Dear Belly,

Decline of civil debate? The internet is quite a mix - isn't it. You get all sorts. Quaint retro-types whose ignorance cover them like a blanket with scarcely a hole in it anywhere. Then there's the racist,
homophobic, xenophobic, sexists, and of course there's the heavy-handed creeps and trolls. But thankfully none of them frequent OLO.
(joke).

Seriously though, Americans are an even stranger bunch - perhaps because things are so much faster there than here. People in the US don't "stand for election," they "run for office."

Anyway, regarding climate change - well, we may not be able to change the world, but at least we can embarrass the guilty. Got to try.

"but at least we can embarrass the guilty. Got to try." yes talking in the third person helps, and very smooth lexi.The Decline of civil debate? But how do we define whats civil when everyone's a raving smart arse:) Oh I get it, only the righteous one's may have an opinion, well if you've practiced the game of deliverable/predictable mind tennis, I guess your the best:) See, people need to talk about what they know, even if they dont. However bad manners is a lesson all might brush up on.

If new questions and answers have been given, some might feel a little left out.....well that happens for time to time, dont it.

Banjo....So if someone wants to be anonymous, are you saying if you found out their true ID you would do what? Go ape perhaps and use the monkey tantrum as an excuse for peoples objections to commit violence against someone you dont even know. I just blog here, and if you people dont like what you read, just ignore it. Its not like someones holding a gun against your head.......thou for some, thats just the human zoo:) But I will end this in saying........" humans can be convinced of absolutely any-thing" and if your not angry now, well your just not human:)

LEA

Let us not go there, the name ourselves thing.
Look good solid reasons exist not to.
I did here.
And it bought needless problems.
I fell for taunts that I was a coward, not so,of any of us.
Blair is rubbish, as worthy of my attention as Alan Jones and a host more.
The INTERNET is changing the world,for the better see the Arab spring, power to its people!
It however is not changing bigots fools or those who are overly impressed with them selves, just giving them a platform.
We, know better but continue to give them air by responding to them.
Are we letting our selves become the victims of confrontation.
Parliament sits soon, leave your biases at the fridge,sit down and watch.
Abbott just for one sitting.
Compare him with Rudd Hawk, Howard Turnbull.
CLIMATE CHANGE now forget your opinion, I ask this if true or not,is it not true one way or the other it has the potential to be the biggest issue in our recent history.
Out world wide debate on this issue is nothing less than disgracefully, both sides.
I a believer am branded just for saying that,the threads subject highlights our devision .

at least we can embarrass the guilty. Got to try.
Lexi,
Glad to see you're seeing things from a better perspective now & good on you for doing your bit. You're doing well.

Banjo

My ex used to stalk and threaten me, he has not done so for many years because he does not know where I am.

I am still frightened.

People making death threats anytime, anywhere particularly over an issue like climate change, trying to force scientists to what? Change their findings? Lie about their observations? From what I understand the threats began years ago and have continued to escalate. About as rational a response as Abbott's "climate change is crap".

The evidence is in. Deal with it - but resorting to abuse at any level from name-calling to physical threat indicates that some people are not to be taken seriously.

Just as I would trust a neurosurgeon over a GP to operate on my brain, so I would trust the research of a climatologist over an economist, journalist or anyone (including scientists) in the pay of the fossil fuel industry where the bulk of disagreement has been heard.

Maybe Belly is right - there is a decline in civil debate. Watching parliament is just embarrassing - no matter what your political affiliations.

What is desperately is a change of attitude towards those with whom you disagree. Tolerance, acceptance and compassion have become as rare as planning for the long term.

i must ask belly
how do you post?

you "left click"
on your mouse

now put that pointer arrow
on the..top-of..the page..[this page]

now see the white/window..next-to the arrows?
put your arrow-pointer/..on that

now click
the right-hand button[on your mouse]
a little window opens...[with options on it]

PUT the arrow on one...[copy/or/cut]

now LEFT/click...and the ADDRESS disappears
its now ready to paste

simply go to a page
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/compose-message-general.asp?discussion=4508

use left button/click once
to put the blinking..I..line on the page

then click
[the right hand ...mouse-button
to paste it..onto the post page]

to copy or paste etc
is on that..*other button
[the right hand buton..on your mouse]

as for the decline of civil-debate
look at the lies...

how can you..not know..
your being conned..with all this spin

5 year old complaints
yesterdays reports
modeling..lol

now aquarium fish..in sydney harbour...lol

even hobart has problems..with ships dumping balast
[introducing pest species..globally]

that means mankind..doing business by ships
are sloppy..with the rules about dumping their ballast out at sea

not that the extra fish
will raise..*MAYBE...the water level
in maybe 100 years
by maybe a half a meter

we are going to go broke on maybe?
on flawed modeling...

cause its cheaper ..
[IF THERE REALLY IS..A PROBLEM]
to do it now...lol..wow
but

is EVEN the thing
[were doing NOW]
the right thing..to get power
into your home[at night]..*tomorrow?

this is a complicated issue
we got a treasurors/report[lol]..with no specific details]

..that says usa is doing *something
[with 6 states..totaling 6 billion tops]..in usa

or that 3 states
in china..are doing..'something'

we got europe..*doing things..[big business]
AND..their sceme*..*got rorted*

and now its built
there ISNT
NO MORE.."GREEN JOBS"

and many of their govts..went broke

but they got nukulear
they got a network..
with other countries..for backup/power

[like when the cold weather
broke all them UK windmills..

and they HAD TO*..BUY their power from france}

its a con juliar..!
the minester..*for climate change..LIES..!