This is something that really bothers me -- especially when people point out that there were periods in earth's history when CO2 levels were much higher, and temperature levels didn't rise according to the increases in CO2. What they don't seem to understand is that the planet and its climate were completely different systems back then -- today, the forests that used to balance the system just don't exist anymore, and yet, we burn vast amounts of fossil fuels -- the very carbon the system buried in millions of years is released within a few hundred years (in the blink of an eye in geological terms), and we keep removing earth's lungs and mess with dynamic systems that are far from undestood. But some keep saying: nah, can't be us, how could puny humans mess with earth's climate?!

More than 1 billion people don't have access to safe drinking water, and >2.5 billion people lack adequate sanitation. >3000 children die every day from water borne diseases. Go ahead, talk to them about reverse osmosis. Better yet, fund it for them.

Water shortages aren't making headlines

where you live. Just because you are not aware of something does not mean it's not happening. Just saying.

BTW, a drought is something like a water shortage, ain't it?

(same equipment as 2 years ago, I think)

Not quite, according to salon.com, "uncertified, 'experimental' software patches have been installed on machines in 39 counties of the key swing state."

a gold-backed (or silver-backed, etc.) economy ignores several fundamental problems with doing this.

Sure, but your post does not help much as to what they are and how they could be solved. Then again, you seem to suggest to just keep printing new money (which is what is happening globally, cause we're still in a financial crisis, where we will remain, because the system suggests to be held in a 'crisis state', since that increases the interest of those that hold huge values). Without going into too much detail, how bout this: backing your currency with anything but just "let there be money" out of nowhere wouldn't be so bad, would it?

Then again, this doesn't even remotely touch the basic things that are wrong with the global economies and the financial markets, so it's probably a moot point... .

citation needed. should probably read "among the most stringent".

Without followers, evil cannot spread. -- Spock, "And The Children Shall Lead", stardate 5029.5

Discuss. :)

I wonder about that, too, but it looking at this, it seems that watching ocean temperatures might help clear things up, despite of the underlying mechanisms seeming way too complicated for even advanced science and models to predict / assess.

Ninety-three percent of the heat trapped by increasing greenhouse gases goes into warming the ocean, not the atmosphere. So taking the ocean's temperature is the most comprehensive way to monitor global warming.

um, well, yeah. Then again... "intercept, decipher, analyze, and store vast swaths of the world's communications" is ok just as long as it does not affect US citizens? That seems to be the main concern round here. Of course YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES come first, but the fact that for YOUR GOV't (and apparently a large part of /.ers) the rest of the world is fair game does not matter much, does it? The populace might not scream, but the rest of the world already does, cause from outside the US is even more ugly that from within ... . sorry for the rant, but some of the comments here... ugh... .

Not to defend Zero Hedge or "truthers", but if you assume that the wikipedia definition of conspiracy theory is accurate, the official version is just that: a conspiracy theory.

A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization

> to update their business model

As long as there's no real incentive for "them" to do just that because they just buy the laws prolonging their outdated business model (SOPA, PIPA, ACTA, SKMYBLS et al.) and as long as it remains profitable to just sue file sharers, there is no "best hope". I wish it were that easy... .

> sueing the clouds for bad weather.

Hmmmm... I see a business model there...

Isn't the real question whether litigation remains the dominant way of a dying industry to fight the status quo (i.e. files being shared)? File sharing is here to stay. About the syndicates I'm not that sure... .

The submission mentions "price versus performance", and for that reason, even though I'd like to own some SLR, I still stick with my Canon Powershot (SX100, was ranked "superzoom" when I bought it for its 10x optical zoom). And I'm still happy with it. Point-and-shoot + manual modes/settings for experienced users + CHDK firmware mod for (lots of) additional features. IMHO. if you go for CHDK support you'll definitely get a decent camera at a decent price, with the added feature that if you really get into it and need more/better/more flexible features and settings, CHDK will keep you busy for a Long, Long Time.

True. I really like what was said in the comment section here: "The correct response to bad science, if that is what you are alleging, is more science, not stolen emails."

This appears to be a carefully-timed attempt

Bad Astronomer: Climategate 2: More ado about nothing. Again.

Don't worry, there's help: "Using Google Docs to do OCR of the manual, and then Google Translator to translate the manual to English, here are the results."

Awesome features, too, like coma dialing: "Set voice messages to send QA1 start monitoring, live sound that coma dial your phone."

The actual downside: "positioning will work only in China, using ChinaMobile network."