Climate debate even among people accepting of the science

This happened a long time ago, much thawed ice has flown under the bridge of life, these people will likely still know who they are, as will others.

So a friend sent me this article; http://mindaberbeco.scienceblog.com/2012/09/18/118/ in relation to a mutual friend who is a bit of a climate pessimist. He is sure climate change is happening and is pretty sure we are fucked (to use his term). The friend who sent it is not a climate denialist, neither of them are. But they disagree on some things. I disagree with both of them on some things, this is what a healthy society is all about.

Lets call them Pessimist and because being a pessimist can be seen as derogatory and to even things up, lets call the other Stubborn. These two disagree on; http://www.skepticalscience.com/climate-change-the-40-year-delay-between-cause-and-effect.html. Pessimist brought this up and Stubborn believed it was almost a form of denialism, refusing to even read the article.I believe his reasons are that the delay of 40 years is too great and that warming would show straight away.

I don’t think Pessimist is a climate denialist, have a look at the site and the article he cites; http://www.skepticalscience.com/climate-change-the-40-year-delay-between-cause-and-effect.html For starters it is I believe the largest free online repository for climate science; it is pro climate change, each of its articles are peer reviewed and heavily cited. I know you have yet to read the article Pessimist cited, an article written by climate scientists, citing 6 other studies by climate scientists.

The article stubborn sent me claims that these pessimists are not researched and lazy in the area of climate change, and I would wager that from Pessimists source he is more educated in climate change than most, including myself. I also note that like a good scared blogger, Minda has not opened up the comments at the bottom for rational discussion, or dissent, the exact same behaviour that climate denial blogs do, can’t have any rational dissenting opinions as it would hurt their cause.

On a lighter note I posted the below to my facebook and didn’t get a quip from a climate denialist friend for once;
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/376385_476960092325007_1600664230_n.jpg

Why Frozen and Brave maybe the most important films of our time.

Sorry spoilers ahead.

Frozen has be lauded as a phenomenal piece of work by Disney for reasons of Feminism and LGBTI rights. Not only does she not get saved by prince charming, no-one does. Like the other excellent work by Disney; Brave the women save themselves. Damn straight they save themselves, they are tough and worthy of praise. But that is not the only reason why it is the most important film of our time, after-all princess Fiona in Shrek (although not Disney at the time) saved herself a few times, and taught kids it was OK to be different.

Disney, whether you like it or not. Informs and changes the world with the next generation. It does reflect somewhat the current times, but in these two pieces it goes further, to tell little girls and boys out there watching it that they don’t need to depend on someone else to save or complete them. It tells everyone that the way they are born should be accepted, and that following convention doesn’t always lead to the best result.

Anna’s love saves Elsa and vice versa in Frozen, there is no prince charming here to save them. The Queen in Brave saves everyone, and defeats the undefeatable bear Mor'du, while her daughter manages to fix the mistake she made in tricking her mother, I also love the scene where she shoots for her own hand in marriage, yes I knew what was going to happen but it was played out brilliantly.  Princess Anna and Princess Merida aren’t always perfect princesses; they have their moments of just being a person, messy hair in the morning, dirty dresses and feet on seats. But they can still be ladies, still be strong, brave and confident and still very caring and loving. They don’t even have to have a man to be the leader of a nation as all these heroines prove, they get stuff done themselves, gone are the sleeping/locked-up princesses of yore that needed a man to save them.

Then there is the LGBTI angle at least on Frozen, I did notice the sauna scene, but thought it was a son... how heteronormative of me. The song is the bit that first got me, so I looked it up, seems I was right there are other people thinking it is one big coming out anthem. Another big tick for this movie; acceptance and strength of conviction.

I want to address some of the criticisms in the articles I cited. Yes the princesses in both Brave and Frozen are "pretty", I don't think that is so bad, so are 99% of female and male leads, we are used to it. We already have the story I mentioned before of Shrek and the inner beauty which is shown in that. But regardless they are supposed to be princesses, and yet they all show their human traits of being less than attractive at several points throughout the films.

The sun is definitely rising on acceptance for whoever you are, a world empowered to the point were coming out doesn't need to happen anymore as no ones orientation will be assumed, a world were little girls and boys and everything in between are happy to be who they are.

So all the kids out there that see these films the hundred or so times as they are likely to see it will grow a little bit stronger and more confident. This film will have repercussions in 20 years’ time that will see new prosperity and it makes me immensely happy, needless to say they will be on high rotation for my kids once Disney releases them on DVD. Till then Fiona has bought the "Let It Go" song By Idina Menzel on Google play, and I plan to buy the whole soundtrack once I find it.

That does bring me to a question I wanted to ask, which version of "Let It Go" is better, the one by Idina Menzel or the one by Demi Lovato, my opinion is the first... and I have played it a few times today to confirm that :)