Climate change is essentially irreversible, according to a sobering new scientific study. [...]
"People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide that the climate would go back to normal in 100 years or 200 years. What we're showing here is that's not right. It's essentially an irreversible change that will last for more than a thousand years," Solomon says.
This is because the oceans are currently soaking up a lot of the planet's excess heat — and a lot of the carbon dioxide put into the air. The carbon dioxide and heat will eventually start coming out of the ocean. And that will take place for many hundreds of years.
Oh, whoops, did I say great news? I meant spirit-crushingly horrendous news. Sorry about that.
LET ME EASE YOUR PAIN: I know I'm probably really bringing you over, so maybe this will help you mellow off: engrish.com (or if you're feeling particularly mature you can try adult.engrish.com, which is approximately 72.3 times funnier). Yes, I know this isn't exactly the latest Internet sensation, but I'm guessing there's at least one person out there who hasn't seen it.
Me, spam?! The nerve!
Posted by: Save the Oocytes | Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 09:33 PM
Soylent green is people. Can I Go Home now?
Posted by: NomadUK | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 03:48 AM
Dude, SPOILER WARNING. Next you'll be telling us the chick in The Crying Game is a guy.
Posted by: John Caruso | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 10:22 AM
great site! (i'm the one person who hadn't seen it.) see also:
http://engrishfunny.com/
Posted by: petey | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 11:00 AM
hey, that "smoking turkey cock" sure did take my mind off the impending apocalypse for a second.
(resumes crying)
Posted by: steve m | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 11:10 AM
the chick in The Crying Game is a guy.
Shit!
Just for that, 'Rosebud' is his sled!
Posted by: NomadUK | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 01:31 PM
It says there are six comments, but I can't see any.
OH NOES
HAS I BROKEN THE TUBES
Posted by: Save the Oocytes | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 02:10 PM
I sent a comment with a few links yesterday, but it said it was being held for approval. Was it eaten?
Posted by: Save the Oocytes | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 02:12 PM
StO: Hmm, yeah, I got the no-comments-visible thing thing as well for a moment there. TypePad is in the process of changing how they handle comments, and I've noticed that you no longer see new comments automatically if you revisit a posting—you have to do a refresh. So I'm thinking it's another manifestation of the same problem. After I refreshed this page a few times the comments showed up again.
Also, I didn't see your "spam" comment (I don't get notifications for those), but now that you've pointed it out I went ahead and published it. If that ever happens again, just mention it to me and I'll take care of it.
NomadUK: Oh yeah? Well, Christ dies at the end. Ha ha!
Posted by: John Caruso | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Here!! The first Af Am president turns out to be a conservative!! Ha!
Posted by: KDelphi | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 03:18 PM
And Chinese marinated chicken is chicken with saliva--I heard from someone who went to the Olympics..
Posted by: KDelphi | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 03:21 PM
Regrettably, Iraqis in Tikrit have taken a huge step towards anarchic fascism. Or fascist anarchy. The point is, they're very bad people who probably deserve at least a short jail term.
Posted by: Gnome Chomsky | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 04:33 PM
Excellent. I especially like how the people in the foreground are laughing their asses off.
Posted by: John Caruso | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 06:57 PM
I wonder if this story will trigger a "Fuck it, guess I'll go buy an SUV" reaction from the people who see it.
I don't think that's really what the scientists were getting at, because climate scientists have known for some time that the question of climate change isn't "whether", but "how much", and actions we take now will have a huge impact on what climate state we're stuck with for the next thousand years.
Returning to our pre-industrial-revolution climate was never really a possibility anyway, but with our climate choices now narrowing to a range from bad to horrific, "bad" is certainly looking better than "horrific."
I guess "lesser of two evils" isn't just for elections any more.
Posted by: SteveB | Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 07:41 PM
Climate scientist David Archer, on the Real Climate blog ("climate science from climate scientists"), responds to this study with a piece entitled "Irreversible Does Not Mean Unstoppable".
I mean, it's still doesn't make this great news, but... well, just sayin', all hope is not lost yet.
Posted by: Quin | Sunday, February 01, 2009 at 07:51 AM
P.S. Living in Japan as I do, I am learning Engrish the best way one can-- the full immersion method.
Posted by: Quin | Sunday, February 01, 2009 at 07:55 AM