An Oxymoron?

[tris]

I was looking out of a window the other day and thinking what a beautiful planet we live on.

The problem was the window was 15000 feet up in an aircraft which was polluting said planet by burning oil as I was returning after flying from Lincolnshire to Aberdeen for a 45 minute meeting

Discuss

[yogidozer]

To be part of a solution to any problem, you could start by doing your part. You could have used alternate transportation, maybe a train?

[John A]

Send Al Gore a check, that should fix it.........

[charlie b]

It is very pretty from that far up.  Also pretty when you are down in it.

But, if we wanted to be serious about the planet we'd get rid of our planes, cars, motorcycles and go back to bicycles and walking.  For that matter turn off the computers and dump the extra lights in the house, internet, TV, cell phones, etc, etc.

Then get rid of most of the population.

Plant trees and crops in the then abandoned cities.

And then when the next 10 or 20 large volcanos erupt or a largish meteor hits none of that will matter.  :)

Yep, you can take it to extremes.  :)

[redrider]

All of the money and effort spent trying to fix environmental issues, real or imagined, only proves how short sighted and egotistical we humans are. 4 billion years from now the Sun will become a red giant class star and the inner planets will be consumed. Game over. Sleep well and ride often.

[canuguzzi]

No oxymoron,  humans on earth is just another cycle in the planets history.  We as humans are a self limiting species, like all animals. When we've made the place unsuitable to sustain us we'll become extinct or  much different animal. So goes.

Just filled up the Norge,  nice day for a short ride, or a longer one.

[Penderic]

I believe its a much bigger problem when civilizations' oil-burning engines stop working!

[canuguzzi]

I believe its a much bigger problem when civilizations' oil-burning engines stop working!

Flightus interruptus?

[yogidozer]

And everyone thought Planet of the Apes was just a movie 

[Penderic]

Oh Oh. Feeling worried and threatened? Cue ad:
Thats why you should buy my Survival Life-saving Genuine School Desk, for 149 plus shipping, and do your part to save the Human Race from extinction! 

 

[segesta]

This came to mind....

https://twitter.com/smod2016?lang=en

[Penderic]

[Lannis]

Then get rid of most of the population.

I notice that none of the "limit population" crowd ever suggests starting with themselves .....?

[PJPR01]

Another war or two ought to take care of that toute de suite.  (Just kidding)...

Maybe as Ron White would say...if 1 potato would stop marrying another potato...we'd get some brighter folks, who might be able to solve some of these issues.

Folks who have 5 or 6 kids and then complain they can't support them or need assistance to do so boggle the mind...but heaven forbid we limit people's freedoms...I'm sure this could spiral into a fun fireside chat...but I'd better not to go there.

Off to polish the Norge and start installing my Heli-Bars!!!  :)

[tris]

In today's world , with teleconferencing , the idea of flying someone to a business meeting seems counterproductive and wasteful . Old habits are hard to break I suppose .

  Dusty

Agreed but in my defence it wasn't my choice!

However teleconferencing IMO is a developing skill. If you have 6 or 7 people at each end you don't hear clearly and we still haven't  learnt how to talk only when you have the stick!.

For smaller groups we're trying Lync meetings plus head sets - so we'll see how that goes.

Re trains its and 8 hour run each way but if the company will pay for 1st class you can have WiFi all the way so you're not incommunicado plus its cheaper and is something on my agenda to try

[charlie b]

I notice that none of the "limit population" crowd ever suggests starting with themselves .....?

Give me 10 or 20 yrs.  :)

And we only had two kids, and they won't be having any themselves (permanently fixed).  So the wife and I have contributed to the less population issue.

[Penderic]

Face it...

 

[kirby1923]

No oxymoron,  humans on earth is just another cycle in the planets history.  We as humans are a self limiting species

Speaking for yourself?

[Tom]

I'm no hypocrite.  I want gasoline and petro products so that I can ride my bikes.   

[charlie b]

There are times when face to face meetings are necessary.  Times when a telephone conference will work and times when a video conference will work.

Many people are stuck in the face to face mode for everything.  Has to do with personalities.  People oriented folks tend to want to see their 'victims' face to face.  Non-people oriented folks would rather just have emails sent to each other.  In between are other types.

As an engineer and program manager, seeing hardware and lab work in person is not avoidable.  Seeing the work being done by a subcontractor is also done in person. 

And, sometimes the only way to make a team work is to assemble them all in the same room every now and then.

I am really, really glad I don't have to do that anymore  :)

[Chuck in Indiana]

Tris , I gathered from your original post that it wasn't your idea . My theory on this , bosses feel powerful by making subordinates travel to them for meetings . Having never participated much in the corporate world , but having great experience at the small business level , my take on all of this may be skewed a bit . Just seems like most meetings are a waste of time . Tell me what you want , and give me the tools to accomplish the goal , and don't ask me to lose an hour twice a week while you ask questions that you already know the answers to so you can justify a large salary .
 Oh , sorry , not YOU , the "you" as in the bosses 


  Dusty

If you have never seen it, Gary Larson's "Mr. Sparky" cartoon is absolutely true.. I had it stuck on my wall back in the 80's-90's. Brought it home and still have it in the garage just to remind myself about corporate meetings.. 

[tris]

There are times when face to face meetings are necessary.  Times when a telephone conference will work and times when a video conference will work.

Many people are stuck in the face to face mode for everything.  Has to do with personalities.  People oriented folks tend to want to see their 'victims' face to face.  Non-people oriented folks would rather just have emails sent to each other.  In between are other types.

As an engineer and program manager, seeing hardware and lab work in person is not avoidable.  Seeing the work being done by a subcontractor is also done in person. 

And, sometimes the only way to make a team work is to assemble them all in the same room every now and then.

I am really, really glad I don't have to do that anymore  :)

Back when I was project managing  I found that it made it very difficult for people to "lie" to you if you're sat there eye balling them !!

Dusty - many meetings are simply excuses to
a) not do any work
b) not make a decision!

[oldbike54]

Back when I was project managing  I found that it made it very difficult for people to "lie" to you if you're sat there eye balling them !!

Dusty - many meetings are simply excuses to
a) not do any work
b) not make a decision!

 Tris , in America both A and B are valid 

  Dusty

[Lannis]

Tris , in America both A and B are valid 

  Dusty

And maybe more valid in Germany and France ... talk about meetings with no end or purpose ....