The climate is changing. The climate is always changing.
Scientists show that there is no connection between the human contribution of carbon dioxide and climate change / global warming.
Climate change is a political agenda. It is propaganda. Not science.
Why do we suppose CO2 is responsible for climate change? CO2 = 0.054% of the atmosphere; how much CO2 is there in the atmosphere? Humans are adding only a very small percentage. Atmosphere has very small % of greenhouse gases. Water vapour = 94% of greenhouse gases
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Formal US VP Al Gore – the definitive popular interpretation; comes from ice core surveys. That's it. What is the correlation between temperature and CO2 levels?
However, the link is the wrong way around. Temperature leads CO2. CO2 follows – a lag of 800 years.
CO2 is not a pollutant. It is natural. Humans produce a small fraction. Humans and factories, volcanoes, animals and wildlife, dying plants and vegetation, and oceans. Oceans are #1 contributors of CO2 according to scientists – if you heat the ocean, it emits co2; the cooler, the more they absorb. Shoe we have a war on oceans?!
There is no evidence that CO2 has ever determined climate change.
How about Sunspots – how reliable are sunspots as an indicator of climate change? Sunspots v. Temperature. In fact there is a direct correlation. The sun is driving climate change.
Japan is the second largest economy in the world (for now). In school students are required to study English for five or six years. People spend hundreds of dollars on electronic dictionaries. There are many private English schools in Japan. It is estimated that English is an annual $4 billion industry in Japan – not including private lessons. In Japan English is cool. The language shows up everywhere: store and product names, t-shirts, restaurants and music lyrics. Despite its popularity, its prevalence and the money spent, the second wealthiest country known for hardworking, diligent students, the Japanese are amazingly disappointing.
As seen on a menu at a one coin bar in shibuya:
“Omlet that sSpicy Cod roe entered”
Just like that. I couldn't get a good photo. I'll have to go back...
The internet has transformed (read: shaken up) the music industry, the film industry, long distance telephone calls, the travel industry and most recently it is chipping away at the newspaper industry.
Which sector is next to face the threat? Would you believe: universities?
What are we paying for? Student loans in the United States are outrageously high.
$5000, $10,000 or higher per year in tuition, then there are living costs
University education will soon be free, or very, very affordable to say the least.
The end of high-price university tuition. What are you paying for?
The question is: "Why go to college at all?" read a book. find it online. join online communities. join offline communities. ask questions. develop a portfolio of your learning. in the past universities were repositories of knowledge and wisdom. they were central, physical meeting places of learned people. now, they are everywhere. unless you are studying for a professional designation like a P.Eng., or M.D., why waste your time and money? Why do people still go to university? they're expensive. It is well past time to re-think universities and their function.
"Discombobulated". Do you know this word? Likely not. If you type it into a word processor the spellcheck will not catch it. Why? Because it is a regular English word. What does it mean? Mmmmm....
So, if Discombobulated is a word, then how about : "combobulated", the past tense of "combobulate". They will show up as unknown.
Deliver We use this word often. How about "liver"? If you deliver, isn't the opposite to liver?
Antidisestablishmentarianism Here is another one that will pass your spellcheck. Amazing.
Wow. I was so surprised today to see that I have not made a posting here since the solar eclipse back in July. It is not that I have no topics to write about or no opinions to give. I have been writing, just not posting.
After some time off in August and a relaxing time spent in Vancouver, I have had a hard time to get back on track and get motivated again. This reminded me of a quick note I'd created recently. We are a society with an attention deficit.
Attention deficit society People are losing a MASSIVE amount of time, because they are not focused, me included. Tools and methods are useful. Getting in the habit is CRITICAL.
To change? Change you habits. Model your behaviour against those who are succeeding. The best people have a coach. Perhaps you should get a coach, too.
July 22, 2009. The Longest Total Solar Eclipse of the 21st century will pass over India, China and through the Pacific Ocean off the Southern tip of Japan. What is its impact on ocean temperature and current. An eclipse is an amazing natural phenomenon. The sun's light is blocked by the moon. During this time sunlight is dimmed, the air cools. Birds are tricked into flying back to their nests and flowers close. How much will this change in direct sunlight and cooling affect ocean temperature and air along the path of the eclipse. It is the longest solar eclipse and passes over significant swath of ocean. We will soon find out.
For a while I have been thinking, planning, researching the prospect of launching an online education business. It is a real challenge to determine the right business model in the massive sea of other online education, training and eLearning sites. I know there are opportunities, I'll keep thinking.
Recently The Obama government announced a program to develop free online courses at American community colleges.
The question is: Are they being used? Well, really, there are an array of questions: Are they being used? By whom? How? Are they used only by those who have access? How long will it take for a shift (if it happens) toward these free resources and How will this change 'formal' education?
You can learn for free now: go to a library. You can explore a vast array of information and knowledge: use the Internet Need to learn a process?: Watch a "how to" video on YouTube Thousands of parents who do not like the public school system have opted to "home school" [Home Based Learning] their children
What role does formal education fulfill? What was it's purpose in the first place and where is it going? Are schools fast becoming outdated?
Well, before we consider this, we need to think about the role of formal education. This is a topic to be explored in future posts.
Try living next to the US. 35 million Canadians versus 350 million Americans. They have an uninformed / stereotypical view of Canadians which is challenged in this very, very popular beer commercial of the 1990's.
Follow along and read my comments below the video:
Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader and i don't live in an igloo or eat blubber or own a dog sled and i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice. I have a prime minister, not a president. I speak English and French, not "American" and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot" I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack I believe in peacekeeping, not policing diversity not assimilation and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal a touque is a hat a chesterfield is a couch and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED". Canada is the 2nd largest land mass the first nation of hockey and the best part of North America my name is Joe and I am Canadian thank you.
Explanation:
Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader and i don't live in an igloo or eat blubber or own a dog sled
[Still...Americans think this is the image of a typical Canadian. They ask us..sometimes...those that know where Canada is...]
or i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, though I'm certain they're really, really nice.
[Funny because it is not uncommon if you tell an America that you are from Canada, they will ask: "Ah, from Canada, do you know Jimmy in Toronto?" -- I am not kidding. This is why it's funny. It is true. Canadians find this hilarious...but annoying]
I have a prime minister, not a president.
[they think every country has a president]
I speak English and French, not "American" and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"
[Very common for American to ask Canadians: "Say "about", Say "about"!". They think it is hilarious....we think it is annoying. We do have more of an "oo" sound compared to "ow" - especially in eastern Canada, where they really do say "aboot"! And I ask people from Nova Scotia to say "aboot" ;-) ]
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack
[For many, many years Canadians traveling abroad will sew a Canadian flag on their packpack so they will not be mistaken for American. Canadians pride themselves on an excellent global reputation of not invading, attacking or overthrowing nations. In Europe, if you speak English people assume you are British, or worse: American. When you tell them you are Canadian, their expression changes, their face lights up. It is so nice. I always appreicate it and never get tired of it.
FYI - Americans know about this flag on the backpack and some American travelers sew Canadian flags on theirs. Shameful.]
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing
[Canada is a long time supporter of UN Peacekeeping missions. In fact a former Canadian Prime Minister: Lester Pearson created the UN Peacekeeping Forces for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize]
diversity not assimilation
[America's vision: E Pluribus Unum - it is on the back of the US dollar bill - it means: from many, one. People move from many countries and many cultures to America. When you move to America, you must assilimate - become American. Canada has a vision and a policy of multiculturalism. People move from many countries and many cultures to Canada. When you move to Canada, you can be or do anything you like - continue to practice your beliefs and culture. Diversity]
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal
[mmm....?]
a touque is a hat
[this is a Canadian word.]
a chesterfield is a couch
[From the English furniture maker. my parents always refer to the sofa as a "Chesterfield". Sound strange? What do Japanese call a stapler?...]
and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".
[It is.]
Canada is the 2nd largest land mass
[It is.]
the first nation of hockey
[It is.]
and the best part of North America
[It is.]
my name is Joe and I am Canadian thank you.
[Canadians are known for being very, very polite - compared to Americans. Thus the "thank you" at the end.]
Now you have a much better understanding of Canadians :-)
