Sydney Dims Skyline to Shed Light on Global Warming

AP/Washington Post ^ | April 1, 2007 | Rohan Sullivan

[Mr.Atos]

SYDNEY, March 31 -- The Sydney Opera House, dozens of skyscrapers and countless homes switched off their lights Saturday evening along with many other sites in Australia's largest city to register concern about global warming.

The arch of Sydney's other iconic structure, the Harbor Bridge, was also blacked out in the city of 4 million as part of the hour-long gesture, which organizers said they hoped would be adopted as an annual event around the world.

Mayor Clover Moore, whose officials shut down all nonessential lights on city-owned buildings, said Sydney was "asking people to think about what action they can take to fight global warming."

Restaurants throughout the city held candlelit dinners, and families gathered in public places to take part in a countdown to lights out, sending up a cheer as lights started blinking off at 7:30 p.m. (excerpt)

[ishabibble]

Wow! Just like North Korea...I just can't wait for the self-imposed starvation.

FOOLS.

[Ole Okie]

We had enough blackouts in WW2, thank you.

[R.W.Ratikal]

There is more than dim lights in Sydney. The minds there are not too bright either.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

...to register concern about global warming.

The article is unclear - Are they trying to register their concerns about the global warming problem on Mars? Turning off the lights could be a signal to the Martians to stop driving SUVs? How will we fix the Mars warming problem?... what a dilemma!

[RW_Whacko]

"What?, and San Francisco is not the first to do this. San Franciscians should be ashamed of themselves"

Well, they *DID* ban "plastic bags"!

Now Nancy Peloser can't go back and visit her constituents.

[drpix]

Voluntary role reversal.

- The Middle East goes from a foot, hand and camel powered society to an oil, electric and atomic powered society.

- China goes from a foot, hand, water wheel and bicycle powered society to an oil, electric and atomic powered society.

- And the west will give up oil and everything that generates electricity efficiently - dams, coal, oil and atomic energy - and revert to bicycles and windmills.

True insanity.

[Mr.Atos]

"You got it! You got it!"

The chorus to Flowers by the Talking Heads...

Here we stand Like an adam and an eve Waterfalls The garden of eden Two fools in love So beautiful and strong The birds in the trees Are smiling upon them From the age of the dinosaurs Cars have run on gasoline Where, where have they gone? Now, it’s nothing but flowers

There was a factory Now there are mountains and rivers You got it, you got it

We caught a rattlesnake Now we got something for dinner We got it, we got it

There was a shopping mall Now it’s all covered with flowers You’ve got it, you’ve got it

If this is paradise I wish I had a lawnmower You’ve got it, you’ve got it

Years ago I was an angry young man I’d pretend That I was a billboard Standing tall By the side of the road I fell in love With a beautiful highway This used to be real estate Now it’s only fields and trees Where, where is the town Now, it’s nothing but flowers The highways and cars Were sacrificed for agriculture I thought that we’d start over But I guess I was wrong

Once there were parking lots Now it’s a peaceful oasis You got it, you got it

This was a pizza hut Now it’s all covered with daisies You got it, you got it

I miss the honky tonks, Dairy queens, and 7-elevens You got it, you got it

And as things fell apart Nobody paid much attention You got it, you got it

I dream of cherry pies, Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies You got it, you got it

We used to microwave Now we just eat nuts and berries You got it, you got it

This was a discount store, Now it’s turned into a cornfield You got it, you got it

Don’t leave me stranded here I can’t get used to this lifestyle

[B Knotts]

Wow. That's a neat trick. Luther brought about the Renaissance, despite his having lived after it.

[Petronski]

Hey, it coulda happened that way. He was a new Prometheus, donchaknow.

[Mr.Atos]

And when do you suppose the Renaissance actually ended?

[don-o]

My Granddaddy would say, were he alive, "About as useful as teats on a boar hog."

[Moonman62]

Mayor Clover Moore, whose officials shut down all nonessential lights on city-owned buildings, said Sydney was "asking people to think about what action they can take to fight global warming."

That had to cost some overtime, and those workers had to emit CO2 to drive in and flip the switches.

[Moonman62]

At the same time I turned on extra lights as a salute to Al Gore and his well lit mansion.

[jonrick46]

If they turn off too many lights, they will turn on the crime rate.

[Bigg Red]

...tolerant, genius that you are?

**
No, I am not a genius, but I do not make up lies about other people's religion. And I will not argue with bigots.

[Mr.Atos]

Lies indeed! We are not talking about the 'religion of Catholicism' in the 13th through the 16th century, but the political machine that maintained feudal monarchies, conspired to slaughter the Templars, sold forgiveness, fostered corruption, and hosted Inquisition... torturing and murdering 'heretics' for deigning to think outside doctrine.

Galileo was ordered to stand trial on suspicion of heresy in 1633 for stating that the Earth orbited the Sun. The philosopher Giodano Bruno, a Dominican friar greatly influenced by Copernicus, was hunted by the Inquisition and perished in Rome at the stake.

What 'lie' exactly did I 'make up?'

[ryan71]

Looking at the pictures of Sydney...hmmm.

I guess it's the thought that counts.

[N. Theknow]

Heck congratulate me, why dontcha! I've been turning off my lights at night for the last 40 yrs. In fact, I should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Me too.

Except for the "someone's in the house check" at least once a week.