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Dear Alastair and all, very interesting- This is a new front of climate denial. We've had the 'it's not happening' and we've had the 'bring it on' now we've got the 'got to laugh' strategy. The ad text says: Global warming may not be a laughing matter, but there's nothing wrong with smiling in the face of adversity. I think this is a strategy identified by the first IPPR Warm Words report as 'British comic nihilism'. IPPR says: "this is another evasive rhetorical repertoire. Its rejection of climate change is whimsical, unserious, blithely irresponsible -- a sunny refusal to engage in the debate, typified by comic musings on the positive possibilities of a future with climate change. It is potentially important because it is a very British repertoire (selfmocking and contrary, dealing with adversity and threat by use of humour) and a very middle-class one, which could be important if agencies choose to address a middle-class or professional audience" Much more interesting that the patio heaters are the high carbon treats offered by the same company: http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/adventures/index.html I also notive other people selling the same product: here are some of the choice blurbs: The Global Warming Mug is hot hot hot! Don't be a mug and let this one slip out of reach! Your mug can say a lot about you -- are you happy-go-lucky Dianne with her Disney Mug? Or maybe a sexy Suzy with her stripping Mug? Now you can share your passion and get peace of mind as you sip from the environmentally-friendly Global Warming Mug! You've got the whole world in your hands with the Global Warming Mug and you're the only one that can save us from extinction! Slowly sip and watch each part of the map gradually grow smaller and smaller before the sea gobbles it all up! Or be a quick-sipper and restore the faith of the human race! Your planet needs you! So wake up to a good cuppa and a Global Warning with the gloriously poignant Global Warming Mug! So unless you use renewable energy, cycle to work, recycle at home and spend your spare time planting trees, you'd better get ordering before our entire shipment melts away. It's the end of the world as we know it! Pass the biscuits. Watch Florida get swamped by the Atlantic [makes a change from it being blown away in hurricanes]. Guffaw loudly as valuable California real-estate imitates Atlantis and look on in horror as Central America drowns to become just a few islands. But never fear. Once you've finished drinking that coffee, or if you just leave it sitting there to cool off, all goes back to normal, and all is right with the world. So let's see, what do we learn from this? Do nothing, and global warming will magically go away? Has anyone else identified any other climate change gifts? George George Marshall, Director of Projects, Climate Outreach Information Network, 16B Cherwell St., Oxford OX4 1BG UK Office Tel. 01865 727 911 Mobile 0795 150 4549 Website: www.COINet.org.uk The Climate Outreach Information Network is a charitable trust with the objective of 'advancing the education of the public in the subject of climate change and its impact on local, national, and global environments'. DONATE ONLINE to our work by visiting www.charitychoice.co.uk/donation.asp?ref=153334 Please join our discussion-free announcements lists by sending a blank e-mail to: NATIONAL EVENTS- [log in to unmask] OXFORD EVENTS - [log in to unmask] COIN NEWS- [log in to unmask] Alastair McIntosh wrote: > These 3 images are from a catalogue specialising in "stuff you don't need > ... but you really, really want (TM)" that came through the door. Enjoy ... > if that's the right word for it! > > Alastair. > > > ************************************************************** > * Website: www.AlastairMcIntosh.com > * > * Email: [log in to unmask] > * > * Alastair McIntosh > * 26 Luss Road > * Drumoyne > * Glasgow > * Scotland > * Tel: +44 (0)141 445 8750 > * > * Love and Revolution -- collected poetry -- is now > * published by Luath Press, £7.99 > * - see www.alastairmcintosh.com/loveandrevolution.htm > * > * Soil and Soul: People versus Corporate Power > * is now in paperback at £8.99 (also in French translation) > * - see www.AlastairMcIntosh.com/soilandsoul.htm > *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >