Snow on the Dandenongs and the heaviest falls on Mt Buller for seven years provide further proof of "Climate Change", if not of global warming. Keeping that distinction in mind is a precondition for not being swindled.
A second line of defence against mumbo-jumbo is to recall that the philosopher Karl Popper promoted falsifiability as essential to the logic of scientific enquiry. He reasoned that any hypothesis which is so structured as to be incapable of refutation is pseudo-science.
The "Climate-Change" band trumpets all data about rising temperatures as evidence to buttress their hypothesis. However, not so long ago they were perplexed by inconvenient truths such as the occasional severe winter. On the face of it, such cold snaps surely count against global warming? This is where the "Extreme Event" comes in handy.
The "Climate-Change" faithful now have the power to levitate above the embarrassment of awkward evidence. To deal with exceptions, they have conceived the metaphysical category of the "Extreme Event". This phrase does not refer to weather which has extreme consequences, such as the past 48 hours in Victoria. The significance is altogether different. The "Extreme Event" is a device for ruling out the very possibility of contrary evidence and, thus, for denying the prospect of Popperian falsification.
The "Climate Change" sophists proceed thus: the anthropogenically-enhanced greenhouse effect does more than push up average temperatures. It also increases instability. So, while a denser greenhouse mostly makes the planet hotter/drier, it will also make it colder/wetter in some places at certain times.
That Janus outcome is indeed possible. Hence, to decide whether each event is evidence for or against one or other of the current explanations for the latest changes in climate, we need to specify causes. The devastation from Hurricane Katrina was so extreme because of policies of US governments. It is pseudo-science to attribute every hurricane or blizzard to an amorphous "Climate Change".
If all swings in the weather are worshipped as manifestations of "Climate Change", that hypothesis is elevated above the realm of rational enquiry. Its advocates have entered the domain of theology where all outcomes -- even the cruelest -- are accepted as God’s working in his mysterious ways to reveal his omnipotent Goodness.
by Humphrey McQueen in an article entitled:
How the "Climate-Change" faithful spin cold weather
at Crikey.com.au
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Sue: A problem with this thread lies partly with our construction of absolutes. After a while we have to believe in that construction and its application to everything. To start the process of resolution some one needs to back down. That’s the key.
I can’t believe how people can get so wound up over the politics of land use even though the PM thinks he can call up his external powers to resolve the MDB water issue. Settling this one will take some time through the court
Take a leaf out of late Rick Farley’s book on political craft for the Australian bush.
Greenies and rednecks should develop an interest in all forms of music. For me it started with Irish melodies, rag time, learning the barn dance and listening to brass instruments behind the band room on the beach in the dark.
We take too much for granted in this electronic age even with our entertainment. A veteran jazz player said “thanks” to us last week for just turning up to a “live” performance.
Likewise with blogs we don’t get much out of lonely threads.
Toby - I think the human mind is the most adaptable amazing element this world has available to it. There is no point in history where individual have not risen above a circumstance that should essentially have put them "in the grave" and we should not doubt their ability to do so in the current world climate.
Can I say here that I normally do not participate in blogs because they tend to become places for people to abuse, malign, denigrate and ignore the opportunity to learn. Humans are better than that and to act that way is like spitting in the face of centuries of human intelligence and counting it worthless. My son is a singer in a heavy metal band and writes the lyrics. He reads dictionaries & thesauraus' trying to find words to evoke a thought process, wanting his listeners to think. He tries never to use the f word, nor offer platitudes. He wants his listeners to find their own way to an answer by opening their own ability rather than just feed on another's thoughts.
I can't say I am a fan of the music, but I treasure my son and what he is trying to do. He works at being human - sadly many bloggers work at being less than.
Gavin - can you explain what you mean when you say "but she is totally wasted on land rights issue as presented here by one or two who feel victimised by the NSW system." ?
Re our area - central west of NSW - we do need more rain about now, but as I look out my window, I see a creek that is flowing very well, hills that are still oozing water into it, grass cover over the whole property and happier looking trees! The goats are all in kid, fat and happy - what more could a farmer ask for
re conditions for boer cross goats - they do not like wet conditions. If you see a goat with its tail up it is happy, down it is unhappy. They need a certain amount of rough food in their diet - so when it is wet, dry roughage is not so easy to find - however I would think it would be a matter of finding the right blend of goat for those wetter areas. Perhaps a more European blend.
Actually, I have realized that the flow of this thread still relates to the topic, because to a greenie, they may still hate what we do as farmers just because we are farmers. And so the issue of climate change, where it doesn't matter what the weather is or isn't doing - someone will totally believe it all relates to global warming.
And I just realized I have been guilty of the same thing. When I use the term greenie, I am referring to those who would essentially stop our world as we know it, when many of the readers here may see a greenie as a person who sincerely wants to help the world and its inhabitants. So saying greenie as a blanket comment shows my bias, doesn't it.
Perhaps I should say watermelon to indicate that I mean the "green on the outside, red on the inside brigade". What do you think?