NationStates Jolt Archive

As if the war on global temperature couldn't get any sillier... Well just read for yourselves.


• Smithers: "Well, sir, you've certainly vanquished all your enemies: the elementary school, the local tavern, the old age home. You must be very proud." Burns: "No, not while my greatest nemesis still provides our customers with free light, heat and energy. I call this enemy the sun. Since the beginning of time man has yearned to destroy the sun. I will do the next best thing--block it out!"--dialogue from "Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One," aired May 21, 1995

• "Obama May Block Sun's Rays to End Global Warming"--headline (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,513242,00.html), FoxNews.com, April 8, 2009

If it works, it works.

So, wait, are you saying that a baby is going to shoot him? >.>

I await word that RayBan will be awarded the contract...

EDIT: In regards to the actual issue (finally), wouldn't it be tough to keep the "pollution particles" suspended in the upper atmosphere because of their weight with respect to air?

This isn't going to end well.

Geoengineering is cool. :)

The idea I've read, however, involved a kilometers-high pipe tethered to a blimp, spewing sulphur dioxide out the top. While this is possible, and would indeed induce global cooling, it has a potential hideous side effect; when that sulphur dioxide reaches the oceans, it will turn into sulphuric fucking acid. Given that there's already concerns about ocean acidification due to rising CO2 levels - not to mention methane clathrates - this sounds like a Bad Idea to me. If the oceans go anoxic, we're in a lot of trouble.

Geoengineering is cool. :)

The idea I've read, however, involved a kilometers-high pipe tethered to a blimp, spewing sulphur dioxide out the top. While this is possible, and would indeed induce global cooling, it has a potential hideous side effect; when that sulphur dioxide reaches the oceans, it will turn into sulphuric fucking acid. Given that there's already concerns about ocean acidification due to rising CO2 levels - not to mention methane clathrates - this sounds like a Bad Idea to me. If the oceans go anoxic, we're in a lot of trouble.

The easier and safer solution is just to mix in aluminum oxide in Air craft fuel.

Geoengineering is cool. :)

The idea I've read, however, involved a kilometers-high pipe tethered to a blimp, spewing sulphur dioxide out the top. While this is possible, and would indeed induce global cooling, it has a potential hideous side effect; when that sulphur dioxide reaches the oceans, it will turn into sulphuric fucking acid. Given that there's already concerns about ocean acidification due to rising CO2 levels - not to mention methane clathrates - this sounds like a Bad Idea to me. If the oceans go anoxic, we're in a lot of trouble.

The easier and safer solution is just to mix in aluminum oxide in Air craft fuel.

Nah. All you need is lots of vapor trails, like the ones jets leave as they flit across the skies. There was an article in Scientific American back in the winter - I can't find it on sciam.com, damn it - that had a number of such solutions. Not all of them practical, I suppose, but worth looking at. Leave it to Fox News to mock anything that takes global warming seriously.

The easier and safer solution is just to mix in aluminum oxide in Air craft fuel.

Hm, hadn't heard of that one. Sounds like it would work, though.

Nah. All you need is lots of vapor trails, like the ones jets leave as they flit across the skies. There was an article in Scientific American back in the winter - I can't find it on sciam.com, damn it - that had a number of such solutions. Not all of them practical, I suppose, but worth looking at. Leave it to Fox News to mock anything that takes global warming seriously.

Are you sure it wasn't in New Scientist? I could swear I read an article in there last year sometime on it.

I do recall reading something (probably in New Scientist again) about how the grounding of flights post-9/11 had led to a period of unseasonably cloudless and hot weather, due to the fact that the vapour trails promote cloud formation.

This world needs a good nuclear war.. That'll sort it..

Why not just relax the EPA standards on particulate emissions then? That would save money and do the same thing.

Also, this will not end well. Because it never does.

Actually, there's a dimmer switch right in the middle of the sun. You might think this makes accessing it difficult, but it should be fine if we send the astronauts up at night. I think we should allow Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin the great honour of performing the task.

Why not just relax the EPA standards on particulate emissions then? That would save money and do the same thing.

Also, this will not end well. Because it never does.

Particulate emissions close to the ground exacerbate many health conditions, the particles need to be released high in the atmosphere and then kept there.

I think this is one of those ideas that looks good on paper but will actually cause more damage than it cures.

Particulate emissions close to the ground exacerbate many health conditions, the particles need to be released high in the atmosphere and then kept there.

I think this is one of those ideas that looks good on paper but will actually cause more damage than it cures.

Build really tall chimneys.

Build really tall chimneys.

Not a bad idea, the engineering may be a little difficult though.

It would making flying more interesting.

Hm, hadn't heard of that one. Sounds like it would work, though.



Are you sure it wasn't in New Scientist? I could swear I read an article in there last year sometime on it.

I do recall reading something (probably in New Scientist again) about how the grounding of flights post-9/11 had led to a period of unseasonably cloudless and hot weather, due to the fact that the vapour trails promote cloud formation.

I don't read New Scientist so unless Sci Am was reporting something published there ... I could swear it was a regular article, not a report. What I remember was having large ships sailing the Ocean Sea sending up great columns of vapor. Except, I guess, in the Gulf of Aden, where they'd all be captured by pirates.

This does NOT sound like a good idea...

So, wait, are you saying that a baby is going to shoot him? >.>

This is actually the first thing I thought of as well.

This appears to be a stupid idea. However, since I am not a science adviser, my opinion is pretty much worthless--even to myself.

..

EDIT: In regards to the actual issue (finally), wouldn't it be tough to keep the "pollution particles" suspended in the upper atmosphere because of their weight with respect to air?

Exactly why this is the worst plan yet from the Obama administration. Yes it is worse than the bailout.

Build really tall chimneys.
I say, rather. The soaring towers of progress and human destiny, looming over the factories and dwellings of our captains of industry!
We could even install some dirigible docking stations halfway up those chimneys, accessed by steam driven elevatamotrons.

Can't we just paint a lot of the ground white? Since it reflects a broader range of wavelengths, a white earth would absorb less light that would be converted to heat. And paint is pretty cheap.

This is why Arabs and other races that live where it's hot wear white.

Obama is Sauron, not Burns. Duh.

Exactly why this is the worst plan yet from the Obama administration. Yes it is worse than the bailout.

Well, at least it's not some giant floating disc in the atmosphere. XD

As for the whole sulfuric acid (H2SO4) comment from earlier, while it is true that an aqeous solution of pure water will become acidic due to an increase in sulfuric acid in the presence of sulfur dioxide (SO2), not all of it will turn into that acid. In fact, a very small percentage will. However, it is correct that water in the presence of SO2 will become acidic.

I thought life in Georgia was like the Simpsons....oh wait that would be the jeff foxworthy show......


As it was said. Hey if it works; why not?

In other words....Meh.

Doesn't this follow a Bush plan to end global warming by blocking out the sun with mirrors?

Doesn't this follow a Bush plan to end global warming by blocking out the sun with mirrors?


I thought the plan was to clear cut forests in snow regions because they snow reflects light and the trees keep in in.....

No that was so we could fit a pipeline to alaska.

No that was so we could fit a pipeline to alaska.

Oh yea that's right! Sarah saves the day!

This won't end well.

Can't we just paint a lot of the ground white? Since it reflects a broader range of wavelengths, a white earth would absorb less light that would be converted to heat. And paint is pretty cheap.

NSG has had an effect on me.

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

Can't we just paint a lot of the ground white? Since it reflects a broader range of wavelengths, a white earth would absorb less light that would be converted to heat. And paint is pretty cheap.

This is why Arabs and other races that live where it's hot wear white.

Instead of painting how about paving? Pave everything with concrete(like we already are).

What we need to do is turn the Earth in a Disco Ball.

http://www.houseofrave.com/media/disco-balls/disco-ball-setup-full.jpg

This won't end well.

Don't hit me with them negative waves!

What we need to do is turn the Earth in a Disco Ball.

http://www.houseofrave.com/media/disco-balls/disco-ball-setup-full.jpg

The seventies are dead.

Don't hit me with them negative waves!

*laughs* Seriously though, when has anything we ever put in the air yielded good results?

The seventies are dead.

Hey, the fishes in my platform shoes may be dead, but I will always Boogie down to Soul Train and YMCA!

What we need to do is turn the Earth in a Disco Ball.

http://www.houseofrave.com/media/disco-balls/disco-ball-setup-full.jpg

The seventies are dead.

I've always thought the Death Star would have been a much more hideous weapon of mass destruction if its entire surface was plated with reflective armor and the superlaser was replaced by a gigantic speaker that played disco at the targeted planet.

*laughs* Seriously though, when has anything we ever put in the air yielded good results?



Hey, the fishes in my platform shoes may be dead, but I will always Boogie down to Soul Train and YMCA!

Fair enough.

NSG has had an effect on me. I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

Here's how you tell:

If it was posted by someone you like and/or agree with ideologically, then it was sarcastic, or ironic, or satrical or in some other way not serious.

If it was posted by someone you dislike or disagree with ideologically, then it should be taken extremely literally and you can feel free to mock them right up to(and occasionally past) the moderation limit. Of course, when they complain, you can say that you were the one being ironic.

Well, I guess it's time to axe the Clean Air Act.

NSG has had an effect on me.

I can't tell if this is sarcasm or not.

What are you talking about? Painting the ground white sounds like a perfectly logical and sane idea. I say we give it a try.

If it works, it works.

Also, it's Faux News. So let's take it cum grano salis.

Actually, there's a dimmer switch right in the middle of the sun. You might think this makes accessing it difficult, but it should be fine if we send the astronauts up at night. I think we should allow Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin the great honour of performing the task.

You win this thread.

I've always thought the Death Star would have been a much more hideous weapon of mass destruction if its entire surface was plated with reflective armor and the superlaser was replaced by a gigantic speaker that played disco at the targeted planet.

Sound can't travel through space, man.