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Last updated on July 16th, 2017 at 04:26 pm
A Canadian actress considers global warming, and asks the obvious question:
What would Thumbelina be doing in this kind of situation?
Tim Flannery is to blame, of course. Speaking of Flannery, the great water-shortage alarmist is currently “recovering from the flu after a particularly cold, damp July.”
UPDATE. Headline of the month: “Rural climate change sceptics shock kayaker
.”
Too bad Canadian law doesn’t prohibit complete idiocy, else “The Trial of Thumbelina” would result in a verdict of guilty.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 08 09 at 02:46 PM • permalink
“Rural climate change sceptics shock kayaker
.”And we would have gotten away with it too were it not for those darn kids…
Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2007 08 09 at 02:52 PM • permalink
I told you we needed to place the electrodes differently to shock the kayaker, paco, but nooo you said Uncle KKKarl had taught you and that you knew the right way to do it.
Well look at the mess.
Posted by Mr. Bingley on 2007 08 09 at 03:07 PM • permalink
No, mate its just a cycle
Shocka! The Earth goes through cycles
. Pardon me while I write this down…..Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 08 09 at 03:14 PM • permalink
Do people still read Flannery’s books? I loved Future Eaters (his thesis). Everything after that has been crap.
As for the kayaker, he should wait until there’s more water in the river – or put wheels on his kayak. The cow cockies’d know about weather cycles
, they’re quite familiar with them, unlike young city folk. I don’t know what the excuse is for people of Garrett’s vintage and others’ belief in AGW.
As someone who makes and paddles canoes … I was completely astounded to learn that I am also an expert on climate change or global warming or global cooling or…. Man, this expertise gig is pretty confusing. Maybe if I switched to kayaks it would all make sense. Must be the double bladed paddle that makes one an expert on all things eco.
- #9 Kae
Do people still read Flannery’s books?
In rapidly declining numbers, it would seem.
And just because a book is sold, that does not mean that it has been read. I have a pristine copy (unwanted Christmas gift) on my bookshelves that will never be read.
Even the ABC seems to have dropped him from its list of “expert scientists” and did not include him in the GGWS “debate”.
Thumbelina, kicked up a notch.
Gore: Polluters Manipulate Climate Info
SINGAPORE — Research aimed at disputing the scientific consensus on global warming is part of a huge public misinformation campaign funded by some of the world’s largest carbon polluters, former Vice President Al Gore said Tuesday.
Money quote:
“They’re trying to manipulate opinion and they are taking us for fools,” he said.
BUT AL, it’s so easy, you putz.
- A great cockchafer came flying past; he caught sight of Thumbelina, and in a moment had put his arms round her slender waist, and had flown off with her to a tree. The green leaf floated away down the stream, and the butterfly with it, for he was fastened to the leaf and could not get loose from it. Oh, dear! how terrified poor little Thumbelina was when the cockchafer flew off with her to the tree! But she was especially distressed on the beautiful white butterfly’s account, as she had tied him fast, so that if he could not get away he must starve to death. But the cockchafer did not trouble himself about that; he sat down with her on a large green leaf, gave her the honey out of the flowers to eat, and told her that she was very pretty, although she wasn’t in the least like a cockchafer. Later on, all the other cockchafers who lived in the same tree came to pay calls;
Hmmm, Something tells me that unlike the thumbelina of the fairy tale that the Canadian Thumbelina is indeed a cockchafer.Posted by joe bagadonuts on 2007 08 09 at 05:22 PM • permalink
Must be the double bladed paddle that makes one an expert on all things eco.
Nope, it’s the spray skirt, but only the neoprene variety, that confers expertise on you, not the paddle.
It’s a common misconception.
And collapsible wheels for your kayak are really handy, even if you’re not trying to paddle down a dry riverbed.
steve mcintyre at climate audit reports on a significant change in the “hottest year” in USA, from 1998 to, wait for it, 1934.
In fact most of the hottest years were not in the last decade, as previously shouted from the rooftops.
Note this is USA only change, and is said not to impact on the global figures, which still say 1998 was the hottest.
I’d link you the article, but his site is down at the moment.
thumbelina hey – I knew this crackpot theory was more fantasy than fact.
canoeist surprised – I’m surprised he wasn’t whacked around the head to knock some sense into him – must be those country values kicking in.
friday is here! – yeah – just struggling along here, nose to the grindstone, wishing to be on holiday …
#31: A lot of the kayakers I used to know had a singularly (in my opinion) misplaced enthusiasm for their own Authoritas in any number of areas; personally, I believe it stems from their practice of the Eskimo Roll. They accomplish the 180º roll-down with ease, the kayak thus equipping itself with a new, 4-foot-long keel, the bottom of which is the kayaker’s head … the trick is then to make it back up through the other 180º of arc before either advanced hypoxia causes an over-conspicuous loss of brain cells (actually not a high risk in boating circles, I grant you, at least not the ones I frequented) or a river-bottom rock or two deprives the boater of part or all of his cranium and/or its contents. Many have trouble with one or the other, and I believe this trends them toward their misperceptions of personal greatness.
Another one from the Do As I Say, Not As I Do file: some greenie group has a billboard in Canberra with “Howard’s Asleep on Climate Change” and a still shot from that stupid TV
commercial. One problem though, Canberra’s planning laws prohibit fixed billboards, so the billboard is on the back of a big diesel truck. The truck drives all around Canberra, racking up hundreds of kilometres a day and belching diesel fumes everywhere.
Saw a story on that Kayaking
idiot a few weeks ago on 730 report.The fundamental difficulty he had in respect of his noble quest of kayaking from Brisbane to Adelaide is the unfortunate location of the Great Dividing Range. Water doesn’t run up it, not over it. He was always going to have to cart the thing, that’s probably why he attached wheels to it.
He was sitting in a pub talking to the locals about how little water there was in the river.
“There’s a drought, you shoulda given us a ring before you started” one bloke told him.
Outback rednecks. What would they know.
Steve McKintyre’s forcing (pun intended) of the revision to the NASA USA temperature record is a major achievement, and note the deafening silence from the media.
As for the rest of the world (temperatures), IMO its almost certain that the temperature record is more contaminated than the USA record. And there are now allegations of outright fraud in the China temperature record.
When I heard he was kayaking
from Brisbane to Adelaide, I assumed he was going around the coast. It now appears he is going overland. What a stupid twat.Besides, if he wanted a real challenge he should kayak from Brisbane to Perth. I hear water levels are good on the Nullabor.
I used to be an avid canoeist. Most are sensible people, although some with a liking for certain recreational drugs.
Given that 1998 is no longer the hottest year on record, as revealed by Steve McIntyre, this headline is possibly the most percipient, or ironic, that has ever been written.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:12 PM • permalink
“recovering from the flu after a particularly cold, damp July.”
Well, it is winter, what do you eexpect?
This piece of news certainly warms the cockels of my heart.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:13 PM • permalink
The Murray River is the lifeblood of Australia’s farming country, a legendary river that thundered 1,500 miles from the Snowy Mountains to the Indian Ocean
Who wrote this shit ?
I’m not a flawless geographer, but when I were a kid, the Murray rain into the Southern Ocean, near Adelaide which is roughly 1500km from the Indian Ocean.
I didn’t realise things were so crook.
#15, Skeeter, a good metric I find for the real popularity of books
purchased is how rapidly they turn up in trashy used-book stores, you know, the ones which have all those recipe and self-help books.A really good used book
store rarely has anything “new” in it; all books are very definately used.Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:23 PM • permalink
Don’t you understand? … Global warming diverted it.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:25 PM • permalink
Had you been on a trapeze before?
Said the bishop to the Canadian actress.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:26 PM • permalink
What this guy needs is the caryak, from Paco Outdoors Products, Inc. A true all-terrain, amphibious vehicle, equipped with a 4-cylinder engine to carry you over those drought-ravaged spots, and retractable wheels for the occasional river, which permit you to enjoy the thrills of the traditional kayaking
experience (i.e., swooshing downstream in a boat, upside down, with icy water shooting into your lungs and your head banging against the rocky river-bottom).Paco Outdoors Products: Get Out There!
many rural people do not believe in climate change
This is one of the reasons I love your outback.
Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 08 09 at 07:36 PM • permalink
#54: Paco, we used to have those out in western Oklahoma and West Texas all the time in flash flood weather—only back then we just usually called them “cars.” Favorite whitewater (er, brownwater) sport for idiots, seemingly, was trying to drive across any intersection you couldn’t see the bottom of. Somehow, it usually ended in tears. Or worse.
Problem was, after about the twentieth time the vehicle got rolled around on the riverbottom, it got compacted down around the driver so sufficiently it was just about impossible to separate the two for last rites. Heard several fairly macabre tales of interments out in the Panhandle that were not, shall we say, exactly standard?
NASA says… Ooops, we’re dead already…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 08 09 at 08:16 PM • permalink
Steve Posselt, who is pulling his kayak along the Darling River
It’s so hard to keep up with the slang the kids are using these days. I remember when a kayak was an enclosed canoe.
Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 08 09 at 08:19 PM • permalink
If you’re too butch for lolcats…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 08 09 at 09:01 PM • permalink
He says he did not expect so many people to doubt what the majority of climate scientists agree on.
“I’ve been astounded by the actual lack of belief on this trip,” he said.
“Many people want to argue the issue about whether there is such a thing as global warming.
“You can talk to blokes in the pub and they say yep winters aren’t what they used to be, they’re a lot shorter.
“And you say, ‘well do you believe in climate change? No, mate its just a cycle’.”
I want to know how come the “blokes at the pub” have worked it out and yet the very intelligent scientists havent worked out that maybe ‘recorded history’ doesnt stretch back far enough to make conclusive determinations!
Keep draging your canoe if for nothing else its funny as to watch
Some would say this is a better outcome than guiding his craft between the Snowy Mountains or pushing his kayak up the mighty Franklin River with Senator Brown, but I am open-mind on this subject.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 08 09 at 09:16 PM • permalink
Sorry to break it to you, but they’ve one-uped you in the powered kayak department. Meet the Jet Powered Kayak.
‘Course I’ve got a 10ft sit on top that is one hell of a lot of fun to chase redfish around the flats with. Hook into a decent sized one and they’ll tow you all over the place.
Bob Brown’s first foray into environmentalism came after witnessing the horrors of ringbarking in his beloved Styx Valley.
Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 08 09 at 09:28 PM • permalink
I want to know how come the “blokes at the pub” have worked it out and yet the very intelligent scientists havent worked out that maybe ‘recorded history’ doesnt stretch back far enough to make conclusive determinations!
Do-no…but I don’t think it can be alcohol, on the “blokes or “the very intelligent scientists” part.
Who could blame Bob for his attachment to the mighty old growths – some which require several men holding hands to entirely encircle.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 08 09 at 09:36 PM • permalink
#79 I love scientist cause they seem to have adopted my make stuff up and believe it model.
On one side you have the “alcohol destroys your brain” scientists and on the other side you have these scientists
I wonder which one is more likely to be passed on by the wider community
Yes. It’s got me beat how the hicks on the land who’ve seen it all before have worked it out. No models for them.
I wonder if kayak-boy has ever had anything to do with anyone off the land with a few years weather cycles under their belt.
I also note that some of the photos have been taken by a bilious camel.
Oh, that last para was oafish and infantile.
Kayak. It’s not just a palindrome.
Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 08 09 at 09:43 PM • permalink
Floating Arctic Ice Shrinking at Record Rate
The cause is probably a mix of natural fluctuations, like unusually sunny conditions in June and July, and long-term warming from heat-trapping greenhouse gases and sooty particles accumulating in the air, according to several scientists.
My ice shrinking it caused by the alcohol, I put in the glass.
“The melting rate during June and July this year was simply incredible,” Mr. Chapman said. “And then you’ve got this exposed black ocean soaking up sunlight and you wonder what, if anything, could cause it to reverse course.”
Paint it white, maybe?
#90 – That night we extracted a profound revenge on lesser men…
The war on terror summed up in 10 words. Beautiful.
Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 08 09 at 10:53 PM • permalink
Also, don’t miss this: the consequences of George Bush’s liberal immigration policy. What’s under your fedora?
Please help a blogger in distress.
To be ordered to divorce in order to get a passport is monstrous. Bizarre.
#96 – Better a minkey than a beaum on board.
Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 08 09 at 11:07 PM • permalink
Posted this late last evening. In my opinion, it deserved to be posted, again.
This little Iraqi girl’s entire family was executed. They intended to execute her also and shot her in the head, but they failed to kill her.
She was cared for by John Gebhardt’s hospital and is healing, but has been crying and moaning The nurses said John is the only one she seems to calm down with, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both sleep in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing.
So, a stranger comes into town <i> pulling a boat down the road >i< and offers to give instruction to the locals, and they doubt his credentials?
How stupid do you have to be to be surprised at your reception?
Posted by Harry Eagar on 2007 08 09 at 11:40 PM • permalink
#100: Classic pic, El Cid (and classic story to go with it).
In re: the GWOT story I linked, I wish there was an audio grab somewhere of those cave-dwelling rats when this started happening: “Once in our Intel spaces I was told that during our mission that Osama’s thugs were crying on their radios, declaring that the world was coming to an end and asking for divine assistance from Allah.” Hey, boys, you asked for your 72 virgins and you got ‘em! What were you cryin’ about?
So, El Cid, engineering, rig hand, mud crew, what? Kingfisher’s getting right close to home (OKC), but my job covered a lot of the state plus parts of Texas (Borger, God save the mark) and Kansas… you’re right, winters were COLD. There’s nothing between Oklahoma and the North Pole but two barb wire fences and a cow or two, and one cow moves the wind gets purely mean.
- #66
As does Bolta, suspect Williams is Auntie’s high priest of Science and was the instigator of the mass debate of ‘swindle’.And, as per the comments, other than his B Sc., has no scientific experience, and suspect lil’ aptitude* … should’ve followed his thespian interests … looked like he thought he had great stage presence at the debate.
Per Bolta, here’s hoping the ole fraud retires/gets the sack.*Science Show discussion about aircraft (re)routing for greater fuel efficiency in light of alleged AGW, re advocated use of the jet stream: ‘That doesn’t make the plane feel unstable or anything, does it, hurtling around like that?’ … f*cktard …
Akin to Auntie’s Dr Alan Saunders thinking that wind erosion would affect urban housing masonry structures, small womder he hosts food and architecture programs: those who can, do, those who can’t find something else to do …
Robyn 100m Williams as thespian: Papageno in The Magic Flute
From here comes this quote:
“And I wanted science to be something that people would be sceptical about. In other words, that they wouldn’t simply listen to stuff handed down from on-high, as the true tablets of stuff but something that they would say, “Hang on, that doesn’t quite add up.”
Williams must be enjoying his discussion with Bolta.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 08 10 at 01:59 AM • permalink
Williams also makes a blip on my Sounds Like Bullshit-ometer with his claims to have made guest appearances on the Goodies and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 08 10 at 02:17 AM • permalink
I considered sub prime loans and wondered, “What would Spiderman do?” Forget it. That’s stupid.
Posted by dean martin on 2007 08 10 at 06:56 AM • permalink
Many years ago there was a cartoon in Punch magazine of a man lost in the desert. The hapless soul was clutching the sun-bleached horns on the skull of a long-dead long-horn as if they were the handlebars of a motorbike. The caption said “Brmm, brmmm, brrrrrrrrrrr”
Is that any less sad than a man dragging a kayak along the dried out bed of river?
- Posted by dean martin on 2007 08 10 at 07:35 AM • permalink
#115 What would Brian Boitano do?
Posted by ThinAndBritish on 2007 08 10 at 07:50 AM • permalink
“he is disappointed with the sceptical nature of outback Australians”
Did this guy invent bigotry or do you think he had outside help?
Posted by ThinAndBritish on 2007 08 10 at 08:01 AM • permalink
- Posted by ThinAndBritish on 2007 08 10 at 09:13 AM • permalink
Should you come back and read this…
engineering, rig hand, mud crew, what?
I’ll take ‘em one at a time.
engineering
Never did see a train go by..
rig hand
Getting close, but never lost one..
mud crew
Always covered with it..
what?
Well, roughneck. Handled the tongs, grabbed the pipe as she was hoisted, wrapped the chains and then resumed my duties of cleaning the platform off, only to start the same all over again, when it was time…Kinda’ worked my UP, from A WORM. Although to this day, some still call me A WORM…:).
Never will forget the Red Wing Store in ‘downtown’ Kingfisher and the “shoe” salesman.
Walked in he said..“whatcha need”. I said “steel toe boots”…He said… “Nawww, whatcha need is hard toes”…I said..“OH?”…He said… “yep, ya see when somethin’ heavy falls on your feet, with hard toes all it’ll do is crush them toes, with steel toes, hell, it’ll cut them toes right off”…I said… “Hmmmm, I think I’d rather have them steel toes and have them toes cut slap off, besides that’s what the Boss, ordered me to get”…He said “OK, its your feet”.
I never will forget my days on Wildcat Rig #39, Bogart Oil…Kingfisher, OK. working the graveyard shift. Had a room right above one of the local bars, even got some sleep too, once the fightin’ stopped…LOL.
#122, Cid, were you around for the bumper stickers, “Please, God, please let there be another oil boom: I PROMISE I won’t p—- it all away this time”…? I was a Company man … -er, woman, myself, and mostly an office rat, so a lot of the wilder stuff sort of slid right on by, but I had good friends in the middle of it for years. Interesting times.
Nope, never did see those stickers. I was there 1977-78. Course I wasn’t really looking for bumper stickers.
All I ever looked for was my check…Oh and counted my toes, every time I took them there boots
off…:).Interesting times, for damn sure.
123, Kae—bit-fishing, now there’s an occupation. Not exactly the steadiest of work, but I expect it pays well on recovery since those little dudes are a pricey item. Drilling’s slowed in Oklahoma, but it’s still more than a pastime, and Texas is still active, so your friend likely has ongoing opportunities if he’s still in that line of work.
I’m ordering
my “WWTD?” teeshirt right now.