Earl Hood

Well rubbish Wrecker as I pointed out earlier CO2 is the problem, along with methane and other greenhouse gases. The physics is indistupable, if you keep pumping CO2 into a system you get warming, there has since been some debate here about whether it is a closed system. I say it is a closed system, DC says no but I would take issue with that. So yes there are many variables but that is no excuse to do nothing. We know you are obsessed with the accuracy of models, I say they are a side issue, the basic physics says we have a problem that must be addressed now not later.

Good point DP but I think we can continue to manage the nuclear issues we have had for nearly 70 years but yes it is always a risk. Food production and population movements will all become a greater problem as the temperature continues to rise. Millions will be on the move with sea level rises. How will we handle that?

But apparently that is still within the current rules??? Boy how loose are these ruled? Let us get this straight, I take a tax payer funded copper to Drysdale Golf Club for a party fund raiser but it is still within the rules? I know Tony has run close to the line with VIP jet runs to Melbourne for party functions but he has always had a government appointment organised for cover.

DP if it is not our greatest challenge, globally, what is dare I ask?

DC in global terms we are dealing with a closed system I believe. Where else are the greenhouse gases going. Off into space? As far as I know CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere unless it is absorbed in the oceans or into carbon organisms like trees, animals, wetlands etc. when we were in equilibrium in recent millenniums there was no problem but from the beginning of the industrial revolution we have been digging up coal and burning it at unprecedented rates. That is the problem and the solution is to replace energy production from fossil fuels with clean, zero emission energy like ugly wind turbines. That would come at a relatively small global cost compared to the high cost consequences. We need to act now and decisively, there is no more time for quibbling or navel gazing on what we should do or if we should do anything because there is a 5% chance that the science might be wrong. The consequences of equivocating are huge, the consequences of acting now but if it is proved wrong are.....? Not a lot for society. The only losers are the fossil fuel companies and they are the ones sowing doubt about the "models". I say again the models are a side issue.

DC and DP just remember to keep the modelling in perspective. I am happy to believe in them accepting there will be a variability of plus or minus 20 or 30% from reality, like every other intelligent prediction we may make in life. My point is not to get too caught up in arguing about the accuracy of predictive models. I will go with the indisputable physics, if we keep pumping CO2 and methane into the atmosphere at ever increasing rates we get atmospheric heating. That is a given. I then note that for the last 360 months, NASA says that global temperatures have been at or above the 20th Century average. The last below average month was in 1985. We have a disturbing trend here. So yes we can challenge models but really I need to ask where do you stand on climate change? Do you believe it is our greatest challenge that we must deal with now or are you both still, dare I say it, sitting on the fence and waiting for further data?

SEN's Andy Maher this morning brought up an article from 2008 where I think he said it was Mike Sheehan outed Mitchell and Hodge for deliberate use of the knees to, he claimed to debilitate opposition players. Hmmm interesting how the Dawks have always pushed violent actions to the limits. I think of Brereton's antics in the late 80's. you know where he would run straight into a centre bounce and target someone with a shirt front and get away with it week after week. Nothing to do with the ball just intent to maim an opponent to the point where the AFL had to change the rules. And lets not discuss Lethal and the damage he perpetrated, the ulimate sniper. This year we have had the Hawks for some reason believing they had to make a statement physically because they had dropped a couple of matches, so we had the Hodge flying elbow to the head, the Lewis coat hanger and now Mitchell and the lifting knee that he claims has something to do with self protection. Yeah sure. I just wish a few teams would give it back to them in spades but it never happens.

Northey jumped ship of his own accord in 92 I believe and Barrassi excused himself in 85 I think. Otherwise, yes most were terminated. I always personally thought Dennis Jones was a bit stiff, he could have been a legend given the chance, in the same mould as Murray Wiederman as a coach.

I agree with your premise about intent thus my issue with Mitchell running around leading with his knee and finally getting a fine believe it or not.

As for women's tennis, I watched the final and really that match was amazing. Serena is the greatest player of all time. She just belts every ball that comes near her at 100% speed down the lines, it is incredible. Big serve, big forehand, big backhand, amazing athletism and big presence! You watched the game and it was all about Serena from about the third game, her aggression, what she was doing. The poor Spanish girl was valiant but really just a support act in the drama. And what hope did she have because you don't get into rallies with Serena where you can start to work her out and probe her weaknesses. No she just belts balls at the lines in the belief that she can get at least 60% of balls in and that is enough to win. I believe she would have dealt with all the past champions in the same way, Steph, Martina, Margaret Court.

To be fair he was found guilty, the consequences weren't bad so he gets 2 downgraded to one? Not perfect but what would you do?

The Mitchell incidence is amazing. I had a look again today and you just can't do that. What everytime I run into a contest I put my knee into the opposing players thigh at full pace? I did that once as a player instinctively, knew I did the wrong thing and copped heaps from the opposition for it. The MRP got this wrong big time.

It seems Tony now wants the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to not invest in wind or small scale solar. The CEFC's brief is to invest in viable, established green energy projects to promote carbon reduction and make a profitable rate of return. That brief has been turned on its head, the mad Abbott is restricting their investment to the more risky end of the scale and if that does not make a profit, Tony will shut them down, no doubt. What now must the CEFC invest in green coal? Green uranium perhaps? Green cobalt?

Wrecker I haven't bothered because we have been here before but you don't agree so be it. There is no pause, the world keeps warming in the 2000's albeit at a slower rate of increase as the 20 years to 1998. The models may not have reflected that reduction in accelerated warming perfectly but they are still relevant. What is your point anyway? The world is not cooling is it? Just remember the consequences if you are wrong versus the costs of doing something to avoid the plus 2 degrees warming, which is three fifths of fuyck all for society. Except of course you are linked to the fossil fuel industry in some way. What is your problem, do you work for Exxon or someone similar?

Lock in the Dorks for three in a row I say. Who or what will stop them now? Injuries, not likely, one they don't get them (not footy related at least), two they have depth to cover most positions. Their direct threats all have major deficiencies that won't cut it in finals.

DC you look pretty good as well it is just those dark rings around your eyes that are an issue. I guess they are from one too many nights spent at the Burvale and the odd punch up at closing time?

RL this lack of midfield clearance smarts has been a problem for years. Can you coach it to improve or is it imbedded in your mids. They either have it or they don't? You watch The Dorks and at every centre bounce they seem to have plenty of space to offload the ball to one, then another team mate, then they are off. With us it just a tap to someone who tries to barge through a pack, gets tackled and draws another ball up or as you say puts out a short handball to another in similar traffic.

Being stuck up here in Noosa I was debating whether to watch the match on Fox or go fishing. Haven't seen anything of the match and I definitely made the right decision although I didn't even get a nibble but I was fully relaxed and not agitated for the afternoon and got some sun as well. Reading the aftermath here has left me depressed and I want to know what it is that we do to induce opposition forwards to kick straight? Cloke 7.0, now Daniher 5.0. Every time those guys play someone else they will kick 2.5 or 1.4. Then we would win. The other question for me is Max's dominance in the ruck but we barely won the clearances, his efforts should have set us up for a win.

I am stuck in Noosa! Not sure whether to watch the game on Fox or go frolicking on the beach?

Really? I always thought I had a resemblance to a young, dashing Yul Brenner, you know the exotic Mongolian/Asian look of the King and I.

DC, DL, NB you can carry on all you like with these peripheral issues like climate change or over population but you ignore the real issues of our time like Bill Shorten being involved with some dodgy invoices to the AWU to the tune of $300k involving a $5 billion contract. These are the real issues threatening our civilisation! That and ISIS the greatest threat to our civilisation in living memory according to Julie Bishop. I mean forget Hitler or the Japanese imperial conquests in WW2 or even the Soviets, these guys are the real deal! Once they take Baghdad then we are just sitting ducks like we were in 1856 when the Russians took the points in the Crimean War.

Hey how did I get dragged into this toxic or detoxic exchange? Is it something about my area of expertise?

Where is Deefrog when you need him. We are talking bananas and that is his area of expertise!

He is ssspecial!! Varcoe's brilliant tap back from the boundary for a goal hardly got a mention from anyone and someone had to tell Bruce who it was but can you imagine the dripping accolades if it had been Cyril!

Common issue Biff. I failed structural engineering and surveying at least once, well twice actually but I am in the engineering industry 25 years on and still functioning. Funny thing that, but how many people are working outside their area of expertise? Where I work I would say at least 50 per cent of people are operating outside their area of expertise.