Comments for Scorched http://www.scorched.co.za Rational Writing by Leonie Joubert Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 Comment on ABOUT the author by CAMERON EWART-SMITH » Changing the conversation about climate change http://www.scorched.co.za/about-leonie-joubert/comment-page-1/#comment-19 CAMERON EWART-SMITH » Changing the conversation about climate change Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:05 +0000 http://drupal.scorched.co.za/?page_id=11#comment-19 [...] about the conversation around global climate change at the launch my good friend and colleague Leonie Joubert’s latest book Boiling Point. Here is the transcript of my talk. Hi, my name is Cameron and I am [...] [...] about the conversation around global climate change at the launch my good friend and colleague Leonie Joubert’s latest book Boiling Point. Here is the transcript of my talk. Hi, my name is Cameron and I am [...]

]]> Comment on ABOUT the author by Leonie Joubert on measuring the real value of the world « PROJECT 90 BY 2030 http://www.scorched.co.za/about-leonie-joubert/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Leonie Joubert on measuring the real value of the world « PROJECT 90 BY 2030 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:08:07 +0000 http://drupal.scorched.co.za/?page_id=11#comment-17 [...] A decent cup of coffee could set you back R24, you’ll pay about R1.62 for a glass of milk, and squeezed citrus will cost around R13 per litre. But how much should we pay for a sip of clean water. And what’s the value of a glass of fresh, unpolluted air, asks Leonie Joubert? [...] [...] A decent cup of coffee could set you back R24, you’ll pay about R1.62 for a glass of milk, and squeezed citrus will cost around R13 per litre. But how much should we pay for a sip of clean water. And what’s the value of a glass of fresh, unpolluted air, asks Leonie Joubert? [...]

]]> Comment on Stormy weather (M&G) by splurge http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/08/stormy-weather/comment-page-1/#comment-13 splurge Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:43:13 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=38#comment-13 I see this documentary as the justification to do nothing. If there is a threat to a certain lifestyle, that climate change presents, people will grasp at whatever straws possible to keep the status quo. I was in the UK at the time of the screening, and after hundreds of articles, documentaries, papers, government policies, etc etc explaining the dangers of climate change, it only takes this one hour long show to disprove all the others. Suddenly Climate change was a myth, the TV said so. If you're looking for an answer you'll find it. I see this documentary as the justification to do nothing. If there is a threat to a certain lifestyle, that climate change presents, people will grasp at whatever straws possible to keep the status quo. I was in the UK at the time of the screening, and after hundreds of articles, documentaries, papers, government policies, etc etc explaining the dangers of climate change, it only takes this one hour long show to disprove all the others. Suddenly Climate change was a myth, the TV said so. If you’re looking for an answer you’ll find it.

]]> Comment on Terror on two wheels (M&G) by splurge http://www.scorched.co.za/2009/03/terror-on-two-wheels-mg/comment-page-1/#comment-11 splurge Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:45:04 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=610#comment-11 Its true that more cyclists on the road make it safer for cycling, its the critical mass idea. Lots of research into the matter has been done, and I've had many heated debates about cycling policy (ok, it doesnt sound as exciting as maybe it wasnt, but once you're converted these things matter). If there are more cyclists then cars know to look out for them, otherwise its just not on their radar. The debate also rages around to helmet or not to helmet. I err on the side of not - cars give you more space and treat you more coarefully because you're not 'safe' as you are with one on. You also cycle much more carefully. Best option is a blonde wig as cars give you even more room, or perhaps the Flight of the Concordes idea of a Helmet of Hair would be better. Its true that more cyclists on the road make it safer for cycling, its the critical mass idea. Lots of research into the matter has been done, and I’ve had many heated debates about cycling policy (ok, it doesnt sound as exciting as maybe it wasnt, but once you’re converted these things matter). If there are more cyclists then cars know to look out for them, otherwise its just not on their radar. The debate also rages around to helmet or not to helmet. I err on the side of not – cars give you more space and treat you more coarefully because you’re not ’safe’ as you are with one on. You also cycle much more carefully. Best option is a blonde wig as cars give you even more room, or perhaps the Flight of the Concordes idea of a Helmet of Hair would be better.

]]> Comment on Fairy-tale princesses and Olympic fakes (M&G) by Recent Faves Tagged With "fakes" : MyNetFaves http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/08/fairy-tale-princesses-and-olympic-fakes-mg/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Recent Faves Tagged With "fakes" : MyNetFaves Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:50:22 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=243#comment-10 [...] public links >> fakes Hello again. Again. First saved by Mauriciocuevas | 2 days ago Fairy-tale princesses and Olympic fakes (M&G) First saved by yedle | 9 days ago Bloggers enraged over “pretty face” fakery First saved [...] [...] public links >> fakes Hello again. Again. First saved by Mauriciocuevas | 2 days ago Fairy-tale princesses and Olympic fakes (M&G) First saved by yedle | 9 days ago Bloggers enraged over “pretty face” fakery First saved [...]

]]> Comment on Foraging for a convertible (M&G) by guyharrissa http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/12/foraging-for-a-convertible-mg/comment-page-1/#comment-9 guyharrissa Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:58:48 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=482#comment-9 You also are less likely to be hijacked or have your car stolen, skodonks will command a premium one day! you should write something about why the gini coefficient has increased since 1994 and why the black gini coefficient is higher than SA as a whole. So called Broad Based BEE is in fact very narrow based - govt ignores their own codes and you get zero credit for creating entry level jobs! The only time the masses are considered is in the lead up to elections! You also are less likely to be hijacked or have your car stolen, skodonks will command a premium one day!
you should write something about why the gini coefficient has increased since 1994 and why the black gini coefficient is higher than SA as a whole. So called Broad Based BEE is in fact very narrow based – govt ignores their own codes and you get zero credit for creating entry level jobs! The only time the masses are considered is in the lead up to elections!

]]> Comment on To read or not to read (M&G) by Meadon http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/10/to-read-or-not-to-read/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Meadon Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:35:10 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=458#comment-8 Sure, I grant your point - in humans cultural evolution (can be) cumulative, whereas it's much less true in chimps and other great apes. Of course, human technological / cultural evolution was cumulative before writing appeared but, yes, literacy certainly helped. Btw, you might be interested in the notion of the "embodied mind", i.e., the notion that human intelligence is dependent on various 'external scaffolds' (like writing). I searched around quite a bit for that PNAS paper and I can't seem to find it. You don't remember where you read about it? Sure, I grant your point – in humans cultural evolution (can be) cumulative, whereas it’s much less true in chimps and other great apes. Of course, human technological / cultural evolution was cumulative before writing appeared but, yes, literacy certainly helped. Btw, you might be interested in the notion of the “embodied mind”, i.e., the notion that human intelligence is dependent on various ‘external scaffolds’ (like writing).

I searched around quite a bit for that PNAS paper and I can’t seem to find it. You don’t remember where you read about it?

]]> Comment on To read or not to read (M&G) by Leonie http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/10/to-read-or-not-to-read/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Leonie Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:47:39 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=458#comment-7 Regarding "everything a chimp learns during it's life" = I wasn't talking about what it learns during it's life, and passes on to others, behaviourally, while it's alive... rather, upon death, there is no lasting repostitory. For instance, what it might teach others during it's life will be changed and modified as other generations of chimps take it an use it. But humans can leave the "original text" behind, by virtue of writing. Consider that we can go back to the original Plato, rather than simply read over 2000 years worth of other people's interpretation of Plato, which will undoubtably have been interpreted (and misinterpreted) many times over if the original text was not always available to return to for reference. Regarding “everything a chimp learns during it’s life” = I wasn’t talking about what it learns during it’s life, and passes on to others, behaviourally, while it’s alive… rather, upon death, there is no lasting repostitory. For instance, what it might teach others during it’s life will be changed and modified as other generations of chimps take it an use it. But humans can leave the “original text” behind, by virtue of writing.
Consider that we can go back to the original Plato, rather than simply read over 2000 years worth of other people’s interpretation of Plato, which will undoubtably have been interpreted (and misinterpreted) many times over if the original text was not always available to return to for reference.

]]> Comment on To read or not to read (M&G) by Leonie http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/10/to-read-or-not-to-read/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Leonie Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:42:53 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=458#comment-6 It's long been argued that we share 98% of our genes with chimps, but there was an article in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" journal this year that stated that this has been revised to 95%. It’s long been argued that we share 98% of our genes with chimps, but there was an article in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” journal this year that stated that this has been revised to 95%.

]]> Comment on Robben Island rabbits on the run (M&G) by Meadon http://www.scorched.co.za/2008/11/robben-island-rabbits-on-the-run/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Meadon Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:35:25 +0000 http://www.scorched.co.za/?p=456#comment-5 Agreed. Agreed.

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