Crop

Mate I'm from the tropics, totally different I know but it looks like a Blue meany to me, but I don't think they get down that far.

If you want to get into transitional fosils, there's heaps, probably two of the most famous:

LOL to funny! Mate if ya looking for an instant change of species like the fella in the second film, then you are looking for a biblical style miracle, good luck finding proof of that. If you want a crockoduck or missing link:

White card can be done on line, pretty cheep too. Good luck mate. I've been where you are several times. Feel like i'm on the verge now. Usually a few months off, is enough, but not so sure this time.

Horsey, this ones for you.

Hashslingr, great post. I'm glad you spoke of Wallace, the man doesn't get enough credit, while he didn't have Darwin's connections, he certainly did far more field work. Given the timing, I personally would not be surprised if Darwin's rewrite plagiarised Wallace. Evolutionary theory was around before these two, Lamarckism in particular is interesting.

When I was very young, working as a kitchen hand. Every day I had to chop lots of parsley, put it in a tea towel, rise it under the tap, then twist the tea towel and squeeze out the juice. This allowed the parsley to keep better on the bench during service. One of the chefs told me that drinking the juice would get you stoned, so I tried it. It does get you a bit stoned. I started saving up several days worth to try a bigger dose, but the boss told me it ruins your liver so I through it out.

Yeh mate white skin must have come from somewhere (neanderthal maybe), as someone constantly battling skin cancer I'm having problems coming up with any evolutionary advantage (suggestions anyone). As for not being able to tell skin colour from genetics, there are many genes linked to skin pigment. Probably the most important being SLC24A5 which is present in pretty much all white skinned people. another interesting one is MFSD12 which is strongly linked to the production of melanin, one mutation causes very dark skin, while another causes the skin condition Vitiligo, in combination with other genes it can cause white skin. With so many different genes at play, I agree it's hard to know for sure.

Sorry Stu, not sure what makes you think that. I think from memory that particular discussion was to do with which side of the positive/negative freedom divide, anarchism sits. For the record, most forms of anarchy, I can think of, that have made it past the theory stage, have had some form of ruler or comity to handle the day to day mundane problems. Especially if there are large numbers of people involved. In the indigenous systems I have lived in, the elders filled this role. Major decisions required a community meeting where everybody, that wanted to, got a say. This was not a democracy, where the majority got their way. These meeting would go on and on, concessions would be made, until everyone was happy and there was consensus. I think this consensus is the secret to a stable anarchy, as it eliminates most resentments. removing the need to use force to enforce rules.

Mate your just trying to bring out the crazy's for entertainment value. I love it. I'll bite. In my opinion there is no sane debate left in the premise it self (I also think there should be mandatory psych evaluation for public office), all that's left to do is refine the theory with things like Parallel Gene Transfer, which shows viruses moving DNA between species. In human evolution we just need to tie down who all our ancestors were. We already know that most if not all races out side of Africa have neanderthal DNA, at least South East Asians contain denissovan DNA, while Melanesian and Indigenous Australians contain similar DNA that points to yet another unidentified ancestor, as does negroid genes. I personally think there will be many more discoveries in the near future. Did you know that the earliest human bones, discovered in Briton, with viable DNA, shows the individual had brown skin, dark hair and blue eyes. A combination previously thought to be impossible. I wonder what the Neo-Nazis make of that?

Mate I was not suggesting it was. I don't think we know much about it at all, except the amount, about 90 tonnes a day I think. Perhaps a small amount in the big scheme of things, still. I was using the example in an attempt to reason with the rake wielder. Even if you think the planet is resilient enough to repair rising CO2 levels, maybe his who cares attitude might not be wise. Our track record of looking after this planet is atrocious. We have shown time and again that we will go to any lengths in our pursuit of the holy dollar. Is it really too far of a stretch too think that maybe, just maybe, we are capable of doing permanent damage. like perhaps making this small leak into a big one. Yeh I agree with you a polar flip is overdue. There is somethings we just can't do much about. I don't think that should stop you from making the world you live in now a better place. Your going to hate this, but I think an obvious solution to most of the man made problems, including the ones in this thread, is a simple cap on wealth.

Mate I was answering your question and talking about my teenage angst, not assuming to know your particular problem. Your a funny bugger! It sounds like the concept is new to you, despite it being first discovered nearly 40 years ago. Yet still, is there really not enough wonder in you, for you to spend a minute looking it up, before you comment? Or perhaps it's just the sad, dark thrill of being contrary?

Mate My problem is not necessarily with what you are saying, it's that you feel you need to say it. Just to be clear, I am not anti-vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian and probably will be again, but there is so much bullshit around it. Extremest groups like PETA and their ilk, spend fortunes on so called 'studies' and reports in an attempt to prove farming animals and eating meat is bad. All this material is getting lapped up by some of the most environmentally conscious people on the planet. People that could be helping come up with solutions, if they weren't stupid enough to let them selves be led down the garden path. Sure many people eat too much meat, but the problem it is how the farming is done, not whether you eat meat or not. In fact to grow organic vegetables you need animal products. An inconvenient truth most Vegans ignore. Sorry I'm not sure if that is the right word. Can you still call your self a Vegan if your food is produced using animal products? We most assuredly can influence the agricultural industry. Just imagine what could be achieved, if as much effort was put into promoting good farming practice, as is Vegetarianism. Of course the big industrial farming companies don't give a shit which side of the fence you sit. They keep make money, they even get tax concessions on their donations to PETA.

It's all well and good to think about the Earth rebelling against us, to kill off the parasites we have become. I have no doubt rising CO2 levels is a beautiful way to do that. As the levels rise animals get sick and die, while plant growth increases, until it swings back again. It has certainly happened before. Mate eventually you have to grow out of your teenage angst, and realise your one of those animals that has to go through that sick and dying part. Besides I think we are so insanely stupid that we might just push it too far, past the point it can be fixed. Our atmosphere is already leaking into space. It's feasible that damaging our atmosphere could increase the rate of leakage, and that shit is permanent.

Mate I get where your coming from. I used to think like this. I know CO2 levels can get much higher before plants reach their optimal level. I agree that human extinction would be a wonderful thing for the planet. I believe the planet is incredibly resilient. Unfortunately now days I also think our greed and stupidity have no limits, that we are more than capable of breaking this home we share.

hashsingr I don't expect a single post to overcome long-turn miss-information and propaganda. All I ask is that you have an open mind and yous critical thinking. This is simply not true, the price of oil in China right now is about 3 times that of meal, and while oil prices are down meal is at a record high. I don't get the Netherlands and soy products thing, or why its relevant. The biggest buyer of soy, by far, is China which at the moment receives over 60% of world supply,about 45% of Brazil's production, and yes the Chinese absolutely love consuming their soy products. I do get the Amazon thing. Amazon is a great buzz word to add to propaganda dressed up to look like science. However it is also not true. Most of the world's soya is grown on Brazil's Savannah Plains and this is where most of the present deforestation is taking place. Just as tragic, but does not sound as sexy. As for the stuff about vegetarian diets being better for the environment. I've already given examples that show an even better way, please look into it. These farming systems are not widespread yet, but Japan's modern duck, loach (a type of catfish), azolla, rice poly-culture is attracting huge and serious attention. Not to mention total yields mono-culture can only dream about.

Yah mate, you where misreading this. What I was doing was agreeing with what I thought Paradox was saying, that is that vegetarians which source their food from industrial agricultural mono-cultures, do not have the high ground in this discussion. I simply used soy as an example and it is a good one. I went further in debunking the vegetarian propaganda by giving real world examples of current poly-culture, animal and plant farming systems that produce far more yield with a lower ecological foot print than vegetable alone systems. I suppose what I was trying to say, is that if you are the type of person that snacks on tempe or sips on soy lattes(regardless of if you are vegetarian or not), while pointing your finger at meat-eaters, amid winging about deforestation in Brazil. Your not only a hypocrite, your also a mindless drone.

The way propaganda works is by taking a half truth, then twisting it till people hear what they want to hear. The part of soya bean used in animal fodder is the low value meal. Yes technically this is the bulk of the bean. However it is not economically viable to grow Soya for the meal. Instead you grow Soya for the high value milk or oil, which leaves the meal as a by product. In the early days of soya farming (in the west) the meal was thrown away. Now farmers make a few extra bucks selling it as animal fodder. So yes, technically most of the soya bean ends up as animal food, but this is actually a form of recycling, and about the only thing their doing right, yet is the first thing well meaning people pick on.

Mate I don't think your right there. Paradox, among other things, seems to be disputing the usual hippy propaganda that vegetarianism is somehow the answer. Despite the massive damage caused by crops like mono-cultured soya bean or the much higher yield per hectare and smaller eco foot print of farming systems that incorporate both plants and animals. Such as the traditional systems used in Vietnam's the Red River Delta, or the Duck, Rice, Azolla systems of Japan, or even Animal Tractor Permiculture systems.

Hi Yawning Man can't help with the chippie stuff, but I know Community Service burn out, I feel for ya! In such a thankless job it's easy to lose focus of the good you do. Mate turning just 1 persons life around, is achieving something more meaning full than most peoples entire life. I certainly get the attraction of wood, I've been trying to teach my self(badly) after work, very therapeutic.

Your posts never cease to amaze> I have a very large Milk Wood in my back yard, whilst I knew of it's use in carving, I knew nothing of it's medicinal value. Let alone it's use to treat severe madness. My only problem now is deciding if I want to be cured. Just in case, how long should you keep up that strong a dose rate?

Mate ya been busy, I'm using the fabric plant bags too, there great for cactus or water plants like taro or water-chestnuts(submerged), and there very cheap to get sent by mail.

Thanks for that link MountainGoat, We're already using a sediment filter where the water comes into the house and a double ceramic/carbon filter at kitchen sink, but where looking for something that can handle heavy metals better.

That last photo is just cruel.

What a great question, and one I wish I could answer. It used to be much easier, you just had to look at who gains by what you're getting told.The truth, much like everything else in this world, is a complicated, multifaceted thing. Be very sceptical of anything flat, one sided or exactly what you want to hear. At uni, journalist are taught to present info in a balanced, objective manner which allows the consumer to come to their own conclusions. You shouldn't really take anything else too seriously, but good luck finding real journalism these days.