Scott Powell implies that the fate of the polar bears in Churchill is another example of unscientific "eco-hype" used by those promoting the idea of climate change (letter, 6 January).
Over the past decade, journals such as Nature and Science have published peer reviewed articles describing the results of Global Circulation Models (GCMs) used by various climate change research groups that concur that the greatest temperature increases will occur in the polar regions. Similarly, other research articles have shown satellite data, indicating that the Arctic is experiencing a longer growing season due to warming, increased carbon dioxide, or both.
Those involved in the Churchill polar bear research programme first attributed the 20 year decline in the condition and reproduction of the female bears to PCBs in the Arctic. However, since these bears exhibit lower PCB levels than those found further north, a more likely explanation is the increased warming due to anthropogenic climate change. Observations at Churchill support this theory, where, over the past 20 years, sea ice has been melting earlier in the spring, limiting the critical feeding time on the ice [New Scientist, 8 August 1998].
If this research is "eco-hype", perhaps Mr. Powell would care to share his "scientific" knowledge with us.
Sent: 6 January 1999. Unpublished.
Before you get too carried away about supposed market forces resulting in the creation of cleaner automobile engine technology (Regulations build a better car, editorial, 21 April), just remember is was market forces that got us into our present mess.
Sent: 21 April 1999. Published.
re: Warming a security issue (28 May)
If we ever reach the stage where the Northwest Passage becomes ice-free because of global warming, increased pressure on customs, immigration and policing in the North will be the least of our worries.
Sent: 3 June 1999. Published.
re: Micmac killed too, Halifax Mayor Says, 22 June.
Clearly there is no need for Halifax to advertise for the post of village idiot.
Sent: 24 June 1999. Published
Once upon a time, Industry Canada set aside $2 million each year for non-profit groups to encourage young Canadians to pursue careers in Science and Technology. This programme, called Science Culture Canada, ended in March 1999.
Industry Canada Minister Manly is now proposing to spend some $15 million per year of taxpayers' money on subsidizing the NHL. Before doing so, Mr. Manly should explain why professional hockey deserves funding whereas Science Culture Canada does not.
Sent: 29 June 1999. Unpublished.
The civil war in Sierra Leone is over. As part of the peace "deal", many of the rebel leaders who participated in the maiming, raping, and murdering of innocent civilians have been invited to form the new government.
Although the crimes committed by the rebels in Sierra Leone are as hideous as any committed in the former Yugoslavia, the western world is making no effort to bring the perpetrators to justice.
I'm sure that our leaders have very good reasons for making this decision, after all, Sierra Leone is in Africa and is ranked last on the UN Human Development Index.
Sent: 13 July 1999. Published.
Having rubbed shoulders with the likes of Bill Gates at the elitist World Economic Forum held in Davos, William Thorsell then proceeds to pontificate on the marvels of the Internet.
In his column, You've got mail (17 July 1999), Mr. Thorsell writes "now the germ of an original idea or some arresting new data can be posted on the Internet and be disseminated to millions of interested geniuses around the world in minutes." Aside from himself, just who are these "millions of interested geniuses"?
According to the 1999 Human Development Report released last week by the United Nations, the typical Internet user worldwide is "male, under 35 years old, with a university education and high income, urban based and English speaking -- a member of a very elite minority." The report also states that English is used in almost 80 per cent of websites, yet fewer than one person in ten worldwide speaks the language.
Mr. Thorsell also claims that "Powerful search engines probe the bowels of universities, museums and conventional libraries, allowing the nerdiest teen with the oddest interest to escape her isolation and pursue her inquiry". Perhaps, but according to a recent report in Nature, the average time it takes for a new webpage to appear on a search engine is six months, and that the 11 most popular search engines only cover about 43 per cent of the Web.
Sent: 17 July 1999. Published.
re: Glacial melting allowed ancient discovery (25 August)
Hot damn! More proof that Canada's do-nothing approach to the issue of climate change is really a good thing. Now we can claim that our lifestyles are helping scientists uncover our frozen ancestors from melting glaciers.Can't wait to see what happens when the permafrost finally thaws!
Sent: 25 August 1999. Published.
The editorial "Prepare for global warming" (7 September) chastises those who have been calling for a reduction in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than mitigation (i.e., changing our lifestyles), the editorial proposes adaptation (i.e., throwing money at the problem), by offering help to those in need.
Take, for example, the editorial's observation that one of the early expected consequences of anthropogenic climate change will be sea-level rise due to the thermal expansion of the oceans and melting icecaps. Apparently, the solution to this problem is quite simple, "major public works will be required to protect some coastal cities."
Which leads to a question: How much money is Canada willing to spend on protecting Nova Scotia, "Canada's Ocean Playground"?
Are we willing to pay for a tidal barrier across the mouth of Halifax harbour to protect the container-berths and office buildings from sea-level rise? How about a barrier around picturesque villages such as Lockeport on the south shore? As progressively higher tides threaten to overtop existing dykes, will funds be made available to farmers who need to protect their dyked farmland? Will money be available for Fortress Louisbourg (an important tourist attraction and heritage site) to protect it against sea-level rise and coastal retreat?
But this is only part of the battle. Extreme weather events, coupled with high tides, are predicted to flood Truro and the Tantramar Marshes. Salt water is expected to infiltrate fresh water aquifers. Coastal roads, many already flooded at high tide, will be lost to erosion.
Given the Canute-like futility of pouring money into stopping the sea from rising, we will be forced to accept the ultimate adaptation -- simply abandoning many areas of Nova Scotia (and parts of other provinces with ocean coastline) to sea-level rise.
Sent: 14 September 1999. Unpublished.
It was refreshing to read that even in this age of reason and enlightenment, the physicists at York University want a graft of Sir Issac Newton's apple tree.
But can we be certain that it is a piece of the True Tree?
Sent: 2 November 1999. Unpublished.
Computer consultant and writer Ed Yourdon paints a very grim picture and has little time for companies and organizations who were late preparing for the Y2K "bug" (Prophets of doom, 13 December). This is very interesting, considering some of his own work.
In his textbook, "Modern Structured Analysis", published by Prentice-Hall in 1989 (and still widely used), Yourdon introduces at least two Y2K related faults:
Given Mr. Yourdon's concerns about Y2K, I trust that he has made a Y2K-compliant upgrade of his text available to all those who purchased his earlier edition.
Sent: 15 December 1999. Unpublished.