Climate Change and Related Issues

[Siren]

@ScandinavianMetal: I was simply trying to show you that the problems you were putting forth are not very important in the big picture of things. Of course everyone thinks the problems they deal with are important, so that doesn't say much at all. I know i was exaggerating in most of my post, but i do think that one of the reasons behind Finns' problems is lack of communication with each other.
People in Africa don't kill themselves, because they're much more likely to be killed by someone else, by lack of water and food or by AIDS. I think you will agree those problems are far more important than having to learn two languages at school. I live in Greece and things are also very expensive, we get paid less than most european countries, we learn at least 2-3 languages at school, and school is really hard here as well. Also, if we fail to enter into university (and more specifically to our school of choice) we're pretty much considered as failures. Yet, we don't kill ourselves at the rate finns do, nor do we drink as much.
The manipulation thing you mentioned could be a reason for the suicides and i have to take your word for it, but i'd like to see more real reasons like this. I'm sorry if i was harsh with you, i hope you will contribute to the discussion some more.

 

[GONE Ridin' Hood]

No need to get so angry. There will always be ignorant people -- that's why we still have organized "religion". And I honestly don't think the US and China deserve all the blame... A lot of it, for sure, maybe even most of it, but I live in Canada, and I don't see us (the government slightly more than the citizens, but we elected our government, so...) taking a lot of action. I'm assuming -- from what I've seen on imported British shows -- that the rest of the English-as-a-first-language world is not too different. I don't like the States at all, but we need to stop using them as a scapegoat and concentrate on fixing things at home. If you're a thief and your brother is a murderer, it doesn't change the fact that you are a thief.

And I'm not sure if it is all in my head or not, but I am pretty sure the summers have been getting noticably hotter than they were when I was a child. And this city I live in now is supposed to be absolutely freezing in the winter, but I've been here for three years and it hasn't really been that cold at all, aside from the one time there was a windchill of -50.

I probably sound like a hypocrite, but... the bag thing was not my call. An American told me to do it. Haha, seriously though.

EDIT: In before "blame Canada".

Yeah I know it's not entirely the US' and China's fault, but they are the two biggest polluters in the world, so you get my point. Japan also does a lot (screw the Kyoto Protocol, stop killing whales), and so does Mexico and many other countries.

Well I'm Canadian and I didn't vote for the actual government hehe .

But you shall tell people you know that they should help out a bit, it doesn't matter how small, it'll make a difference (contrary of what most DT forum members say).

Ah well about the plastic bags, don't worry about it, the good thing is that you recognized that you did wrong and that you won't do it again . Re-using plastic bags is a good way to redeem yourself too .

Concerning the Finland stuff, I do believe there's a serious lack of communication between Finns and that there's too much social pressure. They should put Vitamin E in their milk or something too .

And yeah well Africa is special, it's basically a world-forsaken continent. The situation over there is just unimaginable and very, very (emphasizes on very) sad.

 

[Jolty]

Wait, you're Canadian?

It was so funny, the kid I was with had to take more things out to the garbage, and there were two people walking around the parking lot, looking very pissed off and using sticks to pick up all the Music World bags... And there he was, pushing his little Music World cart, full of Music World boxes, held together with Music World tape. Ahaha.

And I thought the thing about Finns being depressed and offing themselves everywhere was just some ridiculous stereotype. The Finns I've Internet-met have all been normal and happy.

 

[ScandinavianMetal]

@ScandinavianMetal: I was simply trying to show you that the problems you were putting forth are not very important in the big picture of things. Of course everyone thinks the problems they deal with are important, so that doesn't say much at all. I know i was exaggerating in most of my post, but i do think that one of the reasons behind Finns' problems is lack of communication with each other.
People in Africa don't kill themselves, because they're much more likely to be killed by someone else, by lack of water and food or by AIDS. I think you will agree those problems are far more important than having to learn two languages at school. I live in Greece and things are also very expensive, we get paid less than most european countries, we learn at least 2-3 languages at school, and school is really hard here as well. Also, if we fail to enter into university (and more specifically to our school of choice) we're pretty much considered as failures. Yet, we don't kill ourselves at the rate finns do, nor do we drink as much.
The manipulation thing you mentioned could be a reason for the suicides and i have to take your word for it, but i'd like to see more real reasons like this. I'm sorry if i was harsh with you, i hope you will contribute to the discussion some more.

You do bring valid points, and I agree. Perhaps it's the social pressures as well that Matsu (I believe...can't see the post right now as I'm typing) contributed. Also, and I may be completely mistaken since this is from a stereotype--that family in the southern Europe are very close. In Finland, family is not all that close which do lead to failures in communication. This, as you pointed out in your previous post, can indeed be a cause for the high suicide rate in Finns and high social pressure. And I'm sorry for my heated response earlier!

 

[Siren]

You do bring valid points, and I agree. Perhaps it's the social pressures as well that Matsu (I believe...can't see the post right now as I'm typing) contributed. Also, and I may be completely mistaken since this is from a stereotype--that family in the southern Europe are very close. In Finland, family is not all that close which do lead to failures in communication. This, as you pointed out in your previous post, can indeed be a cause for the high suicide rate in Finns and high social pressure. And I'm sorry for my heated response earlier!

From what i have seen it's not such a stereotype, families seem indeed to be closer in the south. Another thing that in my opinion helps is that people down here are more loud and express their frustration much more easily, while it's my impression that such a thing is not exactly encouraged in the north.
There's one point i don't have very clear: when you talk about social pressure, apart from the family thing, what exactly do you mean, could you give some examples?

 

[Outstreched Fingers]

From what i have seen it's not such a stereotype, families seem indeed to be closer in the south. Another thing that in my opinion helps is that people down here are more loud and express their frustration much more easily, while it's my impression that such a thing is not exactly encouraged in the north.

Take a man from Naples and one from...Torino and put them in a room together. And that's INSIDE Italy, a small country

Take the average disgusting parisienne and compare him to the average racist british gentleman ... north and south, abysmal differences.

A discussion way too long...

 

[Matse]

Take an oaken bucket from Bologna and give it to some soldiers from Modena. Hehe.

 

[Outstreched Fingers]

Take an oaken bucket from Bologna and give it to some soldiers from Modena. Hehe.

Isnt the bucket that thing that the newly wife throws to the desperate 40+ gals attending her wedding?

 

[RampageSword]

Isnt the bucket that thing that the newly wife throws to the desperate 40+ gals attending her wedding?

the word you are looking for is bouquet

About that oaken bucket battle: This is hilarious. Then again, it's as justified a reason for war as "I don't like the Jews and we're the supremacy"

 

[ScandinavianMetal]

From what i have seen it's not such a stereotype, families seem indeed to be closer in the south. Another thing that in my opinion helps is that people down here are more loud and express their frustration much more easily, while it's my impression that such a thing is not exactly encouraged in the north.
There's one point i don't have very clear: when you talk about social pressure, apart from the family thing, what exactly do you mean, could you give some examples?

There was a boy, about in first grade. He was a pure genius, never seen anyone like him. He could read when he was 3 and such. His parents could care less, they never cared about him but to poke fun of him. Real smart kid. He went into the University to study some type of science...real hard class. He was really poor...he owned but nothing than the clothes he had. Every time he went home, he had to walk. It was about a two day walk. One day my aunt called my mom and told her that this same boy had shot himself in the head on the way home...only one year from graduation. His parents never cared nor did anyone else about his life. This is true to many people I know in Finland. Everything you do, you do alone. Everything becomes 2x harder to overcome. And as you said Siren, perhaps if he had yelled out his frustration, the outcome would have been different. But a very sad story nevertheless. Going back to your question "social pressure", I have not really described what I mean. What I meant was that there was no support. The last generation was beyond ruthless and used to the excuse that they were war-people to justify them self. And especially to females. You heard nothing but that you cannot become anything. Nothing nice, ever. Hearing compliments really have a huge effect. There was simply no hope of a future either. Then they send you out penniless, without a job. I know many who don't get enough to eat. You don't think about this when you think about Finland, but it's a cruel place. We keep writing to a family member in Finland right now, because we are worried she is on the brink of suicide. She has no hope, everything is crushing around here...and more importantly, she's not receiving any support. All she has to talk to are us. My own family in Finland doesn't do anything either, if there is no profit attached to it. This is what I think about when the question arises; "Why is the suicide rate so high?".

I also understand that there are worse problems out there as well...it is just something quite personal and I brought it up. And this is scratching the surface...things that are happening are obscene. And this may have simply been the cruelness of my family, but I'm quite sure that it is not. And I sound a little like a hypocrite right now, because I have never really thought about this until someone made a joke or something similar about the suicide rates in Finland.

That's mostly all I have to say on that discussion. I have been in Finland and with the family, and I have seen it. Have I grown up in this? No. So I may be wrong...but that is the picture I extracted. And don't get me wrong..my family looks very nice, until you get to know them. They are similar to wolf in sheep skin.

 

[GONE Ridin' Hood]

Wait, you're Canadian?

It was so funny, the kid I was with had to take more things out to the garbage, and there were two people walking around the parking lot, looking very pissed off and using sticks to pick up all the Music World bags... And there he was, pushing his little Music World cart, full of Music World boxes, held together with Music World tape. Ahaha.

And I thought the thing about Finns being depressed and offing themselves everywhere was just some ridiculous stereotype. The Finns I've Internet-met have all been normal and happy.

Yup, Costa Rican and Canadian. And damn proud of both of them, two of the best countries in the world .

Ah well at least someone picked up the bags .

About the Finns stuff, I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with the climate. For example, in countries like Greece, and I quote Siren here, people scream. And I'm pretty sure that family is a big deal around there (judging from The Godfather ). Unlike Finns which well as Scandinavia Metal said, the guy shot himself.

@ Scandinavian Metal: Shouldn't you like, call the girl or something? Tell her that she should go to Sweden and that she can spend some time with you. Or tell her to come to CR, where it's nice and warm and tourists are treated like gods .

 

[Siren]

@ScandinavianMetal: That's a very sad story. Now i see what you were talking about. It's quite shocking and makes me feel sorry i talked harshly before. I could never imagine it can be that bad. Down here we have a picture of the northern countries as being well organised, paying huge salaries and having a good social support system for the unemployed.
I guess Greece really is paradise in some aspects. For example the average family will not kick you out before you can sufficiently support yourself (which can take a while), they will try to finance you fully till you've finished studying (which often involves going to uni in a different city), they will usually help you raise your kids, and more or less they will have your back. Of course it's not perfect and there's some (or a lot of) manipulation involved here as well, and not every family is loving and supporting like that. Also nowadays kids are much more likely to dispose of their parents in a nursing home than it was a couple decades ago. But things seem to be much better than what you described above.
I hope things go well with your family member, and that you manage to show her the options and potential she really has.

edit: where do you live/have grown up, if i may ask?

edit 2:

And I'm pretty sure that family is a big deal around there (judging from The Godfather ).

Now, now, you're thinking Italy. Change DVDs and put in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and you're pretty much there.

@ Scandinavian Metal: Shouldn't you like, call the girl or something? Tell her that she should go to Sweden and that she can spend some time with you. Or tell her to come to CR, where it's nice and warm and tourists are treated like gods .

Funnily enough, i had a similar thought (is the world coming to an end?). The girl doesn't need to stay in Finland if things are so tough there. I've heard that Sweden and Norway give a lot of money for unemployment support (though i could be wrong). I'd suggest nice and warm Greece where tourists are treated like money bags, but chances are she couldn't make a lot of money here.

 

[GONE Ridin' Hood]

Now, now, you're thinking Italy. Change DVDs and put in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and you're pretty much there.

Funnily enough, i had a similar thought (is the world coming to an end?). The girl doesn't need to stay in Finland if things are so tough there. I've heard that Sweden and Norway give a lot of money for unemployment support (though i could be wrong). I'd suggest nice and warm Greece where tourists are treated like money bags, but chances are she couldn't make a lot of money here.

Hehe yeah i know my mistake. Dunno, I edited it but it stayed the same. Weird, maybe I didn't edit it after all, but you get the point . Still, what's the difference? And yes I was being sarcastic.

Haha well that's one more thing we share in common besides DT, caring for other people . I actually care a lot about other people, especially if they have problems and can "be saved" like the girl there.

Really, it's a very sad situation. We have an over-populated planet, but people from the incorrect part of the world die. I'm not saying that Chinese are less valuable as human beings or something, but they are certainly not dying. On the other hand, we have this small amount of Finns, and a lot of them are killing themselves. Ironic, bloody ironic.

 

[Defiance]

Time to revive this thread!

I'm very happy that Arias is fucking out of the presidency. Hopefully the new government will be more friendly to the environment.

I just saw this excellent documentary called The Cove, if you have a chance, please watch it.



And this is me and my sister protesting against a mining project here in Costa Rica (i.e. the land that hates nature):

 

[snuffcarl]

People in Africa don't kill themselves, because they're much more likely to be killed by someone else, by lack of water and food or by AIDS. I think you will agree those problems are far more important than having to learn two languages at school.
The manipulation thing you mentioned could be a reason for the suicides and i have to take your word for it, but i'd like to see more real reasons like this. I'm sorry if i was harsh with you, i hope you will contribute to the discussion some more.

Pls explain your theory about people in africa not killing themselves beacuse they are much more likely to be killed?

 

[rahvin]

People say I'm mean but I never changed this thread's title to "Spot global warming!!!".

 

[Defiance]

Hahaha, good one. But it is, indeed, an inaccurate title. It should simply say 'Climate Change and Related Issues'. Since I was the original author but obvioulsy can't edit the title anymore, I'd apprecciate it if you change it to the new one previously mentioned. Grazie!

 

[Defiance]

On other environmental news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10123210.stm

*Sings Canadian hymn*

 

[Defiance]

On another note:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179531

Bad Nintendo, bad Nintendo.

 

[rahvin]

Nintendo's and don't.