.......Rick Santorum: ‘The dangers of carbon dioxide? Tell that to a plant’

[louis-t]

Source: AP

Rick Santorum told attendees at the Gulf Coast Energy Summit in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Monday to trust his judgment on the environment, highlighting his position on climate change—that is, that it's a liberal myth.


Gingrich, for his part, also took the anti-Obama baton during his speech to the same summit Monday. "[This is a] very anti-fossil fuel administration," Gingrich said. "The left wing environmental movement hates oil."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/rick-santorum-dangers-carbon-dioxide-tell-plant-152230291.html

---

The stupidest people in the room......

[Ian David]

1. The dangers of eating feces? Tell that to a dung beetle. n/t

[valerief]

12. DUzy!

[sikorsky]

17. Or a rabbit!

[The Magistrate]

2. Appealing To His Base, Sir: Those With The IQ Of A Potted Plant....

[freshwest]

9. No, potted plants are much more aware than those mindless beings.

[stubtoe]

3. And has just demonstrated, once again, that he's just as intelligent as a plant.

[JHB]

4. Who's the greater fool...

Last edited Tue Mar 13, 2012, 03:02 PM - Edit history (1)

...the fool or the fool who follows him?

[liberal N proud]

5. And now we know why he did't do very well in college

[Canuckistanian]

6. The danger of drowning? Tell that to a fish....

Hey, I like this new game!

[skypilot]

43. The danger of leaping from...

...a tall building while flapping your arms? Tell that to a bird.

This game could be a thread in itself.

[Canuckistanian]

62. The danger of squirrels raiding bird feeders

Tell that to a 60lb. dog who hates them.

[Arkana]

7. People aren't plants, you fucking moron.

We don't have the ability to process carbon dioxide and turn it back into oxygen.

[24601]

110. You are of course pointing out that people rely on plants to produce oxygen and that without

CO2, that process cannot occur since the plants would die - and without the oxygen production, animal life also would cease - and earth would be essentially a lifeless planet. Seems like a stranglehold on the obvious.

[lastlib]

8. Let him live on Venus for awhile, then see what he thinks of CO2

This man is a clueless f*cking idiot who has no business getting close to power.

[ck4829]

10. The danger of not having a brain? Tell that to a jellyfish... Or Rick Santorum

[FiveGoodMen]

101. Neither one will understand what you're saying...

[BlueDemKev]

11. Yes, I DO hate oil....particularly when it's polluting the Gulf of Mexico....

....and destroying the beautiful beaches I grew up with. I wish Republicans would explain why they're so opposed to investing in alternative energy research which, in the long-term, ELIMINATE our dependence on ANY oil, foreign or domestic.

[sikorsky]

19. Unfortunately, no known technology can come anywhere close to replacing the energy demands

of today's world without oil - except one and many people are violently opposed to it even though it has caused far less damage and death than any other. It's a peculiar kind of neo-Luddism.

[chervilant]

36. Which is why

research on alternative energy sources is essential--as are the vast amounts of money invested in such research.

[sikorsky]

55. Indeed, it is essential but ignoring the available technology until/if a feasible alternative

emerges is incredibly stupid. We can supply global energy needs (not the same as energy wants, I understand) using gadgets we have right now. Our descendants will decide whether we did the right thing or not.

[chervilant]

61. IF

we have descendents. IF our species has not reached an evolutionary cul de sac. IF we aren't destined to flame out in the next few decades.

[sikorsky]

74. Of course...and that may well be our fate. I've also considered the real possibility (no way to

know how realistic it is) that we (!) might essentially run out of fossil hydrocarbons before the resulting CO2 from burning them has irreversibly fouled the atmosphere which might allow
the continuation of animal life, but if anyone has done an analysis on that (including the other carbon sequestration), I haven't seen it - it might be an impossible calculation given all the unknown parameters.

[CreekDog]

63. nobody's ignoring current technology --do not make a straw man of environmental positions

it gets old right away.

[sikorsky]

77. Please don't take this wrong, but environmentalism is in some ways like fundamentalism

it doesn't really work in the real world...what I mean is, damn few people will actually sacrifice access to cheap and convenient energy to prove their 'green' bona fides, like many "TRVE BELIEVERS" are certain that prayer can accomplish anything but they still go to the hospital when they're seriously ill (although some will refuse to send their children...which is another discussion).

[CreekDog]

78. I take it wrong because you are wrong --Environmentalism does work

It's improved the quality of your water, your air, your environment, while giving you better cars, more efficient energy, more efficient production of products.

Your description of environmentalism is ignorant and wrong.







Where environmentalism is applied and tried, the results improve the environment and people's lives.

[sikorsky]

82. I obviously meant ignoring viable technology in the service of environmentalism is not a way to

provide sufficient energy to satisfy global demands. I suspect you knew what I meant. I'm certainly not against protecting the environment, I just don't think doing so the extent it deprives people of what they will absolutely demand is either intelligent or doable.

[wordpix]

86. hey, grow a garden and take a hike

do something to help the planet instead of complaining about the "true believers" who ARE actually doing something.

[sikorsky]

97. I have a rather large garden and I walk to work. I'm under no illusions my actions actually

make a fucking bit of difference in the big picture.
\

[BlueDemKev]

49. "No Known Technology" (???)

Um....this is what the naysayers said about the need to light up their interior rooms without candlelight (which gave insufficient light and resulted in many homes being burned to the ground). Thomas Edison said, "Let me take a look at this...."

[sikorsky]

56. If you are in possession of a technology that can overcome my objection, please let the rest

of the world know about it. I for one will be eternally in your debt!

[BlueDemKev]

68. Give me some $ to research/experiment and maybe I'll FIND one!

[sikorsky]

75. If I had that kind of money, I'd be building my own fusion device!

[BlueDemKev]

79. Well, that's why we need public funding for it.....

This must be a collective effort as it will benefit EVERYONE.

[wordpix]

87. you missed the Solar Decathlon in DC, obviously

Look it up on the net. Some of these houses allow homeowners to sell the energy they produce back to the grid

[sikorsky]

94. The stories about people selling excess power back to the grid are interesting but vanishingly

undocumented. There are probably a couple hundred in the United States and they never mention the diurnal periods when the meter doesn't run 'backward'. It's awfully difficult to generate enough solar or wind electricity to keep a comfortable household going. Yes, it does happen, it is very very very very very rare.

[Gore1FL]

102. You are assuming it has to work 100% of the time.

Most electricity is used during the day.

The argument is not an immediate switch to alternatives. It is a migration to those methods.

We need more research and more production capabilities. Already the devices pay for themselves, the payback is longer than it will be in the future with the proper funding.

As far as selling it back to the grid or not depends on how much you collect and how much you use.

I don't know what "vanishingly undocumented" means, however, it can be demonstrated that the consumer is not paying for the power provided by the panels. The equation (KWh generated - KWh used) * KWh cost is what you get back (or if negative, pay). As long as KWh generated > 0 you are paying the electric company less.

[sikorsky]

105. No, I am saying that it has to produce a net amount of energy greater than what is used

you can pick your own time frame, if it's a particular 2 hour period, I'll happily concede it's a surplus but electric bills come once a month and I have yet to see one that reflects a net profit from a solar array. Those claims are pretty much identical to those we hear from people who tell of their visits to the casino and brag about how much they "won".

[Gore1FL]

107. You are arguing one of two possible things. One is wrong. The other doesn't make sense to argue.

Produce a net amount greater than what it used? Solar panels are not users of electrical power, they convert energy into electrical power. If you are trying to say solar panels do not provide enough energy to meet what the house it is mounted on needs, that's fine, but that isn't the point.

If the meter spins backwards 100 times during the day and 1000 times forward during that same time frame, my bill is reduced by 10%. This savings will pay for the panels well before the average panel's life span.

If we can add insulation, use more efficient appliances, and simply make smarter choices in our consumption, we won't eliminate out power needs. It doesn't mean it's a bad thing to do.

The fundamental problem with current technology is the up-front cost. It pays for itself, but the initial outlay is expensive.
The second problem, is efficiency of the current technology.

We solve both of those with investments. The technology will improve, the costs will go down, we'll create jobs, and will import less oil.

[yurbud]

70. are you referring to wind, solar, or biofuel?

[sikorsky]

76. I'm referring to them as what can't supply sufficient energy

if that's what you are asking. All those are 'real-time' dependent on solar insolation which just simply is not enough (even a 100% efficient system yields a couple hundred watts per M^2) to power a global grid. It just ain't there.

[yurbud]

81. a couple hundred watts per M^2?

can you put that in layman's terms?

[sikorsky]

84. Sorry, the total amount of energy from the sun that falls on the earth is less than 200 watts

for each square meter (about 10 square feet, or a 3 x 3 foot size panel). Anybody who tries to sell you something that will convert more than that (and it is based on a high sun angle on a clear day) is attempting to rob you.

[yurbud]

92. here in the Southwest, we've got a lot of space currently only used for raising rattlesnakes and

scorpions, so the efficiency per square foot is not that big a deal.

[sikorsky]

93. Unfortunately the people who need/want the energy don't live down there.

Most of them live in cold wet cloudy climates and have no way to get your cheap sunlight...

[yurbud]

95. I'm from Oregon, and energy made on the Columbia River is sold to California and elsewhere

Even if it didn't work as well in those northern areas, using it anywhere means we use less dirty energy overall, and it could be reserved for where there are fewer choices and back up.

Cutting down to three cigarettes a day instead of three packs is still an improvement.

Also, Germany is not known for being particularly sunny, but they are going whole hog into solar: it doesn't have to be a clear day for solar to work.

[sikorsky]

96. Sure, but look at the population density in Europe, it's a thousand times greater than where you

live. How would you propose to "reserve" solar energy?...I don't know any way to store the stuff and I'm an electrical engineer. And I quit smoking 4 years ago, cold turkey.

[yurbud]

98. storage? It's not that far from Africa to Europe: PIC

This is just calculating for solar thermal plants:

The three red squares, in order from left to right, represent what would be required for the whole world, for the 25 European countries, and for Germany. Of course, if we were to really do this, not all solar power plants would be centralized like that, but as I said in the intro, we're just looking at how much land it would take, not at the details.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-graham-richard/can-we-power-the-whole-wo_b_104355.html

Also, you're assuming that the land used for solar can't be used for anything else, but you can put it on top of existing buildings, parking structures, etc.

[yurbud]

99. check it out: power from the Oregon/Washington border is sold to LOS ANGELES

An additional DC +/- 500 kV line, the Pacific DC Intertie, links BPA's grid at the Celilo Converter Station near The Dalles, Oregon to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADW&P) grid 800 miles (1,300 km) away at the Sylmar Converter Station in Sylmar north of Los Angeles.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonneville_Power_Administration

[Gore1FL]

104. Alternating power can be used with transformers to move electricity long distances with little loss.

You may have seen the wires.

[sikorsky]

106. Those long black things up on the trees? Yeah, I've seen them. I design the systems that

energize them.

[Gore1FL]

108. And yet you don't know about transferring energy in bulk using high voltage? n/t

[Gore1FL]

103. You are talking average over the earth.

We aren't talking about Solar panels at the north pole.

It's more like 1000 watts. the problem is the efficiency of the normal panels is around 10-15%. We have much more efficent solar panels available, but the cost is higher.

Moving to Solar now even with 10-15% efficiency is still cost effective over the long haul. With proper research the efficiency is improved.

It is also important to keep in mind that alternative power isn't the only answer. More efficient use of energy plays a role too.

[KamaAina]

13. Okay, Rick.

I'm telling you, too much carbon dioxide is dangerous.

[JoePhilly]

14. Makes sense ... little Ricky is a Vegetable.

[freshwest]

46. Quit dissing the vegetable kingdom or I will skewer you with a spear of asparagus!

[JoePhilly]

47. I have to admit that I did feel bad dissing actual vegetables ... at least

most actual vegetables have value.

Little Ricky is most like a turnip or rutabaga.

[freshwest]

48. Rick Sanctimonious can only by helped by an exorcism. Really, read about one of his facilities:

Rick Santorum-Linked Universal Health Services Facility: Fraud, Assault And Alleged 'Exorcism'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/06/rick-santorum-uhs_n_1186443.html

He's a real keeper, all right. Somewhat like a turnip, true...

[wordpix]

88. that report made me sick, hopefully it blows his political career

[freshwest]

91. It had no effect on his supporters, it was months ago. The new dark ages await us.

[Ferretherder]

67. There are rules governing...

...the 'casting of asparagus' on this board.

Be advised.

[ThomThom]

15. I'm getting tired of people telling me what I think,

speak for yourself, don't put words in my mouth. I might really try to take your gun away.

[Turbineguy]

16. OK. I'm convinced

Santorum is a plant

by the Bush family to make Dubya look like a fuckin' genius.

[snagglepuss]

18. Is that hilarious double entendre deliberate?

[Turbineguy]

53. Not at first...

but then I thought better of it.

[ehrnst]

20. Like telling New Orleans - "Dangers of high water? Tell that to a whale." (nt)

[HereSince1628]

27. !

[LisaL]

58. No shit.

[NoGOPZone]

21. Takes one to know one, it seems nt

[unionworks]

22. We had "Game Change"

...now we need the Santorum movie to show the public how evil, stupidand dangerous this weasel faced clown really is.

[Deep13]

23. Brawndo has what plants need. nt

[mbperrin]

24. As I get older, I begin thinking more and more that we need an IQ

test for people who run for office...

[Liberal Veteran]

25. Why is he holding his intellectual superior in his hand in that picture?

[chervilant]

37. Actually,

that is but ONE brain cell from the BOX of rocks tucked under Mr. Santorum's podium. Other than that, you're spot on.

[Uncle Joe]

26. Santorum has no values, he doesn't give a flying fecal speck about human life and

apparently he talks to plants.

Thanks for the thread, louis-t.

[Brickbat]

28. Tell that to Santorum.

[Fozzledick]

29. Well, now we know who Santorum has been talking to.

[XemaSab]

30. The dangers of f***ing while free-falling to within 10 feet of the ground?

Tell that to a white-throated swift.

[The Doctor.]

31. We tried, Rick...

But you don't get it.

[Daphne08]

32. Oh, these Republicans are so tiresome.

Santorum should never have reached this level in a primary. Even if he is simply appealing to the base, he should have better sense than to say something so ridiculous.

Thanks, again, Supremes! You've enabled the unworthy.

[longship]

33. Tell that to the Venusians!

'nuf said, Frothy?

[tabatha]

34. Tell that to NASA scientists who support the idea of global warming.

They did not know about CO2 - really? you must be kidding?

They are able to send missions to Mars but did not know about CO2.

Tell you what, Santorum, what would happen if there were NO CO2 on the planet. You can work you way up to global warming in 3 simple steps.

a) Too little CO2, the planet is cold and uninhabitable.
b) Just enough CO2, the planet is inhabitable.
c) Too much CO2, the planet is too hot and uninhabitable.

It is a little like the three bears. That should be understandable by even a kindergartner.

Then you can come to the conclusion that CO2, besides being used by various living entities in different ways, is like a giant thermostat.

[Rozlee]

42. You could apply that to all elements in our atmosphere.

I like your example. Like, if we had more oxygen in the atmosphere, people would start acting confused and disoriented. Add a bit more and their skin would start to redden and inflame (right after failure of the cardiac/respiratory system). Oxygen is a flammable, corrosive element. If you added even more, the bombardment of daily meteor and space debris in our atmosphere would probably have fires raging continuously on the planet. Creepy.

[tabatha]

45. Yep, the same with nitrogen.

Too much and it displaces oxygen, and animals that use oxygen, would suffocate.

[samsingh]

35. repugs really do value their own stupidity

a race to the bottom of intelligence

[Icicle]

38. This is the Rs future...

Either:
A) We will bring alternative energy sources online in greater numbers and use of oil will decline,
OR...
B) We will simply run out of oil

...so when we reach that point, the Republican Rich will need a new way to control the masses, and this is it! Control of the oxygen supply!
Soon we will fondly remember the days when we ALL had oxygen, not just the rich people.

[LynneSin]

39. Does the dumbass know that done on purpose - we give plants CO2 and they give us O2

what a dumbass - a dumbass loaded with santorum!

[HughBeaumont]

40. How in the goddamned HELL did this idiot get graduate degrees? HOW???

Please explain THAT to me because I just don't get it.

[wordpix]

90. and HOW is he a millionaire? Oh, yeah, bought by the corporations

[truthisfreedom]

41. This life support system for a single brain cell will never EVER be president.

Don't worry. We aren't at risk of being santorumed.

[SemperEadem]

44. yeah the dangers of Co2 to plants

take a trip to northern california, in the Long Valley Caldera, where the carbon dioxide gas from the underground magma pools is escaping through the soil and into the air--and so much of it is escaping that the trees are dead as a result because they can't process that amount of Co2.

so yea, tell that to a plant, you stupid nimrod.

[sakabatou]

50. *facepalm*

Rick, if you think CO2 is safe, go into a room filled with it and keep breathing.

[Homer12]

51. sorry, Is HE REALLY THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT!

again apologies for yelling.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

52. Sounds Like When Reagan Blamed Pollution on Trees

.

[Enrique]

54. flood prevention? Why do liberals hate water?

dont they know we need water to live?

[drm604]

57. Aw. Little Ricky thinks he's a scientist.

Isn't that cute?

[matt819]

59. A glass of wine with dinner

is fine. Drinking six bottles of wine with dinner? Not so much.

It didn't used to be okay to be stupid and run for president.

[NuttyFluffers]

60. oh, the comedic gift that keeps on giving...

[excuse not to write]

64. YOU tell a plant, Rick!

There's a mirror nearby, after all.

[Incitatus]

65. Let's ask him to demonstrate how safe it is

By locking himself in a chamber full of it.

[LisaL]

66. If plant can do it, why couldn't he?

LOL.

[yurbud]

69. crap! He'll sweep the vegetable vote

which has a large overlap with the right wing base.

[Bill USA]

71. this Sanatarium moment was unbelievable. Destined to be one of the 'great'

conservative 'hits' of all time.

on Jon Stewart last nightthe quote of Sanatarium he said: "Carbon Dioxide is Dangerous?...ask a plant!"

recommended!

[yellowcanine]

72. Plants need water also Ricky. But water can still drown you.

And carbon dioxide will asphyxiate you.

Non sequitur Ricky does it again.

[GeorgeGist]

73. Pandering for the vegetable vote.

Shameless.

[beac]

85. No self-respecting vegetable would vote for Santorum...

nor any animal or mineral, for that matter.

[and-justice-for-all]

80. Oil is a finite resource...

and we will need to get off the smack sooner and not later.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

83. but Santorum is a weed

[wordpix]

89. Vying for the GWB* Award: "But understand that when times were tough, they were not and I was."

[DCBob]

100. thats about as dumb as it gets..

and yet Im sure the crowd cheered madly. This guy reminds me of those back in the dark ages who argued the earth was center of the universe.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

109. Speak English AP!