Autonomy

Very insightful video on the state of technology and the changing world because of it

Very cool indded

Cow Pie

Absolutely superb - cheers for that!! The Karl Frisch blog is very interesting too...

MacScot

Some good info for pub quizzes

Jeeper

Have you lot watched this...? http://www.storyofstuff.com/

MacScot

Watched it as far as the environment bit...exploitation of natural resources...destroying the environment...so dated and so wrong !

Jeeper

You reckon what's going on is wrong or that the presenter is wrong?

MacScot

The presenter...I'm a professional environmental consultant...and I detest this sort of nonsense being on the internet and fed to people by people who just do not have a clue !

Jeeper

The consumerism bit was good though......I mean..take dubai....how many people get a new mobile phone each year (or less) even though there is nothing wrong with the old one.


I was peer pressured into getting a new phone way back in 2005. Back then I had a cheap 100dhs phone from satwa (the basic nokia) and it worked a treat.
But mates would laugh at me.

Got convinced to get a new one. Bought a 1200dhs phone that had camera this and bluetooth that.

****.in thing died after about 8 months. I still have to original basic nokia now. It still makes phone calls and sends texts.

An ex once said to me when I was reluctant to buy a Dubai apartment in 2007 "what else are you doing with your money...counting it?".

Typical....most people think that once you've got a dirham or 2 in the bank you should go and spend it.

I hate the physical act of shopping and can't stand consumerism, fashion, trends etc. Load of tosh.

MacScot

That was a very good call...many people are suffering now by having bought at the wrong time...when the market was up !

littlejimmy

Are you saying the environment isn't being destroyed and natural resources aren't being exploited? I'm genuinely interested to know how.

The Dean

David Evans is my guru on this topic................ a quite brilliant article.

http://sciencespeak.com/NoEvidence.pdf

littlejimmy

Whether you believe in man-made global warming or not, I think it's blatantly obvious that humans have had an impact on the environment. No-one can seriously tell me we haven't. Mass extinctions, resource exhaustion, deforestation, pollution...

The real point is, however, what do we do about it...even what can we do about it? In the great scheme of things, in the lifetime of this planet, we are insignificant, and our influence will probably be minimal at the end of the day. We'll just be shaken off like fleas, and those people trying to "save the planet" needn't worry. The planet will outlive us and get over us very quickly.

The Dean

Yes but it would help if we could all agree on what the 'facts' actually are. For example, I read somewhere that, although the polar ice caps are shrinking in area, they are also thickening. What do we make of that?

And whether it's caused by us or is just the latest phase in some sort of megacyclical jobby is by no means certain.

littlejimmy

The problem is that too many people are more interested in political dichotomies and posturing rather than dealing in facts. It descends too quickly into left v right and accusations that each side has an agenda. Like you say, there are lots of facts that are pretty certain, and many that are not so clear, but some will argue that black is white just for the hell of it, and some scientists have become as protective and fervent as the religious nutters they claim to be better than.

Confucius

And also, phones should be microwave friendly...