[Coral-List] Re Thank you ISRS!

[Douglas Fenner]

     It is certainly the case that if humans have no effect on climate,
then any attempt at a discussion of the ethics of trying to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions is a waste of time, and wasted self-sacrifice.
Unfortunately for all of us, the vast majority of scientific evidence
demonstrates that humans are indeed the major cause of the present climate
changes and that the climate change produced will cost the world vast sums
and lots of lives in the future.
     The following is an interesting essay on the role of science education
in the failure of the public to critically evaluate the many claims of all
sorts that are not supported by scientific evidence.  Seems to suggest that
rote learning of scientific facts without learning how to evaluate claims
and evidence doesn't help produce the informed public needed in a democracy..

"There's a good reason Americans are horrible at science"  (the author was
clearly writing to a U.S. audience)

http://qz.com/588126/theres-a-good-reason-americans-are-horrible-at-science/

Cheers,  Doug


On Wed, Jan 6, 2016 at 3:45 PM, Eugene Shinn <eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
wrote:

> One of my favorite lines from Jimmy Buffet’s song “Fruit Cakes” goes
> something like, ”Humans are strange individuals---the Cosmic Baker took
> us out of the oven too soon.”I thought of that line while reading about
> the heart felt pain and suffering of deciding whether or not to create
> more CO2 flying to the next reef conference in order to discuss the
> dangers of acidification. But not to worry. We can put it all in
> perspective and solve our acid indigestion by remembering the CO2
> produced by the faithful who flew to Paris for the recent Climate
> Summit. Oh the Webs We weave when we practice to deceive.Gene
>
> --
>
>
> No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
> ------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
> E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
> University of South Florida
> College of Marine Science Room 221A
> 140 Seventh Avenue South
> St. Petersburg, FL 33701
> <eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
> Tel 727 553-1158
> ---------------------------------- -----------------------------------
>
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-- 
Douglas Fenner
Consultant, corals, coral reefs, coral identification
"have regulator, will travel"
PO Box 7390
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA

phone 1 684 622-7084

Join the International Society for Reef Studies.  Membership includes a
subscription to the journal Coral Reefs, and there are discounts for pdf
subscriptions and developing countries.  Check it out!  www.fit.edu/isrs/

"Belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."- Jim Beever.
  "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts."-
Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

The carbon price and solution: Isolation on Pennsylvania Ave.  James Hanson
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2015/20151127_Isolation.pdf

Next year is set to be the hottest year on record globally (following this
year which will be the hottest so far, beating 2014 that was the hottest up
to then)

http://www.businessinsider.com/next-year-could-be-the-hottest-year-on-record-globally-2015-12

Arctic posts record warmth over land, less ice in its ocean.

http://news.yahoo.com/arctic-posts-record-warmth-over-land-less-ice-171213185.html

website:  http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner

blog: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/reefs-american-samoa-story-hope