Badger Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 6 hours ago, Cancer said: Humans deal very poorly with effects operating on timescales of 20 years or so or longer. It can be part of "Tragedy of the commons". As an example (of the long-timescale problem, not the TotC) ... This is Naples. There's the spectacular two-peaked mountain behind the city, and development is climbing its flanks. That mountain is Vesuvius. It is famous really for only thing: it exploded in 79 AD and destroyed a couple of towns. The volcano is still active, and it will do this again. This makes it a real estate developer's dream: build lots of cheap crap that isn't up to code and will fall apart in a decade or less, and sell it for big prices based on the name and the view. Ideally, the place blows up (literally) before the construction defects become manifest and the lawsuits get filed. When I look at politics, I find it hard to believe humans can deal with any timescales longer than 2 years. I do remember reading about some volcano that went active circa 1900, most of the older residents of the nearby town, remembered the last time, and laughed at the people who evacuated. Eventually it delivered...…..there were 2 survivors among those who didn't evacuate, one who lived on the outskirts, and one who was in the jail and was protected somewhat by thick walls, who still suffered severe burning. A lesson somewhere about he who laughs last, can probably be found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Mt Pelee in Martinique. There was also the Harry Truman who lived in a lodge on Mt St Helens and refused to evacuate before the explosion in 1980. He was the only one who refused evacuation. Others killed were geologists and photographers (who went in knowing some of the risks) and I think most of the rest were people caught in the lahar flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Christopher Tolkien has passed away at age 95. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 Huh. I had no idea he was that old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNakagawa Posted January 16, 2020 Report Share Posted January 16, 2020 15 hours ago, dmjalund said: I'd be interested to see what a firebow looks like Michael Hopcroft and pinecone 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Cancer said: Mt Pelee in Martinique. There was also the Harry Truman who lived in a lodge on Mt St Helens and refused to evacuate before the explosion in 1980. He was the only one who refused evacuation. Others killed were geologists and photographers (who went in knowing some of the risks) and I think most of the rest were people caught in the lahar flow. Yeah, Martinique sounds familiar to the location, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted January 17, 2020 Report Share Posted January 17, 2020 4 hours ago, tkdguy said: Christopher Tolkien has passed away at age 95. 4 hours ago, Old Man said: Huh. I had no idea he was that old. It startled me too when I read it. Although on reflection, considering his father fought in WW I, it really shouldn't. As a rather, um, unorthodox memorial (potentially NSFW due to language): pinecone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 Remind me again why people live there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 That reminds me of a couple of pictures I've seen from the Dust Bowl era in Oklahoma and Kansas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 10 hours ago, Old Man said: Remind me again why people live there? Rent's cheap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombrown803 Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 10 hours ago, Old Man said: Remind me again why people live there? 22 minutes ago, Badger said: Rent's cheap? No, it's the good food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 9 hours ago, Cancer said: That reminds me of a couple of pictures I've seen from the Dust Bowl era in Oklahoma and Kansas. I'm pretty sure the Dust Bowl was the last bowl Kansas has been in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 I think that would be the Toilet Bowl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 ...yikes... Singer David Olney Dies During Performance at Florida’s 30A Festival Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 "Yikes?" Hell, that's the absolutely _perfect_ way to go! Vital to the last second, surrounded by friends, fans, and doing what you love..... I'm happy as hell for the man. Good job, David! Well done, and I hope you loved it. Pariah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcw43921 Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 Dutch Artists Celebrate George Orwell's Birthday With Party Hats On Cameras Duke Bushido and Old Man 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hail, dust storms, fires… and the threat of flash floods: Wild weather rages across Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 Science news that really matters: Fraudulent old scotch and its detection in the lab Cygnia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted January 20, 2020 Report Share Posted January 20, 2020 New China virus: Cases triple as infection spreads to Beijing and Shanghai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 Nature on the same subject Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 There is now a reported case in Washington State, brought in on an international flight. Everybody. Panic. Now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 *side-eyes the brother-in-law who JUST came back from China* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 47 minutes ago, Michael Hopcroft said: There is now a reported case in Washington State, brought in on an international flight. Everybody. Panic. Now. Not sure why this came to mind but... "The bumps you feel are asteroids smashing into the hull of the ship. Also, we're flying without a navigational system and can't seem to change course." "Miss? Are you telling us absolutely everything?" "Not exactly... we're also out of coffee." *Passengers freak out!* - Airplane II: The Sequel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted January 21, 2020 Report Share Posted January 21, 2020 35 minutes ago, Cygnia said: *side-eyes the brother-in-law who JUST came back from China* Yeah, I currently have a cousin working in Asia (Vietnam I think) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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