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Posts:
5
Registered:
12/27/06
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(1 of 71)
"Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 9:44 AM
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"Last Days on Earth" (Dec. 26) -- a program that enumerated the "Top 7 catastrophes" that could end life on Earth -- should have stopped at Number 2 and never insulted my intelligence with the hack-dribble about "Global Warming" which is now conveniently repackaged as the even more generic "Climate Change."
Here's why "Last Days" take on Global Warming was a pathetic insult:
For the past few days, folks have gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Holidays, and many of these people celebrated the memory of loved ones who were MURDERED by the Nazi's during the Holocaust. "Last Days" had the nerve to compare scientists who question Global Warming to those who deny the Holocaust.
Do you not perceive the absurdity of this comparison? Is a computer model's accuracy as tangible as millions of murdered innocents? Is historical FACT comparable to an unproven, complex, evolving theory?
The Global Warming segment starts off with two, cute anecdotes about flowers blooming early and aardvarks moving North. How quaint and compelling, especially compared to Nuclear annihilation and Bioterrorism. That is the highlight of the segment. The piece then goes for the political jugular with the Holocaust insult and scientific luminaries such as Al Gore proclaiming, "The (Scientific) Debate is Over."
Perhaps the segment eventually introduced something resembling Science. I don't know because I turned the channel in disgust. If advocates of Global Warming want to debate the merits of their theory, perhaps they'll drop the name calling, intimidation tactics and comparisons between theory and murder. More likely, however, they'll continue to persecute anyone who dares question their faith.
I would sleep a lot better if I really believed the number one threat to life on Earth was a poorly understood process jealously pursued by a hoard of bullies with what appears to be a political agenda.
Shame on the producers of "Last Days" for joining the mob.
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Posts:
1
From:
St. Clairsville, OH
Registered:
12/27/06
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(2 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 10:26 AM
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I agree whole-heartedly. It seemed that the whole program was purely for this last "global-warming" issue. The producers also did their cause harm by equating the opposing view with the "Big Tobacco bad guys". The only thing that the tobacco companies did wrong was back down to the bigoted anti-tobacco movement and apologize for selling a legal product. If the global-warming issue is based on twisted, false and misleading statements as is the anti-tobacco movement, no wonder no one believes them. I second the statement "Shame on the producers of "Last Days" for joining the mob."
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Posts:
1
From:
Huntsville, AL
Registered:
12/27/06
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(3 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 11:17 AM
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AMEN!! Apparently the show was merely one giant setup for Al Gore's junk science. Disasters #2-7 actually had some intelligent thought behind them (although I would disagree with the magnitude and placement of #3 - Nuclear War), but then the boom got lowered and we got hit with what is, pure and simple, Leftist religious orthodoxy, the liberal fad of the day. I turned it off immediately. Al Gore and Elizabeth Vargas have nothing to teach me about science, nothing.
DSB - B.S. Physics, B.S. Earth & Planetary Science, M.S. Earth & Planetary Science - M.I.T.
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Posts:
1
From:
calif
Registered:
12/27/06
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(4 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 12:39 PM
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I too was appalled at the end of this program. As a geologist, I only know of 1 other geologist who believes the crap of global warming and he is a professor trying to get research funding. The Limestone Cycle of Ca(CO3) being more soluble in cold water than hot water makes it virtually impossible to have a runaway greenhouse effect on earth. As the oceans warm up, more limestone will be precipitated in the warm latitudes allowing more CO2 to be dissolved in the colder latitudes as the C02 saturation drops, starting the cycle again.
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Posts:
1
From:
Bend,Oregon
Registered:
12/27/06
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(5 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 1:00 PM
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This program might as well have been a two hour commercial for the democratic party and the environmental left. How can you pass this off as history?
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Posts:
2
From:
Minnesota
Registered:
12/27/06
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(6 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 27, 2006 1:12 PM
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Amen. The so-called #1 threat--global warming--was not only insulting, but also frightening. Why the History Channel would air such obvious political propaganda, thinly disguised as science, is shameful and irresponsible.
There was so much wrong with the substance of the global warming part of the program that one hardly knows where to start refuting it. I guess the advantage here goes to tellers of "the big lie." The tellers have slick, strategically edited, multi-media being broadcast to millions, others have a blog. With broadcast power one would hope for more broadcast responsibility.
Thanks to all who are refuting this program's serious flaws. This subject cries out for the light of truth to be shined on it.
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Posts:
1
Registered:
12/30/06
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(7 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 30, 2006 9:12 PM
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Notwithstanding whatever political insinuations or scientific implications one might wish to derive from the scenarios described in this program, the History Channel ought well might wish to rethink its propensity for fear-mongering of global catastrophe as has apparently become its wont. This network is sinking into a morass of such negativity and hysteria that it would not be surprising to hear of individuals viewing such programming to descend into clinical depression, or worse. At the conclusion of a very difficult year for our nation and the world, would it be too much to ask for some intelligent and informed programming to focus on some topics of hope? There is a lot good in the world and the universe. I, for one, would like to hear more about it.
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Posts:
29
Registered:
10/10/04
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(8 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 30, 2006 9:14 PM
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Isn't it true that Mona Loa (A volcano in Hawaii) produces far more greenhouse gasses in a SINGLE YEAR than the entire human production of those same gasses since the discovery of fire? I seem to recall reading that somewhere.
Al Gore and his Science Fiction movie "An Inconvenient Truth"...blah. They neglect to mention that the major Greenland ice sheets formed during the mideval ice age (Greenland was, indeed, green during the lifetime of Eric the Red) and that we still haven't warmed up to the same average temperature as that era (They used to have grape vines in England, the cold of the mini ice age killed all the grapevines)
The history channel's political agenda is obvious...haven't you seen all the shows they've produced where "BC" is being replaced by "BCE"?
Guess we need to start dating everything before Vietnam as "BPC" (Before Political Correctness)and everything after it as "ME" (You could call it "Modern Era", but the acronym works fine by itself...)
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Posts:
1
Registered:
12/30/06
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(9 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 30, 2006 10:49 PM
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I agree some of the presentation about global warming was a little over-the-top. That said it was a great program.
As far as global warming, most geologists accept it as fact. It doesn't take a geologist to realize that the planet is getting hotter, just have to be outside in summer.  The earth as a whole is an organic ecosystem. Like any organism, you can push, pull, bend it so much.. and up to a point it'll adapt and 'heal' itself. This is probably why some don't see global warming as a problem, because any damage we have done has been corrected by the natural ecosystem.
The important thing though is to understand that, at some point, changing the atmosphere becomes cataclysmic. It's like pulling a spring. Pull too far and it's not coming back. The earth is very, very resilent. But to think that we can keep dumping pollution into the atmosphere, and nothing bad will ever happen, is kinda silly.
I think the history channel put it at #1 because it's the one most likely to happen.
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Posts:
1
Registered:
12/31/06
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(10 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 31, 2006 12:21 AM
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I agree. I found it one of the most poorest done programs the history channel has ever done. Notice the host however; Elizabeth Varguss (sp?). She hosts 20/20, a news magazine. I am not suprized at the alarmest tone associated with this program.
I agree with the original poster, the comparason to the Hollacaust to that of a computer model was absolutly disgusting. I also liked the nice hack job they did with Foxnews.
Amazing how they claim they are so certian that 1) Humans are the main culprit and 2) changes in our behavior will have a slowing effect on this change.
One thing I found somewhat humerous is that they said that changing our co2 emissions "might" slow down climate change. If all we do is slow it down, what good does that do? All it does is pass on the problem to a new generation correct?
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Posts:
1
Registered:
12/31/06
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(11 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 31, 2006 7:18 AM
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The geologist who came on and said that global warming deniers are the same as holocaust deniers still makes me angry and it's been about 24 hours since I saw this piece of crap show. Anyone remember his name? Maybe we can call him out to prove his views, and exactly how that relates to the Jewish Holocaust.
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Posts:
20
From:
Niles, IL
Registered:
12/31/06
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(12 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 31, 2006 11:12 AM
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I agree that the content of Last Days was insulting. But more important than that, to state the the issue is decided is moronic.
I have a Master's in Environmental Biology. I am not some knee jerk conservative. But everytime that someone wants to debate the issue, there is always an ad hominum attack. Why are they afraid to discuss the issue? There are many facts out there that, while not disputing that there is warming, do dispute man's effect on it.
As a Jew, to be equated with Holocaust deniers because I am not convinced that global warming is caused or increased by man is insulting.
I use to believe that the History Channel was objective. When looking at historical events, it is possible to have different opinions, and for the most part the History Channel has been fair, by showing all sides of an issue. What happened here?
While I dislike threats, if this continues, I will have no choice but to notify advertisers of such unbalanced shows the I will no longer buy their products and tell them why.
If this
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Posts:
9
Registered:
12/31/06
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(13 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 31, 2006 11:26 AM
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the bias is subtle, sometimes
just heard a line something like "those who believe in the Biblical revelation of global warming don't think anything can be done, others believe there are some things we can do"
Oh really? only those who believe in Revelations don't believe in a (man caused) global warming?
Really?
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Posts:
1
From:
HAINES, ALASKA
Registered:
12/31/06
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(14 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Dec 31, 2006 12:52 PM
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I agree with most of you, that the program is merely political pandering and advertisement for Al Gore. But more importantly,Richard has hit the nail on the head. What a time to air such negativity. Isn't this the time to look to the future with hope for the coming year? I am very disappointed with the History Channel.
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Posts:
8
From:
Loudon, TN
Registered:
1/1/07
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(15 of 71)
Re: "Last Days on Earth" -- Insulting
Jan 1, 2007 5:09 AM
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The show telegraphed their bias with the number three threat, "nuclear winter". Were they worried that a nuclear war might break out between Pakistan and India over Kashmir? Nope. North Korea did not concern them, nor the madmen running Iran having the bomb. The great threat that kept them up at night is the United States, of course, and the likelihood that we will "accidently" start a nuclear war with Russia. Because of course we have so many bombs, and each one increases the odds that one will go off accidently. When I heard this rubbish, I just knew what their number one threat was going to be.
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