CO2 Emissions and Ocean Acidification

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions have two negative effects on the World System: (1) CO2 pumped into the atmosphere increases the greenhouse effect that drives global warming and (2) CO2 absorbed by the oceans (between 30-40% of emissions) creates ocean acidification (lower pH). 

Ocean pH is lowered through the creation of carbonic acid. As ocean pH is lowered, corals die and calcifying organisms who need carbonate to form their shells (carbonate is depleted by carbonic acid formation) start dissolving and dying. When corals and calcifying organisms start dying, food chains are disrupted. Since humanity is at the top of the food chain, humanity starts to suffer.

There are only two hopes here: (1) reduce CO2 emissions (substantially) and (2) hope that corals and calcifying organisms can evolve to flourish in low pH waters (evolution is slow). Since people who do not accept climate change science typically also do not accept evolution, there is really no hope for them except to deny that any of this is happening. 

Nova recently aired a segment titled Lethal Seas (trailer above) that discussed the topic in depth. The entire show can been seen here.

Plunk Your Magic Twanger Froggy

One of my favorite TV shows growing up was The Buster Brown Show with Andy Divine, Froggy the Gremlin and Midnight the Cat ("What do you say to the kids, Midnight? 'Nice'"). Evidently, after Andy Devine took over the show it was called Andy's Gang, but I guess I wasn't paying close attention because we still called it the Buster Brown Show.

Another great character actor on the show was Billy Gilbert.  Froggy was a prankster and typically infuriated Andy Devine and Billy Gilbert. The clip above is a good example. It's probably what I liked most about the show as a child. My remembrance was that there were Spaghetti Westerns played as segments but I must be remembering Andy Devine's earlier appearances on The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok.

Stooges: Press, Press, Pull

I was having a discussion today and the topic of generational humor came up. One of the questions we discussed was whether the clip above (or the Three Stooges in general) would still be consider humorous. I don't know the answer to that, but if anyone has any opinions, pleased leave a comment.