Global Warming will Open Northwest Passage

Makarand writes "For the most part we dread global warming. However, some experts from the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, studying the polar ice caps, are now pointing out some of the advantageous side effects of global warming. They are predicting that in 5 to 10 summers from now the polar ice caps would disappear for around 2 months each year opening up the fabled Northwest passage for commercial shipping. This would effectively reduce the shipping distance between Europe and Asia by 6800 miles compared to the route using the Panama canal."

Comments

From the makers of...

[Necromancyr]

From the makers of such products as DoDo Buckshot, Native American's Removal Blankets, Smog Stack Plus, and Super-Sized "For those jungle suburban drives" SUV - comes the newest and greatest invention yet!

THE POLAR ICE CAP MELTER!

Yes, that's right, you too can help to flood whole countries! Tired of high priced beach front property? Sick of the drive from the middle of America to the coasts? BRING THE COASTS TO YOU!

Only 19.95 plus shipping and handling.

Manufacturer not responsible for accidental/purposeful destruction of ecosystems, countries, continents, or competitors. Not availble to FPO/APOs.

Re:this is good... but

[alan_d_post]

Stanley Feinbaum (mister_feinbaum2002 AT hotmail DOT com)
and
Stanley Feinbaum, professional journalist. I have no tolerance for bad journalism!

You do, apparently, have a great tolerance for bad Terms of Use policies. Highlights include:

NO SPAM; DAMAGES

Microsoft may immediately terminate any account which it determines, in its sole discretion, is transmitting or is otherwise connected with any 'spam' or other unsolicited bulk email. In addition, because damages are often difficult to quantify, if actual damages cannot be reasonably calculated then you agree to pay Microsoft liquidated damages of five dollars (US$5.00) for each piece of 'spam' or unsolicited bulk email transmitted from or otherwise connected with your account. Otherwise you agree to pay Microsoft's actual damages, to the extent such actual damages can be reasonably calculated. You agree that Microsoft may charge such damages to your selected Payment Method, as set forth in the Microsoft Billing section, below.


That is pretty funny, given the atrocious security history of the hotmail site. If your account gets hijacked, *you* are to blame:

You are entirely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account. Furthermore, you are entirely responsible for any and all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify Microsoft immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security. Microsoft will not be liable for any loss that you may incur as a result of someone else using your password or account, either with or without your knowledge. However, you could be held liable for losses incurred by Microsoft or another party due to someone else using your account or password.

There are other places (such as freeshell.org) that will give you free webmail with less evil, and throw in shell access as well!

Re:It's Canadian Territory

[Mike Schiraldi]

No, it's my territory!

What, you say? Just because i say it's mine doesn't make it mine? What, i have to get the international community to recognize it first, and they don't?

Oh well.

Re:There are other shipping routes

[AGMW]

Unfortunately that means less income for the Americas.

Does this mean Good Ol' George will have to find someone to bomb to stop the ice melting?

Now just who is it that isn't signing up to the Kyoto agreement to stop global warming?

Re:There are other shipping routes

[IXI]

And you should probably ask Mrs. Manners for some netiquette lessons.

Re:We should make energy ... too narrow a view

[let_freedom_ring]

While people decry how bad energy use is by calling CO2 'pollution' (it is not, CO2 is a vital plant nutrient and harmless to animals) they ignore the ways in which it CLEANS the environment.

1. We use it to treat sewage which cleans water.
2. It allows us to conserve farm land by increasing yield/acre (fertilizer, pesticides, application, shipping, etc).
3. It increases the efficiency of commerce by decreasing shipping costs.
4. It increases economic wealth and allows us to make cleaning the environment more affordable. Both the U.S. and G.B. are much cleaner now than they were 100yrs. ago. If you are scratching out a subsistance living the last thing you care about is a cleaner env.

The best thing for the environment would be to increase per capita energy use all over the world. Care about the availability of fresh water? The main costs of water de-salinization is energy. More energy use could make fresh water an easily affordable commodity, eliminating the affects of drought. I could go on and on but please read Julian Simon instead (the ultimate resource II).

Re:We should make energy more expensive

[ChristTrekker]

Energy use, in particular, should be very much more expensive in order to cut our consumption. Our energy excesses are damaging the environment of the planet and have set the scene for the dangers current security situation. [...] I believe energy use is our primary ethical issue.

I completely disagree. Our primary ethical issue, IMO, is how we treat each other. The earth is here for mankind's benefit; mankind is not here for the earth's benefit. Without us, all these "resources" would be just useless hunks of nothing. It's human ingenuity that comes up with uses for them and makes them valuable.

As long as we're improving the quality of life for mankind, bully for us. Keep using energy, keep making things better. I don't think we should discourage achievement of a higher quality of life. We do need to plan for the future, but I don't think we need to take measures as extreme as some advocate, like eliminating cars and letting 90% of the earth surface go to wilderness.