socialmedian: Is man on course to cause the sixth extinction?

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Is man on course to cause the sixth extinction?

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nov 08, 2009

Summary

Forthcoming book examines the role of humans in the eradication of species, and its findings are not likely to be pleasant

At first sight it seems an unlikely topic for a landmark publishing deal: a fee of about half a million dollars for a book about dead animals – or, to be more precise, extinct animals.

Nevertheless the subject of eradicated species has become publishing hot property after a bidding battle in the US saw Henry Holt, a publisher, beat its rivals to buy The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert last week. According to the New York Times, a "mid-six-figure advance" has now been agreed between writer and publisher.

"The idea of mass extinctions as the next step after talking about the perils of global warming is the most crucial subject," said Gillian Blake of Holt, after completing the deal with Kolbert, a writer for the New Yorker on environmental issues. Her last book, Field Notes from a Catastrophe, outlined evidence collated from sites across the planet showing how global warming is changing the world. The book was well reviewed on both sides

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Comments (1)

Mapphappy,

Nov 11, 2009

Feel tempted to read the full article? ... go on it's about a tome soon to be published. How is THAT news? because two publishers wanted the title so it was all about how much money they advanced. Good PR eh?

While we are all interested in our origins the facts are - well two of many facts - one that the dating tests we do can be wildly out. It had already been mooted softly that the thought processes and expectations of the testers and those who pay the enormous fees for the tests can affect results. To me carbon dating is a good guide up to the several hundred thou.

The second thing is that frankly it's sensationalist. Why do you think the publishers were interested? Hollywood has room for more hopeless destruction, frightening images, desperate pain and - wow what a title - The 6th Extinction.

We can't even be sure there ere only five of them already and hey - what about the word NEAR? Near extinction has a slight ring about it. Maybe there will be 'Mass Extinction ll and lll. Great - more weird looking animals that are long dead - I have not even brushed the surface looking at wildlife showing 20 new species here - 50 more there.... and that's just a few people looking.

Live animals are interesting - what's so great about more dead ones? For sure there are many other things to occupy our minds with - like effecting some solutions to the 'global warming' headless chicken for a start.

That this book tops the charts is a done deal already - another great big "so what ?".

However the extinction is not a done deal.

Just because a book sells well in support of a theory (global warming) or even passionate postulation by the powers that be ... facts is facts - they DON'T KNOW.

What's in it for them? Already announced is the answer:
So they can impose a great big global emissions tax and a world government and enforcement crew to police it. Who are 'they'? we shall never know as European rule is all closed door committees.

Or it could be that they merely want something to blame for all the bad weather while they lay the guilt trips on we the people. Roger Lewin, a journalist is quoted in the book:

"Homo sapiens is poised to become the greatest catastrophic agent since a giant asteroid collided with the Earth 65 million years ago, wiping out half the world's species in a geological instant," You think?

As if he knew. "half the worlds species" ha! "65 million years ago" - yeah right. Their are windin us up mate.

Jackie Mackay

While we are all interested in our origins the facts are - well two of many facts - one that the dating tests we do can be wildly out. It had already been mooted softly that the thought processes and expectations of the testers and those who pay the enormous fees for the tests can affect results. To me carbon dating is a good guide up to the several hundred thou.

The second thing is that frankly it's sensationalist. Why do you think the publishers were interested? Hollywood has room for more hopeless destruction, frightening images, desperate pain and - wow what a title - The 6th Extinction.

We can't even be sure there ere only five of them already and hey - what about the word NEAR? Near extinction has a slight ring about it.  Maybe there will be 'Mass Extinction ll and lll. Great - more weird looking animals that are long dead - I have not even brushed the surface looking at wildlife showing 20 new species here - 50 more there.... and that's just a few people looking.

Live animals are interesting - what's so great about more dead ones?  For sure there are many other things to occupy our minds with - like effecting some solutions to the 'global warming' headless chicken for a start.

That this book tops the charts is a done deal already - another great big "so what ?".

However the extinction is not a done deal.

Just because a book sells well in support of a theory (global warming) or even passionate postulation by the powers that be ... facts is facts - they DON'T KNOW.

What's in it for them? Already announced is the answer:
So they can impose a great big global emissions tax and a world government and enforcement crew to police it.  Who are 'they'? we shall never know as European rule is all closed door committees.

Or it could be that they merely want something to blame for all the bad weather while they lay the guilt trips on we the people.  Roger Lewin, a journalist is quoted in the book:

"Homo sapiens is poised to become the greatest catastrophic agent since a giant asteroid collided with the Earth 65 million years ago, wiping out half the world's species in a geological instant,"   You think?

As if he knew. "half the worlds species" ha! "65 million years ago" - yeah right. Their are windin us up mate.

Jackie Mackay

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