "science vs name-calling" , to my comments on "science vs magical thinking" . |
Mike found he did have a bit of time after all
I would have added “stuck in a colonialist mindsetâ€. The idea that any native knowledge is necessarily instinctive and magical, and that the only empirical knowledge about land management is expressed in peer-reviewed Western journals is, well, profoundly misinformed. And condescending. And harmful not only to Native people, but also to those of us who are trying to amend past wrongs by working with tribal people in the real, offline world, as opposed to pontificating endlessly on email lists. |
I know I shouldn't. I just enjoy it too much.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Do we have a physicist in the house? Some bloke once told me that space heating and water heating (or gas, as I call it) costs the earth but lighting and running small appliances costs pennies (that's electricity to you). He claimed to be my scientist-brother at the time so I trusted him. On this. But my smart meter says different and I keep getting letters, like today, from somebody (though they're somebody else now, they tell me) that I owe them £170 for electricity but they owe me £180 for gas even though my gas monthly standing payment is twice what my electricity payment is.
But that's not the weirdest thing. They're begging me to cut down on my gas payment, they seem embarrassed to be holding my money; but they couldn't give a monkeys about the leccy. Not a sausage. Go on, son, burn the midnight oil, see if we care.
I intend to sit tight and see what the government are going to come up with. "Coo-ee, Boris, we're the old folk who've been in lockdown all year. You've heard about the Red Wall, well wait until you get a load of the Grey Wall. We are known for our incontinence."
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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The Tesla Model 3 is now the best-selling vehicle in California in all categories, as it already is in the arguably less representative market of the Netherlands. |
I find this amazing for two reasons
1. I would never have guessed, until about ten minutes ago, that electric cars were anything other than a fad
2. I would never have guessed until about ten minutes ago that a billionaire wally could out-Detroit Detroit.
I must examine the source of these grievous shortcomings in my understanding of the world. Unless it wants to apologise to me for being so capricious.
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Hatty
Site Admin
In: Berkshire
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Folklore Frontiers wrote: | CORNISH TOMMYKNOCKERS. Fifteen earthquakes have been recorded in Cornwall in just two days with residents describing how a seismic event on Wednesday made their houses "shake".
Geothermal at United Downs, near Redruth, has confirmed the reports are related to geothermal drill testing at the site. It is assuring people that operations have been temporarily ceased while teams attempt to understand the cause. |
Is lithium mining going to become as significant an industry as tin mining was? According to the newly founded Cornish lithium company Cornwall's lithium is "of global significance" and intends to explore further potential sites if it gets enough funding.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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while teams attempt to understand the cause |
I doubt if they will conclude that the previous explanation for earthquakes "It's because the tectonic plates are shifting" will be in the frame. However this is the death knell for the Cornish lithium-mining industry. Which would be a shame because, unlike fracking for oil and gas, the world actually does need new supplies of lithium e.g. for Tesla cars.
Not that I necessarily believe this company is looking for lithium. Perhaps I do them an injustice but were they hoping for "Goodness me, we've also found oil and gas in commercially frackable quantities"?
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Chad
In: Ramsbottom
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the world actually does need new supplies of lithium e.g. for Tesla cars. |
And don’t forget... without lithium (in its diatomic, crystalline form) we would never have developed hyperphotonic propulsion systems.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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USA versus Blackburn, Lancashire
1999 Walmart buy Asda for £6.7 billion
2001 Issa brothers open petrol station in Bury, Lancs
2001 Chad fills car there, purchases bottom muffin
2020 Issa brothers have seven thousand petrol stations in ten countries
2020 Walmart sell Asda to Issa brothers for £6.8 billion
I've never heard of these likely lads before but I expect Chad went to school with them. If they had schools in Lancashire at that time.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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I was listening to Tom Stoppard's biography this morning. Not because I knew it was on but because my set top box is set to record anything with Stoppard in the name -- I'm a bit of a fan. Always taken an interest in his life and times. Discovered this morning he was Jewish. My regard for him has gone right down. I thought he was special.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Now that blacks in America are called African-Americans, shouldn't the Red Indians be called American-Americans?
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Grant
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I went to see a Stoppard play once - Jumpers - in an attempt to seduce a woman. The play was full of knowing sixth-form standard jokes which half the audience laughed at to show they understood them. The man who laughed loudest sat a few seats away. Half way through the first half he took his shoes off and put his feet on the balcony rail, still laughing uproariously. We were very surprised that he didn’t show up after the interval.
Never liked Stoppard since. And didn’t get off with the girl either
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Hatty
Site Admin
In: Berkshire
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Stoppard's plays vary a lot, they tend to be too high-brow for English audiences. 'The Coast of Utopia' is the best play, or rather trilogy, I've ever seen. Next best is 'Arcadia', an earlier, more accessible play.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Next best is 'Arcadia', an earlier, more accessible play. |
Don't worry, Grant, she patronises me as well.
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Grant
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In that play there is a very long monologue. In the interval I overheard two people comparing notes, and I listened intently to try to understand why people were enjoying it.
“I thought the lead actor (it was Paul Eddington of ages past) was very good. How did he learn such a long speech.â€
I must admit I saw Rozencranz when it was last in the West End and it was quite enjoyable.
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