Merger = Global Warming

[Wonkie]

Originally Posted by Evets [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Also I thought taxes were supposed to be for war time efforts? anyone know the percentage of taxation now compared to 1940s?

In 1944, the top rate peaked at 94 percent on taxable income over $200,000 ($2.5 million in today’s dollars3). That’s a high tax rate.

2018-2020


The highest income tax rate was lowered to 37 percent for tax years beginning in 2018. The additional 3.8 percent is still applicable, making the maximum federal income tax rate 40.8 percent.

[Horza]

When I'm deciding on environmental policy, the man I want to hear from is one who thinks that our species is a couple thousand years old and the Holocaust was just spraying for typhus.

[Danth]

My 4th grade science book (a mid 70's edition, as might be expected) explained in no uncertain terms how the world would be completely out of oil by the year 2000. I remember that one because my science teacher made a point of laughing at it and used it as an example of how a person shouldn't necessarily believe everything he reads. Later, by the time I was in middle school we were being fed propaganda "science" videos which vividly illustrated how we'd all be breathing out of air tanks and how natural plants and trees would be a mere distant memory by the time we were old enough to have our own children/grandchildren. Ridiculous--just scare tactics.

The environmental movement can be its own worst enemy. Its constant tendency to do "boy who cried wolf" impersonations and constantly hype worst-case doomsday scenarios--while continually moving the goalposts when said scenarios fail to happen--virtually ensures that by the time it's actually right about something nobody will be listening anymore. On top of that, some very real and serious problems, like the amount of plastic winding up in the oceans, doesn't get much notice because plastic in suspension doesn't have the same visual shock appeal of projecting a Mad Max post-oil wasteland. I agree with the notion of taking care of our home so it pains me to watch that movement constantly shoot itself in the foot with its inability to treat things rationally.

As a species, best thing we can do is invest in research and figure out a way to get off this rock. We can have all the environmental preservation we want but as long as we're stuck here we're just a single good asteroid impact away from extinction.

Danth

[Horza]

Originally Posted by Danth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

We were being fed propaganda "science" videos which vividly illustrated how we'd all be breathing out of air tanks and how natural plants and trees would be a mere distant memory by the time we were old enough to have our own children

You're almost certainly being fed propaganda, Danth. However, I'm not so sure that it's of the "science" variety.

[Danth]

Originally Posted by Horza [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You're almost certainly being fed propaganda, Danth. However, I'm not so sure that it's of the "science" variety.

It comes from all sides. That's why teaching children critical thinking is so important. Don't believe everything you read--and be especially wary of the stuff you WANT to believe because it's so much easier to be ensnared by that side of it. I'm not one of those "believe in nothing" nihilists, but any facts worth calling facts will withstand some scrutiny.

Danth

[Tzug]

Takes quite a bit of arrogance to think you know more about climate change than NASA, the Pentagon and the energy companies themselves (who have known about climate change since at least the 80s--this is not speculation; there are internal documents that prove it).

I also enjoy the people saying "the earth has been going through warming and cooling periods before" as if none of the above-mentioned agencies have never thought of that. "We have the scientific and technical expertise to put a man on the moon but we didn't see that objection! Thank you, message-board climate denier!"

If your belief on an issue happens to be at odds with the vest majority of people, especially the people most informed on the topic, AND it happens to (conveniently) also be the same belief that asks you to do nothing, it may be time to scrutinize that belief.

[Evets]

Originally Posted by Tzug [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Takes quite a bit of arrogance to think you know more about climate change than NASA, the Pentagon and the energy companies themselves

You trust NASA and the big energy companies? .... yikes

[Horza]

Originally Posted by Evets [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You trust NASA and the big energy companies? .... yikes

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[Horza]

Originally Posted by Wallicker [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Where are the Donald Trump vs Greta Thungberg memes? This thread is weak!

Originally Posted by Horza [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

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[Tzug]

Originally Posted by Evets [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You trust NASA and the big energy companies? .... yikes

The Exxon memos are internal memos from the 70s and 80s from scientists hired by the company itself. It was not public information. In fact, in response to the memos, Exxon began a disinformation campaign, spending millions of dollars to undermine in the public sphere the findings of the very research it funded, because they understood it was a threat to their business model.

So you're right, but not in the way you intended: I do not trust the big energy companies, because they've been actively lying to us for years--lies which have been very effective considering so many people, such as you, have believed them, even when the company itself did not. I do, however, trust the internal memos of their own scientists that were never meant to be seen by the public.