Hi Orange,
We are all aware that major occurances are happening in this earth and the heavens that are causing scientist, biologist, epidemologist are all in a quandry as to why a large chunck of ice seperated from the Canadian Artic Ice shelf the size of which is the equal of ELEVEN THOUSAND FOOTBALL FIELDS. yes 11,000 !! Beyond belief. ... What a great concern for mankind and the earth. The Global warming, the ozone layer, enlarging asteroids, and whatever else they can think of is definetly destroying our planet or at least changing the Global warming. Those who saw this event occour the other day were somewhat in a state of shock as this seperation not only puts a strain on our oceans but mixes fresh water with salt water, and many creatures that many of us are unaware of are going to die off when they end up in salt water. organisms, and different bacterias are now being exposed to the ocean and land masses. This huge mass that broke away has in fact altered the contour of the land. Map makers will have to change this in the atlas books.
I understand and sympathize with the concern. Many years ago a large chunk broke off from the South Polar ice shelf, about 100 miles long x 20 miles wide, or 112 times the size of the Canadian chunk that broke off. It did not cause the catastophy that many environmentalists feared. I believe that the huge ocean will absorb the Canadian chunk as well as it absorbed the much larger Antartic chunk. In the past, the earth has been much warmer, long before human pollution concerns emerged. In fact, we are still coming out of the last Little Ice Age. Prior to the Little Ice Age, people lived and farmed open land on Greenland, which is now covered with ice and uninhabital. I agree that we need to avoid pollution or activity that could harm the Ozone layer, but I do not fear these current geological changes.
Asteroids, whether large or small come from space and have nothing to do with human activity. They have not yet destroyed us ... though they did in the past destroy prehuman life forms. For the first time in history, humans are capable of redirecting asteroids and comets, preventing them from striking the earth. (The History Channel ran a very good series on this in the last few days).
As for organisms and bacteria being exposed to the oceans, I fail to see where there are any facts on how this is any real concern, or what the actual source is. Perhaps you can post some additional details on this for discussion.
The large mass that broke off does not change land contour. It only changes glacial contours, which change each year anyway. Land maps will remain the same.
Viruses are also a major cause of concern to the WHO, no longer are diseases epidemic but also pandemic. They are expecting another global viral disease that will kill millions as the Spainish flu did in 1918/19. LIke the black plague or greater strains of Aids , bird flu,. it is an ever ending battle for world scientists and biologist,
Viruses have always been, and will continue to be, a problem for various species and lifeforms. The pandemic aspect only means that the entire human race will develop immunities and share the problem, rather than it being localized. We will survice, and evolve in better ways. And even when these get out of control and kill many people, it is really nothing new. These viruses and bacteria evolve all the time to fight human efforts and natural immunity we develop. It is a natural common cycle. While I do not want to be a vicim of these organizisms, I do not fear them in a global sense, for we will survive as we always have.
Are we a product of our own destruction? I have been appauled by the numbers of tornado's and hurricanes , tsunami's that are happening at catastrophic levels all around the globe. How do you feel about this or have any comment you'd like to share.
I do not believe that humanity will destroy itself. I now resist the fear-mongering clamoring from a segment of our society much as I now resist the proclamations and fear-mongering prophecies that are issued from time to time by such groups as Jehovah's Witnesses.
Tornados happen because of weather patterns that cannot be connected to global warming. And even if it turns out that way, humans are not the only source of global warming, and clearly the warming trend is still far below that of the climate prior to the Little Ice Age.
Hurricanes have been debated regarding global warming. But, I recall much worse and greater frequency hurricanes in prior decades. They come and go in cycles. One of the chief climatologists associated with the UN study on global warming resigned from his position because some above him insisted that he agree that hurricanes were caused by global warming. he was able to show that they are not increased or made worse by such warming. So, there is on going debate on this issue.
Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, especially deep oceanic type. They are not in anyway the result of human activity. They are unfortunate events that cause many thousands to die because they live in danger zones. It is the risk that humans take. Earthquakes are actually on the decline, thus failing to fit the prophetic claims by some fundamentalists groups.
I believe that we humans do need to do better by polluting less or none at all if possible. I believe that we need to better locate ourselves in safer living places. I strongly believe that science needs to do constant battle with disease, viruses, and bacteria. But I cannot see any real reason to respond to fear-mongering that our present-day media push on us just to make a buck selling sensationalism ... any more than I can buy into religious fundamentalism so that some religions can sell magazines.
We can start reducing the pollution by ending use the use of so much damn ink ... and get religions to use the pollution-free Internet to sell their messege.
Thanks for posting some interesting and good points for discussion and debate.
Jim Whitney
