I'm moving to Germany in August and I can't wait! I was accepted to graduate school there. This is the perfect vehicle for my escape! I haven't been able to before now because I'm at university in New Hampshire. At least I'm in a blue state! Germany is the perfect place for a person like me - green party member, metalhead, general misfit... (let me say as a disclaimer that I am marrying a German citizen in July and I have always loved German culture) First of all, I will be much closer to the hot metal scene in Northern Europe, which is great for me.:) (but not for everyone) Second, I will be moving to one of the most environmentally friendly countries. They have a country-wide composting and recycling program! Not to mention the widespread implementation of sustainable forestry practices and alternate power derivations (wind, mostly). Also the speed-limitless pieces of the Autobahn, de facto decriminalization of Marijuana, and beer, beer, beer. This is also a great position for international travel. I'm going to be smack dab in the middle of europe (just south of Berlin, actually). I already have plans to travel around. Also, Germany is a powerhouse for my profession (landscape architecture) and my fiance's profession (electrical engineering/computer science). We read somewhere that Dresden has been called the Silicon Valley of europe. Perhaps... Germany has a variety of climates as well, from the cool dry alps in the south to the warmer humid maritime climate in the north. The graduate program is prime, too. It was created since reunification, so it's only about 10 years old. It's an English-spoken program and it's FREE.:) I already speak some German, but it's nice to know that language won't be a barrier to my success. I bet there are others out there like it. Clearly this is a very good choice for us, maybe for others too.
The author of this piece clearly has a bone to pick with those who have gotten funding. he freely admits that one of his most recent papers was "discredited" by a major journal. I think that the major motivation of this piece is to vent his frustration and it clearly shows his bias on the issue. I do agree that the current US administration breeds an environment of alarmism that seems to have taken over...well...EVERYTHING. However, the author states three "truths": 1. the global temperature has increased by one degree since the 1900's. 2. global CO2 levels have increased by 30%. 3. increasing CO2 levels should add to global warming in the future.
As an atmospheric scientist, at MIT no less, he should know that that type of a chemical shift in the atmosphere is significant. In fact, the last ice age was brought about by a shift of only 2-3 degrees (F). There are extremes in this argument, as with any that involve extreme amounts of money (scientific funding & oil revenues alike). There are those who truly believe that there is reason for alarm. There are also those who believe that global warming is not happening. And of course, there are people on both sides of the issue whose opinions are driven by greed. Such is human nature. This does not, however, allow us to discredit the fact that those three truths are still true and real facts, and something to be dealt with. Whether or not you believe that those changes are the result of human activity, they are atmospheric shifts that will undoubtedly cause global changes in our lifetime. The point is not to fight about it; the point is to find a solution, or at least some sort of amelioration. THAT is why the global community is talking about how to fix the problem and not whethere or not it's happening.
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I'm moving to Germany in August and I can't wait! I was accepted to graduate school there. This is the perfect vehicle for my escape! I haven't been able to before now because I'm at university in New Hampshire. At least I'm in a blue state! :) (but not for everyone) :) I already speak some German, but it's nice to know that language won't be a barrier to my success. I bet there are others out there like it.
Germany is the perfect place for a person like me - green party member, metalhead, general misfit...
(let me say as a disclaimer that I am marrying a German citizen in July and I have always loved German culture)
First of all, I will be much closer to the hot metal scene in Northern Europe, which is great for me.
Second, I will be moving to one of the most environmentally friendly countries. They have a country-wide composting and recycling program! Not to mention the widespread implementation of sustainable forestry practices and alternate power derivations (wind, mostly).
Also the speed-limitless pieces of the Autobahn, de facto decriminalization of Marijuana, and beer, beer, beer.
This is also a great position for international travel. I'm going to be smack dab in the middle of europe (just south of Berlin, actually). I already have plans to travel around.
Also, Germany is a powerhouse for my profession (landscape architecture) and my fiance's profession (electrical engineering/computer science). We read somewhere that Dresden has been called the Silicon Valley of europe. Perhaps...
Germany has a variety of climates as well, from the cool dry alps in the south to the warmer humid maritime climate in the north.
The graduate program is prime, too. It was created since reunification, so it's only about 10 years old. It's an English-spoken program and it's FREE.
Clearly this is a very good choice for us, maybe for others too.
The author of this piece clearly has a bone to pick with those who have gotten funding. he freely admits that one of his most recent papers was "discredited" by a major journal. I think that the major motivation of this piece is to vent his frustration and it clearly shows his bias on the issue.
I do agree that the current US administration breeds an environment of alarmism that seems to have taken over...well...EVERYTHING.
However, the author states three "truths":
1. the global temperature has increased by one degree since the 1900's.
2. global CO2 levels have increased by 30%.
3. increasing CO2 levels should add to global warming in the future.
As an atmospheric scientist, at MIT no less, he should know that that type of a chemical shift in the atmosphere is significant. In fact, the last ice age was brought about by a shift of only 2-3 degrees (F).
There are extremes in this argument, as with any that involve extreme amounts of money (scientific funding & oil revenues alike). There are those who truly believe that there is reason for alarm. There are also those who believe that global warming is not happening.
And of course, there are people on both sides of the issue whose opinions are driven by greed. Such is human nature.
This does not, however, allow us to discredit the fact that those three truths are still true and real facts, and something to be dealt with.
Whether or not you believe that those changes are the result of human activity, they are atmospheric shifts that will undoubtedly cause global changes in our lifetime.
The point is not to fight about it; the point is to find a solution, or at least some sort of amelioration. THAT is why the global community is talking about how to fix the problem and not whethere or not it's happening.