US Politics Mega-thread - Page 1827

(CNN)Cities from New York to Shanghai could see regular flooding, as sea levels rise faster than previously thought.

Glaciers and ice sheets from the Himalayas to Antarctica are rapidly melting.

And the fisheries that feed millions of people are shrinking.

But over the last 40 years, the report finds that Arctic sea ice is very likely shrinking during all months of the year, which is driving further warming. The decrease observed in September sea ice is particularly significant and likely unprecedented for at least 1000 years.

In nearly all regions, the scientists also found that snow cover is diminishing and glaciers are in retreat. Runoff from these sources provides drinking water to millions and is used to grow much of the food we eat.

And permafrost, soil that stays frozen throughout the year and contains gigatons of potentially planet-warming carbon and methane, has also undergone record warming.

The choices made now are critical to limit the future impacts, and avoid the escalating costs and risks that come with delayed action, the report says.

On September 28 2019 00:49 IyMoon wrote:
Rudy has come out and say that he was acting on behalf of the state department in his talks with Ukraine, and is now asking for the state department to back him up on it.

If this is true, why is the state department asking a private citizen to do its work? Are they talking about classified info with someone without security clearance? WTF is going on?


https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/463340-giuliani-state-department-official-should-step-forward-i-wasnt

On September 28 2019 01:00 JimmiC wrote:
I really don't understand why he still doesn't have like a intern or some low level person just review his tweets for spelling and grammar. He could instruct them to not change the message, but it would cause him to look much more intelligent.

Then again, his base does not seem to care and just enjoys his fights so perhaps it works.

On September 28 2019 01:48 JimmiC wrote:
I guess that makes sense, it is just so hard to wrap my head around it because when I think of who I would want to be president it would be a very impressive, smart, well spoken person. I would want them to be an impressive person where even if I a disagreed with them on something I could still see that they were top notch. Trump is not impressive in almost anyway, he is simply famous and rich because his dad gave him tons of money. And the more he talks and the more that you look into actually how unsuccessful he has been in business it is embarrassing.

But I guess I see how that makes him relatable, and I don't think it is only not unintelligent people who like him either. I suspect it has a lot to do with how freaking powerful confirmation bias is. There is a ton of research on how powerful it is and how unaware we are of it effecting ourselves. It is kind of a painful rabbit hole to go down because you end up really critically looking into many things you believe and why, all while understanding that even that act is shaded by confirmation bias.

On September 28 2019 01:43 ZerOCoolSC2 wrote:

Besides coastal cities and since the flooding of Katrina, most places have a 100-year flood plan that they attempt to follow in regards to building. If places are built deliberately below the flood plains or the projected 100-year plan, then that is on them, imo.

Some places in South/SE Asia are in dire straits and that might be remedied. But it isn't something that can be done to satisfaction for some people. You may just lose the city and history as you migrate the people further inland. Tough shit

On September 28 2019 01:48 JimmiC wrote:
I guess that makes sense, it is just so hard to wrap my head around it because when I think of who I would want to be president it would be a very impressive, smart, well spoken person. I would want them to be an impressive person where even if I a disagreed with them on something I could still see that they were top notch. Trump is not impressive in almost anyway, he is simply famous and rich because his dad gave him tons of money. And the more he talks and the more that you look into actually how unsuccessful he has been in business it is embarrassing.

But I guess I see how that makes him relatable, and I don't think it is only not unintelligent people who like him either. I suspect it has a lot to do with how freaking powerful confirmation bias is. There is a ton of research on how powerful it is and how unaware we are of it effecting ourselves. It is kind of a painful rabbit hole to go down because you end up really critically looking into many things you believe and why, all while understanding that even that act is shaded by confirmation bias.

On September 28 2019 03:49 Wombat_NI wrote:

It is a confusing one indeed, I’m curious as to what evolutionary benefits are conferred by our tendencies to such bias.

It’s definitely augmented by one’s emotional connection to a subject as well, which is another phenomena I don’t really understand. I suppose if you gravitate to a figure who is trying to court you via your values, then for that figure to have flaws and you admitting them is admitting your values have flaws by proxy.

On September 28 2019 02:55 Mohdoo wrote:


Rural America has been catered too in such gross excess that they are told their failings are admirable and glorious. The various ways "city folk" and "coastal elites" are demonized are also intended to glorify the "true American" nature of rural America.

When you tell people they should be proud of rather than fix their faults, it is easier for them to feel good about themselves. It is empowering. That's why you see bumper stickers that say "like eating food? THANK A FARMER" as if they are some sort of league of super heroes. If you kiss their asses, they'll vote for you.

On September 28 2019 04:49 Simberto wrote:


Probably saving energy. I was recently at a talk where a professor of traffic (don't remember his actual title, but that was what he was doing) was talking about our brains. It is amazing just how much stupid shit a brain does to save energy. You are driving a car on a road you seem to know? Turn of the part that is responsible for three-dimensional imaging to save energy. Road ahead of you looks save? Turn of all of the critical thinking and active reasoning parts of the brain and work on lizard reflexes alone.

Basically, whenever you feel uncomfortable and unsafe on the road, you are probably pretty save, because your brain is actually active, and it hates that, because that costs energy. Whenever you feel save, it is running on autopilot.

This is also why your brain doesn't like actually learning new stuff unless it really has to, and tries to find shortcuts to prevent actual learning whenever possible. Our brain has been incredibly finetuned for performance/energy, not performance itself. If we were computers, we are whatever you put into server farms that runs on minimal energy, not a high-end gaming PC that is optimized for maximum performance.

Edit: I can already see the energy savings here. If you pick a leader similar to you and follow him, your brain doesn't have to make decisions. Confronting your flaws and working to get rid of them costs energy, while simply claiming they are not a problem does not.

On September 28 2019 04:49 Simberto wrote:


Probably saving energy. I was recently at a talk where a professor of traffic (don't remember his actual title, but that was what he was doing) was talking about our brains. It is amazing just how much stupid shit a brain does to save energy. You are driving a car on a road you seem to know? Turn of the part that is responsible for three-dimensional imaging to save energy. Road ahead of you looks save? Turn of all of the critical thinking and active reasoning parts of the brain and work on lizard reflexes alone.

Basically, whenever you feel uncomfortable and unsafe on the road, you are probably pretty save, because your brain is actually active, and it hates that, because that costs energy. Whenever you feel save, it is running on autopilot.

This is also why your brain doesn't like actually learning new stuff unless it really has to, and tries to find shortcuts to prevent actual learning whenever possible. Our brain has been incredibly finetuned for performance/energy, not performance itself. If we were computers, we are whatever you put into server farms that runs on minimal energy, not a high-end gaming PC that is optimized for maximum performance.

Edit: I can already see the energy savings here. If you pick a leader similar to you and follow him, your brain doesn't have to make decisions. Confronting your flaws and working to get rid of them costs energy, while simply claiming they are not a problem does not.

On September 28 2019 02:55 Mohdoo wrote:


Rural America has been catered too in such gross excess that they are told their failings are admirable and glorious. The various ways "city folk" and "coastal elites" are demonized are also intended to glorify the "true American" nature of rural America.

When you tell people they should be proud of rather than fix their faults, it is easier for them to feel good about themselves. It is empowering. That's why you see bumper stickers that say "like eating food? THANK A FARMER" as if they are some sort of league of super heroes. If you kiss their asses, they'll vote for you.

On September 28 2019 08:00 Inrau wrote:

Disagree on the "like eating food? THANK A FARMER"

I grew up in a rural area and that sort of saying is simply to remind people that almost everything you get at the grocery store comes from a farm, (and delivered by trucks etc.) Its easy to forget that honestly, especially with groceries being delivered to your doorstep now. There is a reason they call the midwest fly over country, because the general news doesn't really cover that area.

But I do agree with the opposite, where people distrust the ivory tower educated folk .. that sort of mindset only limits peoples perspectives.

On September 28 2019 08:00 Inrau wrote:

Disagree on the "like eating food? THANK A FARMER"

I grew up in a rural area and that sort of saying is simply to remind people that almost everything you get at the grocery store comes from a farm, (and delivered by trucks etc.) Its easy to forget that honestly, especially with groceries being delivered to your doorstep now. There is a reason they call the midwest fly over country, because the general news doesn't really cover that area.

But I do agree with the opposite, where people distrust the ivory tower educated folk .. that sort of mindset only limits peoples perspectives.