Green Agenda unravelling around the world

Good news: signs are coming in from all over the non-Australian-and-New-Zealand world. Hints of sanity are spreading. Everywhere Green schemes are being slashed,  junked and rethought.

I’m heartened. There are reasons to be optimistic, (even if, in the end, the good news was not because politicians got rational, but because the money ran out).

For those that missed it, Delingpole reported the beginning of the October good-news shift with ‘Let’s commit suicide more slowly,’ suggests Osborne.

George Osborne has vowed that the UK will not lead the rest of Europe in its efforts to cut carbon emissions, raising the prospect that the country’s carbon targets could be watered down if the EU does not agree to more ambitious emission reduction goals.

 EU referendum reports on the collapse of the  UK’s largest Carbon Capture Scheme and what it means for the Green Agenda

It has come to pass that Longannet, the flagship scheme for carbon capture in the UK, has been junked, despite the availability of £1 billion funding from this moronic administration. And since it is the only remaining project in the running for CCS funding, that makes it about thirty months from inception to total collapse of this absurd policy. God only knows how much money has been wasted on it.

The Spanish announced they’re cutting wind power subsidies by 40%:  Spanish Wind Energy Companies Distressed By Subsidy Cuts.  The  Times reports that the UK government was thinking of cutting it’s wind subsidies too. “In addition, Britain’s target of producing 30 per cent of its electricity from renewable means by 2030 could be in jeopardy.”

The renewable energy firms quake…

“Renewable energy leaders say that any cut in the incentive regime would be a disaster for the wind industry, which claims that it would not be able to afford to build commercially viable wind farms.”

A Californian  program of $104 million in Green tax breaks has been frozen to new applicants amid questions about how the recipients were chosen.

“Just as Congress is asking whether the loan guarantee program is worth the risk to Americans, the state is asking if its tax break program is worth the risk to Californians.

According to the authority, the state’s $104 million exemption is estimated to generate 653 jobs and help fund infrastructure projects and improvements that could lead to thousands more jobs. So far, it is unclear how many jobs actually have been created — the tally will be made public next year when annual reports from the companies are due. “

Green is coming undone in many quarters. Walmart (of all places) tried to “go green” and be politically correct for 5 long sales-declining years. Then in April, they chucked out the holistic and organic approach and what do you know, their customers came back.

Quote of the day: Tom Nelson

RE:  At least 2,700 people are dying in Britain every year because they are unable to adequately heat their houses, according to the interim findings of a report commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). —  Telegraph

“Insanity in Britain: With people dying from the cold because they can’t afford enough home heating, the government is deliberately raising heating costs in an attempt to make it slightly colder outside ”  Tom Nelson.

H/t Tom Nelson.

PS: To put the Australian scene in perspective, marvel at the level of our national debate. Reader Helen A. wrote to me this week telling me that on the ABC’s “Q & A” show: “Stuart Blanche of the NT Environment Centre suggested we place a big cable between Oz and Indonesia and send them our Solar array power so they don’t have to burn our coal……”

9.3 out of 10 based on 92 ratings

116 comments to Green Agenda unravelling around the world

  • #
    John from CA

    Fantastic news, unfortunately California is still likely to run with the stupidity until they run out of money.

    I just ran across this story on Forbes and found some other links.

    If the October 28 demo of the 1MW reactor, which does not produce radioactive waste, works than why in the world do we need a carbon tax or wind and solar energy subsidies?

    Forbes:

    Hello Cheap Energy, Hello Brave New World
    
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markgibbs/2011/10/17/hello-cheap-energy-hello-brave-new-world/
http://www.e-catworld.com/what-is-the-e-cat/
http://nickelpower.org/2011/10/17/how-much-will-an-e-cat-cost/

    There is a new clean energy technology that is 1/10th the cost of coal. Video: http://pes­n.com Search for Nobel laureate touts E-Cat cold fusion

    Swedish Skeptics Society Review: http://www­.nyteknik.­se/ Search for article 3144827

    A major US corporation has bought the rights to sell the 1 megawatt Rossi E-Cat, and it will be announced October 28th in the US, with the unit hitting the market in 2011. How can any fossil fuel compete with such cheap energy (and clean to boot!).

    Current survey of all the companies that are bringing LENR to commercial­ization: http://www.cleantechblog.com/?s=the+new+breed+of+energy+catalyzers+ready+for+commercialization

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    • #
      John from CA

      Forbes:
      
Hello Cheap Energy, Hello Brave New World

      http://www.forbes.com/sites/markgibbs/2011/10/17/hello-cheap-energy-hello-brave-new-world/
      
http://www.e-catworld.com/what-is-the-e-cat/
      
http://nickelpower.org/2011/10/17/how-much-will-an-e-cat-cost/

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      • #
        John from CA

        After doing some additional research, the jury is still out on the success of the Rossi E-Cat tests.

        They are doing a final test demo with partner consultants and top scientists on October 28th so we should know the results very soon and they also intend to start manufacture in November.

        It would be a real game changer if it works.

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    • #
      brc

      The e-cat has been around for a while now, a lot of people are following it, and like myself, are reserving judgement until a real power station is producing real power.

      Lots of people want to pounce on it and say it is impossible because of scientific principle x or y, but I prefer to remain open minded – a deadline of sorts has been given, so in time we’ll either find out if it is a load of hogwash or not.

      The Forbes article is way over the top – these e-cat devices are small and don’t produce large amounts of power unless configured in parallell (which is what the pilot plant intends to do). Most likely they would be used for purposes like domestic and industrial heating, or low scale power generation. Talk of the end of petroleum and coal is very premature.

      The line ‘too cheap to meter’ made me chuckle. That’s what they used to say about Nuclear power as well.

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  • #
    Tristan

    These titles are my favourites:

    GREEN AGENDA UNRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD!!!

    As if the world has been under the crushing boot of some evil environmentalist demogogues. Greens are the new freemasons, jews or NWO or whichever you like. This is journalism straight from the pulpit baby!

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    • #
      Winston

      Well meaning stupidity is still stupidity. Touting renewable energy as being economically feasible when it isn’t is quite frankly dumb, underestimating as it does the necessity of cheap power to the productivity of society. Exporting jobs to heavily polluting China is also dumb, especially if you really want a cleaner environment as you claim. This untenably illogical ideology has only itself to blame, because many of the recommended courses of action were hideously expensive, counterproductive and illogical. It is not reasonable to blame those of us who point out these fallacies, painting us as uncaring for the environment, when in fact I believe many here share my concerns that a step in the wrong direction only further harms the environment you seek to protect. Unfortunately you are too blinkered to see the gross environmental and political damage done by this form of collective madness.

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    • #
      Mark D.

      As if the world has been under the crushing boot of some evil environmentalist demogogues

      Well how else would you describe it?

      Or maybe you don’t read enough of the right stuff.

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    • #
      J.H.

      “As if the world has been under the crushing boot of some evil environmentalist demogogues.”

      They have and they are Tristan…. The ecofascists concocted a lie, tried to validate it pseudo-scientifically, politicized it and spent billions of taxpayers funds trying to install draconian eco regulations based on that lie.

      Your description is devastatingly apt.

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    • #
      Tristan

      *snorts*

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    • #
      Rick Bradford

      Left/Greenies want change, especially that change which smashes the capitalists. To that end, they will use any specious argument, trash any data, hide any decline, pick any cherry, which enables them to prop up their lifelong personal ego projects of being ‘saviours of the planet’.

      “Yes we can,” they say, utterly indifferent to the people whose lives are damaged by their actions.

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  • #
    Rereke Whakaaro

    The quote from Tom Nelson is what we (in “the trade”) call a point-shot.

    It is absolutely on target, and makes people stop and say, “Hang on a minute – he’s dead right – this is [expletive deleted] stupid!”

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  • #
    Mydogsgotnonose

    The hidden agenda in the UK is the attempt to recreate the feudal society of two centuries ago with the landowners, who include Cameron’s in-laws, farming subsidies whilst the serfs die off early from fuel poverty.

    It’s the eugenics’ part of the green movement whose leaders are the aristocrats like NZ born Porritt, who has called for a reduction of the UK population to 30 million. He with Prince Charles is the joint High Priest of this neo-Nazi movement. The latter is completely mad.

    Now you know why Cameron wrote on 22 July to the Gizzard, praising her for her carbon taxation. Watch UK politics very carefully because the quote by Tom Nelson is about the political isolation of this bunch of fascists who are linked with the elite trying and now failing to set up the EUSSR.

    I haven’t worked out just how badly split is the English part of Common Purpose of which Cameron seems to be a leader [CP is the EU hidden government of the UK] but you must realise that these dim people, as Cameron clearly is – he has been called an empty vessel – have been indoctrinated by the fake CAGW scare by experts working presumably for the Rothschild banks who are vying with the Rockefeller banks for World dominance.

    The other part of the political scam is of course Scotland going for independence with a renewables’ policy that will be as destructive to its economy as the Darien Gap scheme of 300 years’ ago. The aim is to reduce the cohesion of the British so they can’t oppose the German-US based World Government.

    I got my son to emigrate to Oz a few years’ ago because it was easy to predict these trends. Don’t let the Gizzard wreck the Australian economy on behalf of her GS controllers, possibly Turnbull.

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    • #
      Tim

      Could it be that also, cultural destruction means less nationalistic loyalty, and an easier to control populace. Sovereignty could be under attack in order to facilitate this.

      http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/014586.html

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    • #
      Rereke Whakaaro

      Anybody who has been in a battle will tell you that, no matter how good the strategy, how clever the tactics, how detailed the instructions, when the stuff starts flying, all bets are off and it becomes very chaotic, very quickly.

      The movers and the shakers of the warming scam/grab for ultimate power/whatever, are just starting to learn that lesson for themselves.

      If they are lucky, a few of them will survive, but most of them will not, and as prime candidates for collateral damage, all we can do is keep our collective heads down, and appeal to whatever deity we believe will protect us.

      in the end, the grand plan for whatever they want, will not succeed precisely because they could never keep control of it.

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  • #
    Joe Lalonde

    Jo,

    The biggest threat to our advancement of knowledge is the mentality by our scholars that the “science is settled”.
    We still do NOT know enough. Yet our scholars have us believe that is enough.
    I just did something NASA should have done years ago and that is the mapping of the different rotational speeds of this planet. This can be applied to any rotational body and gives a higher understanding of the forces that are strongest and weakest.
    But with the science is settled mentality, it threatens what scientist regard as their strict discipline to the theories at all costs.
    Will this be published? No. Too much of science has been damaged by bad science being published and used as references for making points that do not make sense, yet are then claimed as certain.

    I hope good science will be allowed to be available soon and questioned by anyone who wants to be certain it is correct and they are not being duped.

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    • #
      Mydogsgotnonose

      The IPCC ‘consensus’ science has been falsified. There are four basic scientific errors:

      1. The amplification of TSI increase at the end of the last ice age started c. 2,000 years before any rise in atmospheric CO2.

      2. ‘Back Radiation’ is an elementary confusion with ‘Prevost Exchange Energy’ which can do no thermodynamic work. The poor level of physics in climate science is amazing.

      3. What’s supposed to hide it, the 1st AIE only applies to thin clouds; the sign reverses for thicker clouds so it’s the real AGW and what amplifies TSI increase at the end of an ice age [biofeedback also responsible for present Arctic behaviour].

      4. The claim of 33K present greenhouse warming includes lapse rate so real warming is c. 9K, what’s needed to cause convection to get rid of the rest of the considerable potential greenhouse warming we could have had without convection.

      To keep his 4.2K CO2 climate sensitivity [from assuming CO2-GW causes the amplification of TSI change at the end of ice ages] Hansen is now claiming -1.6W/m^2 1st AIE instead of the IPCC’s median -0.7W/m^2, plus higher heat transfer to the deeps. The former is bunkum, the latter is to confuse the Arctic warming which does put warm water to the deeps because of the sub 4°C density inversion. It’s a temporary phenomenon.

      The trouble is few people have the physics to tackle these Marxist fraudsters head on.

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      • #
        Brian H

        Fair enough, but you might want to rethink the temperature inversion. Applies only to fresh water; saline gets colder all the way down.

        10

    • #
      Rereke Whakaaro

      Jo,

      There has always been bad science. We both know that. This bad science will go the same way as all the other bad science. The difference this time, is the political spin that has been put on it, and the dogged determination of the Bureaucracy in the West to see it through to the bitter end.

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  • #
    geo

    What saddens me is the Criminal Waste of it all when there was no problem to start with.

    10

  • #
    DougS

    “….It has come to pass that Longannet, the flagship scheme for carbon capture in the UK, has been junked, despite the availability of £1 billion funding from this moronic administration…..”

    No sooner had the ‘junking’ been announced, Chris Huhne (Energy and Climate Change Secretary) was on his feet telling all and sundry that ‘this wasn’t the end of it- the £1bn of taxpayers hard-earned was still there’.

    Presumably just waiting for another hair-brained eco-loon scheme to come along and milk it!

    I despair!

    10

  • #
    Madjak

    Sure, I’m being naive here, but if the real Queen tells the green queen that her carbon tax won’t get royal ascent, I for one will become a monarchist.

    Please demonstrate one of the monarchies uses as a circuit breaker to a delinquent, incompetant and defective government.

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    • #
      Col. of Blackburn

      @Madjak
      Please see Section 58 and 59 of our Constitution.
      All here should be writing to Buckingham Palace letting Her Majesty know that we, her loyal Australian Citizens are against these illogical laws.

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    • #
      Bushbunny

      The Queen can not interfere in Australian politics, but she was a supporter of climate change. Without saying what causes it. POWales has been turning to organic for yonks, he was instrumental in the government giving farmers the options to turn to sustainable agriculture by giving them subsidies for 5 years. I’m for that too, as we kill off too many bugs and microbes with herbicides and pesticides and of course chemical fertilizers.

      10

      • #

        The Windsor “Mafia” also make a nice bit of money from rent on the use of their territory which includes the offshore areas that are to be infested with wind turbines. The operators have to pay the Crown for “using” the area. And that cost is embedded in the cost of electricity that the pensioners try to avoid using.

        The family also has substantial (dry) land holdings in a similar situation.

        It’s not that I begrudge them the income. I just happen to have a different idea of the meaning of “Ich Dien” than to be self-serving. If it’s really to save the world then they could serve by charging only a peppercorn rent.

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      • #
        Helen Armstrong

        We need to read ‘The Rational Optimist’ by Matt Ridley before we march in favour of organic farming over conventional. The use of fertilizer and pesticides (as well as genetic manipulation of crop varieties) has allowed the world to feed itself on less land than (100?) years ago despite our burgeoning population. In fact it has allowed much farm land to be returned to conservation.

        He says if we went organic world wide, we would have to farm the equivalent of the whole Amazon (and more) in addition to what we do now to feed our population. He says the next big thing will be to have all the African farmers using tractors and trucks, to save the grain that would have gone to the ass or oxen and the wastage in transport – there is some 30% (? without going back and rereading) of saving to be made there, which will allow the farmers to become richer, educate their children and through this, have less children, as it is wealth and education that lead to smaller families.

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        • #
          Bush bunny

          Helen @ 8.2.2 In other words, keep using chemical fertilizers and pesticides to get better and more plentiful crops. Well – this is a band aid. Monocropping and tillage ruin soils. And sustainable agriculture (not necessarily fitting into an organic mould) increases production. In Australia depending on where they farm, all areas have different requirements often decided on the amount of rain fall they receive, the soils are becoming depleted. The key to soil fertility is increasing soil microbiology. That means more organic matter in the soil. Tillage removes this by exposing the soil to drying out, and crops can be grown semi organically,
          by increasing the mineral contents (lime for instance)
          and manures. It is a new science, and the same goes for animal husbandry. Cell grazing is now favored.
          I know I have spent nearly four years at TAFE Rural Skills centre learning about this, and have my Cert IV
          in Agricultural (Organic) Production, and have one unit to go to finish my Diploma. I’m not a farmer, but basically it is returning to good old sheep, chicken, cow and horse pooh, in the soils. It is a myth, that in India for example, the green revolution meant selling expensive fertilizers and it then means more fertilizers the next year. Super phosphate used
          in Australia has ruined pastures. GM well Monstano
          own the genetic patent for 27 seeds. They make them Roundup resistant, that is GM at its worst. But most of our foods have been genetically modified, but not with non plant genes or herbicide resistant. There are ways to combat insect pests. And weeds don’t grow in healthy soils, they grow in depleted soils, they are a signal of what the soil is deficient in. Did anyone know that. However, it takes a bit of science and no how, to bring soils up to scratch.

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    • #
      kevin Moore

      “………By all accounts it seems that Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and also termed “Queen of Australia” has no detrimental influence or significant consequence over the citizens of Australia.

      Or does she??

      Well…the first thing we have to do is to establish whether the position of “Queen of Australia” does exist? Now our first issue is that Elizabeth II has never been crowned the “Queen of Australia”. So what does that mean if we have a fictitious Monarch and what are the consequences?

      A letter from the ‘Commonwealth of Australia Attorney’ General’s Department dated 7th May, 2001 states that Mr Henke wanted to see a copy of the document issued by the government of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) empowering the Queen of Australia to use the Royal Sign Manual.

      (Refer: The Attorney Generals Department the Commonwealth of Australia regarding the Queen of Australia.pdf )

      In the 2nd paragraph of that letter is the response which clearly states that there is NO SUCH DOCUMENT!!

      Then there is the response from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom in London, to Mr William Bolton that the Queen has NO EXECUTIVE POWER within the Commonwealth of Australia.

      (Refer: Letter from UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the Queen)

      By letter dated 18th October 2004, this time to Mr Sempf and once again under the Freedom Of Information Act, similar material was sought and this time the same response was received from the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet.

      (Refer: Lyall Sempf Response Letter from Australian Attorney Generals Department re Queen of Australia.pdf )

      Yet if we go to the next few pages, clearly on Official Government documents both here and the UK, we can see that they contain the words QUEEN OF AUSTRALIA!
      (Refer to: Queen & Bob Hawks Signature on Legal Document.pdf

      or

      Commission of William Deane as Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia (note the Queen’s signature is in top right hand corner).pdf…….”

      http://basic-fraud.com/?page_id=17

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      • #
        Rereke Whakaaro

        Queen Elizabeth is the Queen of Australia by dint of Australia belonging to the British Commonwealth.

        White Australians were British subjects when they arrived in Australia (some in chains), and there has been no declaration to reverse that.

        It is not a matter of Australia opting in to having a Queen, it is that they have never opted out.

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        • #

          Actually that is not correct Rereke.

          Elizabeth 2 didn’t become Queen of Australia until 1973.
          The then Prime minister Gough Whitlam (Labor) changed the Royal Styles and Titles Act to formally declare Elizabeth 2 as the Queen of Australia whilst at the same time eliminating both the reference to the United Kingdom, and the title ‘Defender of the Faith’.

          To make sense of this, as an example, Prince Charles is a prince and the Prince of Wales but he is not the Prince of Australia.
          As an interesting trivia, Queen Elizabeth herself signed the Royal Assent (instead of the Governor General) on her visit to Australia in 1973 when she opened the Opera House (She herself stated she would like to personally sign the Assent)
          Some info on this here

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      • #
        Rereke Whakaaro

        And as for the question of executive power, you are correct the Queen does not have executive power over the Australian Government (or any other Government, for that matter)

        She does however, have the right to withhold her signature from any bill passed by the House of Representatives, and Ratified by Vote of Senate, and she can, should she so wish, instruct her representative in Australia – the Governor General – to not sign assent to the legislation.

        But, she will not do that on matters of substance. She might however do that on matters of constitutional law and practice. If a case can be made that the Government of the day has bypassed the constitutional guidelines, then she may instruct the Governor General to withhold royal assent until the matter has had a chance to be heard.

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        • #
          Bush bunny

          Rereke the Queen does not sign anything, it is the GG
          who signs papers. When Kerr removed Whitlam she wasn’t informed to later, and there was a good reason for this,
          there was a double dissolution, and the senate refused to or stopped supply. And as we know there was a care take PM put in, and Fraser had a landslide win.

          The Queen signs British commissions for armed forces
          officers. She signs on parliament’s to go to war. But
          in Australia it is the GG who does this. And a GG has to be an Australian, and has been since 1953 (I think, bar the Duke of Gloucester who was GG once during the second world war, and he didn’t like us Aussies). She is a constitutional monarch, nothing more or less.

          And as far as the PM not curtseying, there is no need to do this any more. It’s a matter of personal choice, but she did nod her head.

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  • #
    Fred Allen

    The reference to Walmart’s customer attraction didn’t have anything to do with energy policies. The ex-CEO decided that 80% of the company’s profits were derived from 20% of its products, so the company strategy evolved to concentrating on the 20% of products and ditching the other 80%. Lo and behold, customers denied choice abandoned in droves. New strategy involved ditching the CEO and bringing choice back to the stores. It’s a long stretch to try and tie the company’s energy policy into its performance, but it might be an indicator of the ex-CEO’s lack of focus on its core business.

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  • #
    crist

    While looking for info about Gadaffi’s summary execution (not that the BBC and Channel 4 are reporting it as such) I found this, thought it might be of interest here, especially as the presentation was made in Melbourne –

    http://climateandcapitalism.com/?p=5449#more-5449

    Something tells me Ian Angus is more interested in destroying capitalism than any rigorous scientific analysis of climate change.

    Apologies if it’s already been mentioned but I have searched and found no mention of “Angus”.

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    • #
      Crakar24

      crist,

      Angus is just another nut job who has seen a space where he can put his soap box. We now live in a world where the looneys feel it is safe to preach their most deep and secret thoughts as long as there is a connection no matter how vague to saving the planet.

      Its a bit like Gaddaffi in a way, for example i vividly remember Condolezza Rice who was so taken by EXXON that they named a ship after her state with authority that OBL did 911 and all the evidence will be presented in the coming days. 10 years later he is buried at sea and we are still waiting for the evidence.

      I know we went into Iraq to get rid of Saddams Nookular bombs, i know they exist coz C. Powell stood on the floor of the UN and told me in great detail what he had and where they were………i am sure we will find them one day.

      But my memory has failed me on Gaddaffi, for the life of me i cannot remember what his crime was (Heinous i am sure it was) nor the evidence to support it.

      But this is the world we live in, we can now simply invade a country and with targetted assassination take out who we want then insert our puppet.

      Look at how the MSM depict the Taliban and yet give full support to the two biggest oppressive regimes known to man (Israel and the KSA) we are now on the verge of invading Somali, Uganda, Syria and Iran and why? Well the new reason is “Humanitarian” once WW3 is over (can we call it a world war yet?) we can then implement the types of things Angus is talking about.

      Its all about the perception crist, you are given the perception that we are doing these things for the right reason and if you believe you are right (ie Have god on your side) you will be suprised what one individual can do to another.

      A classic example is that the US Gov can concoct a hare brained assassination plot against some nobody and blame it on Iran and then claim this as justification to invade another sovereign nation but do not blink an eye as they sequentially and sytematically destroy nations and its people (we have god on our side).

      I will leave you with this mis quote

      “In the aftermath of Iran’s sneak attack on the Golden Gate bridge … I said, IN THE AFTERMATH OF IRAN’S SNEAK ATTACK [BOOM!], ah yes, there we are. (Ahem) In the aftermath of Iran’s sneak attack on the Golden Gate bridge, we have no choice but to invade Iran and remove the scourge of … whatever it is we said they were doing.” — Official White Horse Souse

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      • #
        J.H.

        Crakar24…… Israel is a working functional Democracy with a free press, independent judiciary, a free market and is at all times willing to enter into dialog with its detractors….. It isn’t an” Oppressive regime”.

        …. I think you must be thinking of all the despotic regimes that surround Israel who have no functioning democracy, independent judiciary or free speech. Regimes that kill any who dares criticize or question their authority.

        You do yourself no favors, Crakar, when you speak such nonsense about Israel.

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        • #
          Anne-Kit

          Hear, hear, J.H. I am in total agreement with you!

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        • #
          Crakar24

          JH,

          Just read your post, thanks for Monday morning laugh.

          A working functional democracy that does the following:

          1, Uses phosphor weapons on civilians against UN conventions
          2, Uses cluster weapons on civilians against UN conventions
          3, Illegally boards US flagged ships in international waters and assassinates it crew
          4, Holds the worlds 6th largest nuclear stockpile and refuses to join the international community by signing the NNPT and allow weapons inspectors full access to its nuclear weapons lab.
          5, Has attacked many countries in the region and continues to threaten Iran
          6, Is in breach of HR convention by its treatment of the people in Gaza.
          7, Israel holds several records

          Israel hold the world record in the number of towns & villages it ethnically cleansed…500+
          • Israel holds the world record in the number of refugees it deported…4 million +
          • Israel holds the world record in the number of homes it demolished…60 thousand +
          • Israel is the country with the highest record of UN condemnation…500+ times
          • Israel is the country with the highest number of protective US Security council vetoes…100+ times
          • Israel has killed more innocent civilians per capita than any other country…50 thousand+

          Now i noticed you never mentioned anything about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, many people here believe we should have invaded Afghanistan because the Taliban were bad people well the KSA make them look like boy scouts.

          You also never mentioned anything about our actions so far in WW3 but yet claim Israel is a democracy. What we all need to realise is that we dont live in democracies anymore and have in fact torn up and turned our backs on any human rights treaties we have ever signed. Look at the Gillard gov and their efforts to send people to Malaysia as an example (yes i know Liberals are no better) but that is my point they are both the same.

          Israel and the KSA have one of the worst human rights records on the planet and we, us, Australia protect them via internationally shutting up.

          In the end we live in a dictatorship most western countries are now a dictatorship and we are but a stones throw from having someone like Gaddaffi in charge.

          In regards to doing myself favours……………I dont want any favours from you JH, Israel is an oppressive regime if i say it once i will say it a 1000 times and i care not what you or anybody else thinks of me.

          Yes we should care about the carbon tax and what it can do, but the real concern is how it was brought in.

          Can anyone say dictatorship?

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      • #
        kevin Moore

        This is how the Middle East reported the event –

        http://www.uruknet.info/?I=x&p6&size+3&hd=1

        NATO conquers Libya
        The summary execution of Muammar Gaddafi
        LiberationNews.org.
        October 20, 2011 – The capture and summary execution of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is being hailed by imperialist politicians and media as “liberation” for the Libyan people. In fact, it means just the opposite. While the final bullets that killed Gaddafi may have been fired by troops of the Libyan “National Transitional Council” (NTC), the real victors in this war are the U.S. government and its British, French and Italian allies. Without NATO intervention, the Libyan rebel forces would have long ago been defeated. The NTC billboard welcoming Sen. John McCain to Benghazi, Libya a few months ago read: “USA: You have a new ally in North Africa.” To be really accurate, “client” should have been substituted for “ally.”…

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  • #
    Streetcred

    JN … Reader Helen A. wrote to me this week telling me that on the ABC’s “Q & A” show: “Stuart Blanche of the NT Environment Centre suggested we place a big cable between Oz and Indonesia and send them our Solar array power so they don’t have to burn our coal……”

    Stuart Blanche of the NT Environment Centre! Here’s your sign.

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      Bush bunny

      Hi Streetcred @11., Actually that is not a new idea. Sir Mark Oliphant, who was a government science adviser for years, was asked what the future held for Australia. He was on the Manhattan project (Atom bomb) and he said, that Australia should not only develop piped natural gas, but also solar thermal one day. We have heaps of open land where it seldom rains, and when they learn to store solar during the night, then we are years away from this, but should be examined. They could then supply SE Asia and Australia with unlimited energy. I think solar thermal has its credits because it is a larger project than solar panels or farms. But it is expensive, and that’s the biggest hurdle we have to face with alternative or clean energy. Wind turbines are a disaster!

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  • #
    Manfred

    Help….Has anyone seen this in the Guardian ?

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/20/global-warming-study-climate-sceptics

    Berkerley Earth Surface temperature project?

    Apparently suggests that urban heat island effect is not a significant ?

    Comments?

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    • #
      Bulldust

      There is a long article about the problems with the BEST paper at WUWT:

      http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/20/the-berkeley-earth-surface-temperature-project-puts-pr-before-peer-review/

      Anthony Watts had high hopes for the project when it started (I remember his posts back then), but it appears BEST is putting PR ahead of science like so many other advocates. There are running off the media releases before a single paper passing peer review…

      Truly disappointing.

      As for the Gaurdian, not worth wasting the time to read it on any climate-related issue.

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      • #
        Rereke Whakaaro

        I am told that the Gruniad is the best newspaper in Britain, when it comes to wrapping fish and chips.

        It is because the words have all been pre-salted with inconsistencies and innuendo, and because of climate change, the fish comes pre-acidised, so you don’t need vinegar.

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    • #
      Twodogs

      Define insignificant? 0.1C? 0.2? They have a hard enough time selling 7degrees C for this century with 0.7C last century without losing any precious 0.1C degrees.

      So how do you compare urban heat island effect only covering 1% of land mass vsersus temp stations not consistently covering the same land masses?? The recent map of (reduced) temp stations in Canadia (where Canadians come from) correlates alarmingly with Canadian population densities. So that 1% becomes, what, 10%? 20%? so how much warming is now due to the heat island effect?

      Of course, it still assumes warming is all our fault, but for their “theory” to work, they have to win ever battle (warming, CO2, anthropogenic CO2, positive feedback loops, lack of negative feedback loops etc). They’re still yet to win a single one!

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  • #
    Bulldust

    Once again Henry Ergas absolutely nails the Feds for their lack of transprency:

    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/not-a-model-way-to-sell-a-carbon-tax/story-e6frgd0x-1226172246556

    Despite riding into (minority) power claiming the Government was going to be accountable and transparent, not one member of the public has managed to get their hands on the climate model underpinning the CO2 tax.

    Ergas also pulls apart other political tripe like the recent Greens claim that repealing the the tax would increase electricity prices. Basic logic tells you that removal of a tx would drop prices, but that doesn’t stop the Greens spouting utter garbage.

    As always a good read.

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  • #
    Crakar24

    So in essence Jo, we are not leading the world towards a green energy future but have instead arrived at the party late, in fact so late that most of the party goers are getting into taxis to go home.

    All dressed up with no place to go……………..

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    • #
      Madjak

      yep, with spain, greece and ireland all comatosed on the floor.

      It seems the UK was last seen drunkenly stumbling in their car and speeding off.

      As allways, the smart ones know when to stop. They had their madagascar penguin moment:

      “well this sure sucks”

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  • #
    Manfred

    Thanks Bulldust.

    Aside from the obvious importance of the measurement conditions of the data, which surely most would agree have a significant bearing on the actual data obtained, there seems a decided reek of desperation and disingenuousness among the columnists that peddle this stuff.

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  • #
    Bruce of Newcastle

    One of the reasons why the green agenda is unravelling is their predictions just ain’t coming true. A good one today comes from Joe D’Aleo who spotted this classic UK Met Office shooting-ourselves-in-both-feet-moment:

    14 Oct: UK Met Office Pours Cold Water On Severe Winter 2011-12 Forecasts

    According to the UK Met Office: “Over the past few weeks, there have been some colourful headlines in some parts of the media about what’s in store for this year’s winter in the UK. Reports of ‘-20C within weeks’, ‘A winter fuel crisis on the way’ and ‘Widespread snow in October’ have all raised expectations that we’re in for an ‘Arctic winter’. [These headlines] bear no relation to the kinds of weather that forecasters at the Met Office are currently expecting – there is no need for alarm.”


    19 Oct: Subzero Temperatures And Snow Herald Arrival Of Winter In Ireland And UK

    “Heavy snow showers will continue across the Scottish East and West Highlands during Wednesday. More widespread snow is expected to affect the region for a time on Thursday.”

    If the Met Office is saying ‘there is no need for alarm’ I recommend we all panic.
    /irony

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  • #
    Gee Aye

    Off topic but anyone read this? http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3581670.html

    I have pretty good skills at following an argument but this left me behind. I can even deal with unsubstantiated assertions and caricatures, if I can see how they are used in an argument.

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    • #
      Crakar24

      It looks pretty straight forward to me Gee Aye,

      The writer explains that the greens are a bunch of wacko’s and have policies that no one likes they then go on to explain that the greens are running the country.

      Nothing new here, it may be new to you because this is the first time the MSM has told you but still nothing new.

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      • #
        Gee Aye

        told me what exactly? Opinion is just hot air without substantiation. I’m sure that the author has some sort of chain of evidence in mind leading her to make some of her claims but she’s kept it well hidden.

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        • #
          Crakar24

          Substantiation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF????????????????

          Ok sorry may be you misunderstood.

          During the last election both Labor and Liberal election platforms was NOT TO INTRODUCE A TAX ON PLANT FOOD. The Greens however wanted to introduce a tax on plant food.

          The end result was that labor and liberal got about 90% of the vote and the Greens got about 10%. To put it another way about 10% of the population wanted a tax on plant food, is this enough substantiation for you?

          Therefore this tax is a green policy, ergo the greens are running the country.

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          • #
            Gee Aye

            We must be reading different articles

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          • #
            Crakar24

            Now you are just talking in riddles, pick another subject to talk about as you have lost this one.

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          • #
            Andrew McRae

            Extract of a speech to parliament by Graham Perret MP, as sent to me by himself recently in an email:

            My electorate knows where I stand on action on climate change and they always have. At the 2007 and 2010 elections, I was upfront with my electorate that a Labor government would price carbon pollution—and I am more than happy to show my election materials to anyone who doubts this. The Gillard Labor government made a clear election commitment to put a price on carbon, and that is exactly what we are delivering.

            Yes, that was a shock to me too. Somehow Labor had a “clear election commitment to put a price on carbon” that was so clear that almost nobody was cognizant of it.

            In a word, cryptoecotheocracy.

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    • #
      John Brookes

      Gee Aye.

      I just read it. I’ve read a lot like it.

      Basic theme: Greens are bad because they want to deny the worlds poor the opportunity to be rich like us. Therefore Australians don’t trust greens.

      So if you could just get big business to push all your environmental concerns, you’d be fine, because people trust business.

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      • #
        Bush bunny

        John, to be politically correct, Australians directly or indirectly through foreign aid do support the worlds poor.

        I’m more interested in caring for Australia’s poor, one of which is me. Although by worldly standards in comparison to some countries overseas, I am rich in comparison to most. I own a house, well partly with a help from my late parents, and a pensioner interest loan that achieves compound interest, over the years until I die. Little left for my two sons I would think. I don’t know how I can out of it, unless I win the lottery, a bugger off all debts and pensions. Whoopee if only I could?

        BUT – clean energy will cost more than cleaning up the present coal fired electricity generators. I believe in sustainability, and that doesn’t include wind mills or solar farms. However, the big thing is the reason for introducing these inefficient clean energy products is to save the planet from what? Give me a sustainable future yes, but right now sustainability for people with less than 20,000 fixed income (pension single) are worried about paying their rates and eating.

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      • #
        Rereke Whakaaro

        I don’t necessarily agree with that, John.

        I think that Greens are bad because, as a group, the are terminally stupid.

        An example:

        I was at a political function a while ago, which happened to be attended by quite a few Business people, many of whom are rich through dint of their own hard work and business acumen, but I digress.

        There were also some greens present (with a small “g”) who thought it might be fun to start an argument with one or more of these “Capitalists”.

        So a couple of them cornered a “Capitalist” and started laying in to him saying that he was selfish and living off of other people, and how obscene it was to have a fortune when other people could not afford to drive their cars, etc.

        The said gentleman heard them out (which took a while – they were on a roll), and then asked them how much money they thought he had.

        “Millions”, one said. “Several millions”, said the other.

        The businessman nodded and said to the second person, “You are closest. In fact, my private wealth is around $40 million dollars. Are you suggesting that I should give that all away to other people?”

        “Yes, absolutely”, said the greens (with a small “g”).

        “Interesting concept”, said the businessman. “With the population of New Zealand just approaching 4 million, if I shared it all out, each of you would be richer by 10 dollars. Tell me, how far will you drive your car with your combined $20?”

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      • #
        Gee Aye

        I just didn’t see any evidence in the article that the author understood greens, the greens party, labor or liberal parties or anything at all really. It was content free AND the author is a supporter for action on climate change.

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      • #
        Sean McHugh

        John Brookes said:

        Basic theme: Greens are bad because they want to deny the worlds poor the opportunity to be rich like us. Therefore Australians don’t trust greens.

        No, I don’t think that is why people dislike and distrust the Greens, John. I submit that they dislike and distrust the Greens because the latter seek to dismantle Australia’s culture, industry, economy, free speech and sovereignty. I suggest the public also dislike a minority party imposing its will on a majority who didn’t vote for them (thanks to Julia). It’s also pretty safe to guess that voters don’t like their arrogance. Hopefully, after the next election, you, Bob, Julia, Rob and Tony (Windsor) will understand what Australians don’t like about the Greens and their associates.

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  • #
    Graeme M

    I think it was clear what the article was about Gee Aye. The author might perhaps be guilty of generalisation and exaggeration but her fundamental point remains. Green philosophies, whilst laudable, should be balanced by more pragmatic considerations. It seems that in climate change at least, those considerations are being left at the door in developing policy to guide Australia into the 21st century.

    The author does observe a certain tendency amongst those of a deeply ‘green’ persuasion which I admit is largely anecdotal, but then knowing a few greens I’ll agree her view is not an inaccurate assessment.

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  • #
    kevin Moore

    The Green Agenda is the Banks Agenda. What is the Banks Agenda in Libya? Is it just another aspect of their all or bust world takeover?

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/18/libya-gadhafi-clinton.html

    The United States hopes deposed Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi can be killed or quickly captured, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday during an unannounced visit to the North African nation.

    “We hope he will be captured or killed soon,” CNN quoted Clinton as telling reporters during her first visit to the country, which makes her the highest-ranking U.S. official to travel to Libya since Gadhafi was toppled from power.

    I heard on the radio this morning that a woman got sentenced to over 25 years gaol for hiring an assassin to murder her husband. But somehow it is different when you’re a politician facilitating murder.

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    • #
      Crakar24

      Whats that Kevin? What has Libya and Gold in my sacks got in common? Good question

      http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576347190532098376.html

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      • #
        kevin Moore

        http://mathaba.net/news/?x=629059

        Any ‘protest’, any ‘change’ or ‘revolution’ not founded on the list below — at the very least the list below — has got no chance of changing anything.

        These very pillars of the system must fall or they will block any transformation of the human condition. The system does not need to be tinkered with or even fundamentally changed (on the surface). The whole bloody lot must go… starting with:

        1.An end to creating money out of thin air on computer screens and charging interest on it (fractional reserve lending).

        2.An end to governments borrowing fresh-air money called ‘credit’ from private banks and the people paying interest on this ‘money’ that has never, does not and will never exist. Governments (and that concept must change radically) can create their own currency — interest free.

        3.An end to private banks issuing non-existent money called ‘credit’ at all and thus creating ‘money’ as a debt from the very start.

        4.An end to casinos like Wall Street and the City of London betting mercilessly on the financial and commodity markets with the lives of billions around the world.

        5.An end to all professional lobby groups that earn their living and their clients’ living from corrupting the professionally corruptible — vast numbers of world politicians and the overwhelming majority on Capitol Hill.

        6.An end to no-contract government in which mendacious politicians can promise the people they will do this and that to win their support and then do the very opposite after they have lied themselves into office (see President Obama).[and PM Julia]

        7.An end to the centralisation of power in all areas of our lives and a start to diversifying power to communities to decide their own lives and thus ensure there are too many points of decision making for any cabal to centrally control.

        That is just for starters. There is so much more where that came from. What good will come from rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic? NONE.

        The banking system as we know it does not need to be ‘changed’ — it needs to be gone. It is a criminal activity based on fraud, extortion and, through its effect, on worldwide mass murder.

        Its replacement needs to be decided by the population — not the very people who created it in the first place and are covertly manipulating a new global structure of financial control based on a world central bank.

        People should also ask why Libya and the African revolutionary leader Muammar Qaddafi were attacked and decimated since almost 8 months. Perhaps some of the clues lie in this video: http://www.bit.ly/libyamusic and in these thoughts and ideas: http://www.greencharter.com

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        • #
          memoryvault

          Good post Kevin.

          If I could add one more “must do” (item 8?):

          An end to the brainwashing of children under the guise of “education” in our school systems. If you don’t put a stop to that, then inside of one generation everything will be back where it was before the clean-up started.

          Thanks for the Libya You Tube link. I first read “The Green Book” in 1989, and was offered the opportunity to go to Libya to study (as did many others). Alas, commitments at the time prevented me from doing so. However my friend Duncan Roads (of Nexus Magazine) did, and had some fascinating tales to tell.

          .
          To Gnome and Winston below:

          Did you never wonder why it is that “Gaddafi and his goons” (and Saddam for that matter) could freely walk the streets of their cities, surrounded by a populace legally armed to the teeth, while the “President of the Free World” drives around in a car with five inch armour plating, hermetically sealed from the population outside? A population methodically being disarmed.

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          • #
            Gnome

            I don’t know about the armed populace of the dictatorships , but wrt Obama it is because there are a crazy people out there. Perhaps Libya et al don’t have any crazy people? Why might that be?

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            bananabender

            Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein lived in heavily fortified palaces constantly surrounded by dozens of heavily armed hand-picked guards.

            There were at least seven attempted assassinations of Gaddafi. There was also an attempted assassination of Saddam in 1982.

            In every case the assassination attempts on US Presidents have been by mentally unstable people bearing grudges.

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      Gnome

      Has everyone here forgotten how gaddafi and his attendant goons were killing anyone foolish enough to demonstrate for a little democracy? When the world doesn’t act they complain. When the world does act they wait a while, then complain.

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      • #
        Winston

        The world has yet to define how to deal with such despots, from Stalin to Mao to Pol Pot where the world stood idly by and allowed millions to perish, to Hitler, Amin, Mugabe, Khaddafi,Kim Jong-Il, the Burmese junta, etc- the list goes on. No matter what response and by whom, it often creates disasters no matter which way we respond, especially when intervention is compromised by the smell of vested interest by those who do intervene, as in Iraq’s case.

        I certainly don’t mourn the loss of Saddam, or the Taliban, or Khaddafi or any of the other despots who compromise the freedom of their citizens in this way, but I don’t trust that the arbiters of “peace” are in any position to judge objectively. They are often acting on the basis of larger agendas rather than concern for anyone “on the ground”, and often act in such a ham-fisted way as to facilitate a worse replacement regime than the one they originally deposed.

        A dilemma for the age, but I would say that to not act or intervene can kill as many innocent people and promote as much misery as acting with aggression. It is a pity we can’t trust the intentions of those charged with the responsibility to make such decisions, and intervene in this way against sovereign nations that have spiralled into despotism and dictatorship. IMO, any action should be taken with extreme gravitas, and reluctantly, with as little unilateralism as possible, but since the UN is such a vested interest riddled with corruption, then who could possibly be able to act as a circuit breaker in this sort of situation?

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        • #
          Andrew McRae

          Iron Man.

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          • #
            Winston

            Andrew
            My point, somewhat obscurely put, was that the UN SHOULD function in this way but unfortunately, by its actions and its nature, is totally untrustworthy. That’s why our current system in Oz, while imperfect, with GG as representative of an apparently unbiased and disinterested head of state in QE2, is a good template for stability, as Sir John Kerr’s actions in 1975 attest. Whatever one may think of the correctness of his actions then (which I wholeheartedly support by the way), it is far preferable to the alternate model (warfare/armed insurrection/external intervention)when things go pear-shaped and a leader oversteps his elected authority and grossly over-rides the will of the people.

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          Gnome

          Broadly, I agree totally. What I hate about Conservatives though is that they are so conservative. gaddafi ruled Libya for 4000 years so he should go on ruling Libya, and besides, every sperm is sacred.

          Offhand I can’t think of a single world leader I wouldn’t cheerfully take a pitchfork to. (I think the rapture is due for a rerun later this month, we can only hope the conservatives are taken this time.)

          (And no, Will Steffen, I don’t number you amongst the world leaders, so if you are monitoring the hate blogs, please don’t chalk this in as another near-death experience!)

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            Bush bunny

            Aye, 4000 years, what have you been on, mate, a typo I think?

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          • #
            memoryvault

            Offhand I can’t think of a single world leader I wouldn’t cheerfully take a pitchfork to.

            Then I suggest you go back and have a look at the links in the post by Kevin Moore at 19.1.2.

            Fortunately, you no longer need your pitchfork. NATO has done your murdering for you.

            As it has in the past.

            And will do in the future.

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          • #
            Gnome

            I try to keep my typos topical.

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          • #
            kevin Moore

            An Observer at the Banquet…
            Layla Anwar

            October 21, 2011

            I never liked gatherings nor banquets…I am allergic to hordes of people rushing to a buffet, gorging themselves with food, quickly stuffing down “all you can eat from 8 pm to 11 pm”.

            I’ve always found these buffets grotesque. They have always conjured up surreal images of apparently civilized beings in suits and latest fashion dresses, turning into a “modern evolved” Gargantua…

            There is something crass, like morally and philosophically crass about this approach to eating.

            Something reminiscent of cannibalism, where you carnivorously appropriate human flesh so as to take on whatever attributes you have ascribed to it.

            This cannibalism – the eating of living human flesh is closely associated to necrophilia. In case you missed it when he was alive, you can always make up for it when he is dead.

            There is no better way to describe today’s event – the “capture” and lynching of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi……”

            http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m82462&hd=size=1&I=e

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  • #

    […] Green Agenda unravelling around the world Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. […]

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  • #
    Mark D.

    RE #17.1.1.1.1

    The difference is not what you are reading, it’s the comprehension that is different.

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    GrazingGoat66

    The tragedy of this article is how more utterly absurd our (formerly) great country is appearing by the day thanks to the Left-centric Carbon Dioxide Tax. It is beyond comprehension that there are some eco-fanatics who still believe the notion that bottomless pits of (borrowed) money can somehow lead to “saving” the planet from a non-existent problem.

    Mind you if the eco-fanatics who I refer to are represented by those pillars of society who have decided that “occupying” is the flavour of the month, then I am worrying about nothing. These professional protestors who should be focusing on getting a job, a bath, a haircut and a clue, draw nothing but derision and welfare payments from those of us who actually contribute to society.

    Think I might wander down to Bourke Street and slaughter a cow or two in front of them. With any luck a mung bean or two might get caught in a windpipe here and there…..

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  • #
    Shevva

    Reading an excellent blog post the lady then declared ‘That’s the trouble with socialist’s they always run out of other peoples money’. (Slight re-worded)

    And to stop confusion on the quote.

    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_said_socialism_works_until_you_run_out_of_other_people's_money

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  • #
    Bush bunny

    I would like to suggest, it all started when $$$’s flashed in front of the Al Gores, and other governments who thought
    green energy could replace nuclear and coal fired generators cheaply and safe the planet.

    Of course this is generated by governments and bankers who see a quid in this fraud. Australia is late in getting involved. And that might be it’s saving grace in the end.

    I believe in sustainability, but not when it costs so much it is worthless in the end.

    And the ones in the under developed countries caught on to it too. Why not? If you were given a free meal ticket
    why not grab it.

    It will be interesting to see what Pres.Obama has to say when he visits Australia next month? Not as if the US of A other than California, have to support a cap ‘n trade or carbon tax.

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    • #
      rukidding

      And the ones in the under developed countries caught on to it too. Why not? If you were given a free meal ticket
      why not grab it.

      And they have been grabbing on to it for a long while.
      I would bring to the attention of people here an aid scheme called the Colombo Plan.Now some of the younger people here may never have heard of it and others who remember it may think it has been consigned to the dustbin of history but no it is still going.
      Now for those who have not heard of it it is 60 years old this year and was set up to help under developed countries.Now after 3 generations of aid you would think that some if not all of those countries would have developed by now but no.Pretty much all of them are still classed as under developed countries or developing countries and they have got their hands out again to get their share of the climate change cash this time.How long does it take for some countries to develop.
      Or are they like the parasites here who spend their whole life on welfare making no attempt to better them self just happy to take the welfare that is offered them even rorting the system.Note this is not a shot at genuine welfare recipients.

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      • #
        Gnome

        If you are going to post a link you ought to look at it as well if you intend to comment. Words to the effect that the Colombo Plan was not significant economically… Makes you seem a bit foolish doesn’t it.

        The main value of the Colombo plan has been to familiarise SE Asian future leaders with our counties’ institutions and values by bringing them here for higher education (and hoping they will go home at the end to assist their own countries’ develoment. Quite far sighted for the time, and I have never heard anyone before suggest it hasn’t been a success.

        Besides, Singapore now has higher per capita GDP than we do, Malaysia and India are powering ahead. We shouldn’t claim too much credit but perhaps some.

        Keep it real.

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        • #
          rukidding

          Gnome I have no doubt that the Colombo Plan has helped Australia Politically in the region.
          What I was trying to point out was that over 60 years none of the countries helped by the plan seemed to have reached developed status as defined by the UNFCCC,
          If you are aware of any of the countries helped by the Colombo Plan that are now classified by the UNFCCC as developed I would be pleased to here about it.

          If Singapore has a higher per capita to GDP then us then how do they compare to us on the amount of aid as a per centage of GDP do they supply.

          Cheers

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  • #
    Joe Lalonde

    Jo,

    Have you seen shows like “Dragons Den” or “Shark Tank”?
    They show how the rich exploit the poorer to increase their fortunes at as little risk as possible. No doubt if the product is a success, they have a bank of lawyers waiting in the wings to take over the company or just suck the equity out of the company.
    Capitalism at it’s finest.
    No regard to any person just the “money”.
    Is any wonder that the small “Mom and Pop” business are drying up and can’t compete?
    Now throw in the lobbied regulations and the cost of “environmental assessments”.
    Who has the capital to start up a new company with that as well?

    Capitalism still does not realize that in order for it to survive, they NEED new research and technology. They just don’t want to pay this and are looking to exploit existing technologies or companies.

    We are in a time of deep crap with no rope as a lifeline.

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    • #
      J.H.

      No Joe… you are talking human behaviour, not Capitalism…. Capitalism is simply the freedom for an individual to own their own property and sell it on a free market….. It actually relies on a network of mutual self interest and trust….. Bad behaviour is not exclusive to Capitalism, my friend.

      I would also suggest that systems like socialism are more open to abuse and the people less able to counteract that abuse… Usually because it is the State carrying out the Abuse upon the whole population in every aspect of their lives and business, while in a capitalist system one behaves badly within a network at their very own peril and risk of ostracization……

      The problem is to confuse the systems that we have currently as Capitalist systems…. Many at best are corporate cronyism in a semi fascistic system of government regulation and favours….. What we are experiencing is a slide into Socialism and state control….. They are talking about taxing the air we breath now. This is not Capitalism.

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      • #
        Mark D.

        J.H.
        YES!

        I just last night had a conversation with my 16 y.o. son about corporations and free enterprise capitalism.

        and this:

        The problem is to confuse the systems that we have currently as Capitalist systems…. Many at best are corporate cronyism in a semi fascistic system of government regulation and favours….. What we are experiencing is a slide into Socialism and state control….. They are talking about taxing the air we breath now. This is not Capitalism.

        Is exactly how I explained it to him, adding that big corporations behave much like big government.

        Together with GrazingGoat66: @21:

        Mind you if the eco-fanatics who I refer to are represented by those pillars of society who have decided that “occupying” is the flavour of the month, then I am worrying about nothing. These professional protestors who should be focusing on getting a job, a bath, a haircut and a clue, draw nothing but derision and welfare payments from those of us who actually contribute to society.

        My son has gained a great education today!

        Thanks go to both of you for affirming my observations (and sanity?).

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        • #
          Louis Hissink

          It’s basically the Mercantalist system, where private companies have government monopoly assigned to them etc.

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      CameronH

      Joe, Your concept of capitalism is seriously flawed. I can only believe that this is the result of years of orwellian propaganda. Capitalism can best be described as (and I quote from the book Fundanomics by Roy Spencer) “People having the freedom to provide as much stuff as possible to each other that is needed and wanted”.

      The minute the government gets involved in this you have the start of socialism and as Frederic Hayek says in his great book “The Road To Serfdom”, socialism always leads to totalitarianism. We fail to read about these things at out peril. Always remenber that you can not defend yourself against things that you have forgoten.

      The current system that we have is a form of crony capitalism that is drifting towards fascism. The calls by quite a number of the “intellectual elite” to suspend of end democracy to solve all of our financial and environmental problems should be a wake up call for everybody. We need to discard the current BS Keynesian and Marixist economics and revert to classical economic theory before it is too late. This is the only way to preserve our liberty and our prosperity.

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    The world awakening was never in doubt. If AGW was true, the reprecussions will be evident (and should have been pronounced now after 30 years of hysteria). If it is not, then the evidence will not be found (as has been the case). So while you can fool all of the people some of the time, you cannot fool them all of the time.

    The problem is the damage done in the interim. Like in Australia with their now onerous new tax. The damage so far is just the seed germinating. The plant will flower over the next few years and bear bitter fruit.

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    I like the idea of that power cable going to one of the other great coal exporting nations lol. Reminds me of some time in the 80s when it was a bit dry in Australia some were floating the idea of collecting icebergs from Antarctica for our water.

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      Bush bunny

      Yes Kelly liddle, also seed clouds to make it rain. Was it true that an Aboriginal Shaman had more success? Maybe he could read the weather better. LOL.

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    Louis Hissink

    PS: To put the Australian scene in perspective, marvel at the level of our national debate. Reader Helen A. wrote to me this week telling me that on the ABC’s “Q & A” show: “Stuart Blanche of the NT Environment Centre suggested we place a big cable between Oz and Indonesia and send them our Solar array power so they don’t have to burn our coal……”

    This is interesting for it reminds me of the terra watt web site showing an interesting map detailing the proposed energy distribution system as an extension of the smart grid technology.

    Technocracy folks, you ignore it at your peril, along with Agenda 21.

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    Lars P.

    Well, no ponzi scheme runs forever. If one looks at the energy supply as a whole and tries to understand how renewable works (including the backup) it becomes obvious that renewable at today technology does not make sense, is only a waste.

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    […] more: Global warming is real  Green Agenda unravelling around the world  JoanneNova.com.au October 21st, 2011   Good news: signs are coming in from all over the […]

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    Bush Bunny

    O/T STOP PRESS! There’s a new book out titled, ‘The Delinquent Teenager Who Was Mistaken for The World’s Top Climate Scientist’. To down load the full book only costs
    $4.99. Go to Google and you can read a sample of it. Was recommended to me by a Kiwi skeptic. It sounds great folks, but I haven’t a Pay Pal account to get it.

    Where’s Adam, MattB and John Brookes they might like to get it too, LOL

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    […]  ”With people dying from the cold because they can’t afford enough home heating, the government is deliberately raising heating costs in an attempt to make it slightly colder outside” Tom Nelson    http://joannenova.com.au/2011/10/green-agenda-unravelling-around-the-world-ex-australia/ […]

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