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Post by nemrod on Jan 8, 2006 10:35:42 GMT -8
The sun is a remarkably stable star but it is not absolutely constant. Still in it's prime it has about a bilion years (plus or minus) of fairly stable output to go before things begin to change significantly, from my last study on the subject. Even casual observation with a telescope and solar filter over several decades reveal changes in appearence. Do not point a scope into the sun without a for real solar filter. There are two types, the mylar films and the silvered coated glass, I have used both and have no real preference, I guess I think the glass ones are more sturdy. ANY DAMAGE to these filters renders them dangerous and useless. James
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Post by luis on Jan 8, 2006 10:52:57 GMT -8
You could say that we live on a fairly rugged planet. It was here long before our existence and it will be here long after we humans are gone.
On the other hand we humans are fairly delicate. In the early 70’s when I started diving, I can only remember one person in my high school (or junior high) with asthma. The number of kids and adults with asthma (and other respiratory illnesses) in the US now-a-days is disturbing, and it continues to increase at an alarming rate. I don’t think we know enough to explain all the factors contributing to the increase in respiratory illnesses, but poor air quality is a factor.
The above is just one example of why we need to take care of our surroundings; we have to live in them.
I am not going to get started about water quality. There are plenty of places were I won’t go diving or even kayaking on.
IMHO we humans also tend to think that our knowledge and technology will eventually solve any problems we cause by our short-sightedness. We can be arrogant when we think we can control our environment or surroundings, when in the long run history has shown that the side effects of our actions can be far from the optimistic predictions. I do remember the days when it was proposed to drain the wasted swamp lands (now called wet lands) to make them into productive agricultural lands. We were also going to irrigate the desserts.
OTOH I did like the idea of underwater habitats. We were going to some day colonize the ocean floor with habitats and artificial reefs were going to provide food. I have been aboard the Chalupa underwater habitat in Puerto Rico (in the early 70’s). The last I knew of it, it was becoming a ball of rust. My high school Marine Biology Club did build a small artificial reef.
Well, I will stop rambling now.
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Post by mossback on Jan 8, 2006 12:45:43 GMT -8
Everything will get back into order shortly...shortly in the universal since of time.......not our short lives.......
The arctic has melted some 500,000 square miles in the last few years, but has over 2 million to go.........but that melting will stop as soon as there is enough fresh water to shut down the great ocean conveyor.........then things will get cold SeaRats way and really warm south of New Orleans and north of Argentina....and then this speck of dust drifting around in space will start to warm up again over the next few hundred years.....
I believe it don't matter how much we humans help or hinder........it's gonna happen one day.......its coming, a big or little ice age and then the warming trend......
Invest your money in stocks that make snow shoes, warm gortex parkas, water treatment plants and also airconditioning companys in the countries south of the border.......might as well get rich with all the misery
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Post by nemrod on Jan 8, 2006 14:31:50 GMT -8
Have any of you noticed over the last 20 years or so, that the sun used to have a nice yellowish glow, and today it has a white glow to it.
No, have not noticed that, I doubt there has been a spectral shift. A few decades (or centuries even) of measuring is hardly sufficient to predict immediate behavoirs of a star some 5 plus billion years old. Did anyone see the Twilight Zone episode where a scientist noticed the moon had gotten extra bright and then realized that this was because the sun was in nova and that dawn would bring an inferno that would end life? Like all Twilight Zones, it was more a study of human behavoir than anything based on what would happen should the sun suddenly (suddenly is a relative term, to a geologist suddenly is a few million years give or take but to lay persons it means a few minutes) become unstable. Taken in whole, we are fortunate by design or by chance (insert your belief system here) that we have such a stable star to call home. James
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Chief Warp Engineer
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Post by Chief Warp Engineer on Jan 8, 2006 19:25:12 GMT -8
Ay Captian!
Would ya wantin Warp drive 9 or 9.5? THet star yer a lookin at is gettin mighty bright!
Ay can'ts hold er much longer at thet speed Captan, we's er gonner fer surrrrrrrrrre.......eyoooo, thet's hot....
Music to Stur Yer Own Trekk plays now...............
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2006 19:29:32 GMT -8
Well, Good-by and thanks for all the fish................ ;D
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Post by capt kirk on Jan 8, 2006 20:41:00 GMT -8
get ready for warp uhhhh da** fast scotty
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Post by SeaRat on Jan 8, 2006 20:44:48 GMT -8
Have any of you noticed over the last 20 years or so, that the sun used to have a nice yellowish glow, and today it has a white glow to it... James In Hong Kong and China, it's more red now...dust, pollution, etc. SeaRat
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Post by seakrakken on Jan 8, 2006 23:30:58 GMT -8
Texas and most of the South is mighty dry right now for lack of rain. This has the unfortunate effect of drying up many of the lakes down here but, water clarity is greatly improved for lack of silt running off into them. Two weeks ago I was at Joe Pool Lake (it's not far from Dallas) feeding the ducks and for the first time in ten years I could actually see into the water several feet. In addition to this, some of my co-workers report that many other small resevoirs in this area are mud flats now.
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Post by duckbill on Jan 10, 2006 1:38:02 GMT -8
On the other hand we humans are fairly delicate. In the early 70’s when I started diving, I can only remember one person in my high school (or junior high) with asthma. The number of kids and adults with asthma (and other respiratory illnesses) in the US now-a-days is disturbing, and it continues to increase at an alarming rate. I don’t think we know enough to explain all the factors contributing to the increase in respiratory illnesses, but poor air quality is a factor. I think we have modern medicine to thank for that. Asthmatics who would never have reached reproduction age without medication unavailable twenty years ago are now bearing asthmatic children. Interesting subject we have going here regarding man's real or imagined influence on the earth's goings-on. I've heard a couple things that I remember because they were so thought provoking. For example, concerning the depletion of the Brazilian rainforest causing "global warming", I remember hearing of an interesting study which concluded that the rapid-growing grazing grasses actually produce MORE oxygen per acre than the multi-layered old growth jungle canopy it has replaced. An interesting question- if hydrofluorocarbons are heavier than air, how do they get up to the ionosphere? I think those who are concerned about carbon dioxide production and the ozone "hole" or "acid rain" would do well to find a way to plug all of the volcanoes on this active planet. Nature does more than it's fair share of polluting at times. Personally, I suspect that the ozone "hole" is another one of those cyclical events which has been going on since before we had the technology to detect and track the phenomenon. How about a study about a possible link of the status of the ozone "hole" to volcanic activity? Bottom line: The more time we spend with our vintage gear at 30 feet below, out of the effects of ozone, heat, and air pollution, the longer it will last. LOL. Oh, wait....where does that acid rain end up?! Oh, jeepers!
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