26 Comments
Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

That's pretty close to an argument I sometimes use, which also mentions ANZAC Day. The same day is useful for those who claim Maori have to forget the past.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

The cost of doing nothing dwarfs the cost of doing something.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

How good it sounds when we all sing the same song!

Thank you for the great idea of comparing WWII numbers, and effectively daring Drunk Uncle Kevin to say that NZ's effort did not count, because, numbers. Ha! Excellent ammo for the fight against deniers.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Bravo! I will be borrowing for my Uncle Kevin's and their pals.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Rommel made an interesting comment during WW2 , If he were to try and take Hell, the Australians would attack, and the New Zealanders would hold it - Our sacriface certainly mattered , just as it matters with regard to climate Change. This a closed loop , no escape for anyone if it all goes pear shaped.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

One of the many criticisms of what is purportedly Auckland Council's "Budget" is that it takes bugger all recognition of the impact of the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. Six people died & they still want to pause the Water Quality Targeted and Natural Environment Targeted Rates? You cannot be serious.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Oh good arguments sir.

Its a sure bet the Uncle Kev's of this world know very little of the history of why there is global warming and why it is so bad. So it will probably just confuse the fool when you tell him it really kicked in with the Industrial Revolution, which happened when China & India were still mainly agrarian countries. The fact they have more people is just incidental.

The 'developed world' has that dubious historical honour.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

And when Uncle Kev starts up about "Carbon Capture" - you can tell him that's a croc of shit too.

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Mar 22, 2023·edited Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Excellent - James Shaw likes to counter the 'we are too small to make a difference' argument by asking, "Does that mean we think that Los Angeles, pop. 3.85m, should not reduce emissions either?"

If we really want to climb into war analogies we might suggest that God /Gaia /Mother Nature (or whatever you want to call the self-organising system that is hosting us) uses war, pandemics and catastrophic climate events to cut the human race down to size when we get out of hand. Uncle Kev might like to confront the possibility that Homo Sapiens are of no consequence to the Universe.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Thank you David for the really good idea of comparing our efforts in world wars to what is required yesterday, the day before and all the tomorrows. The IPCC certainly made clear what is needed and it is rather simple for us. Reduce methane and reduce vehicle use and speeds. "And lo there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth."

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Brilliant! Definitely liking the WW2 example and am taking this with me for use with all the old guys....

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founding

Or never argue with a drunk.

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

Fabulous additional direction David. Useful facts. The number of times times I've heard the China-India record. Duh!

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

I argue with drunk uncles online, so some of those I use, but the 140,000 in WWII is just great. Another one I heard lately: if 5 million is too small to do anything, you can divide the whole population of the world into 5 million units, each of which is too small to do anything.

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So good, thanks David!

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Mar 22, 2023Liked by David Slack

"But never underestimate the battery power of a drunk uncle."

Crack up but also very true. And yeah, bringing up the WW2 example is bang on point. You can add how the Republic of Ireland was ostracised for its neutrality in WW2. (A point plenty in Northern Ireland were happy to make repeatedly when I was growing up there in the 1960s).

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