Weekend Unthreaded

8 out of 10 based on 33 ratings

385 comments to Weekend Unthreaded

  • #
    Lionell Griffith

    It early August in northern Illinois. The weather is typical early fall. Cool, dry, with only a few clouds and gentle breezes. Yet it is the middle of summer.

    During my 83 years, I remember August was the hot part of the year. Unrelenting high temperatures and steamy humidity with little rain to break the heat. Where is my global warming?

    Global warming is a myth that has gone were myths go to die. Unfortunately, the political left refuses to believe that their TRUE BELIEF won’t make their beliefs come true. Their position is “you just wait. In 30 more years you will all be sorry”. What? Sorry we didn’t sell our lives, give away our freedom, and right to live?

    All to discover that it didn’t make a measurable difference in the “climate”. The price? The destruction of technological civilization and the subsequent extinction of the vast majority of the earth’s human population. The price is much too high and the benefits are not measurable.

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  • #
    Richard Ilfeld

    [From the New York Times}
    A NEW BREED OF HERO.
    Authorities today thanked the group of people formerly known as “sceptics” for saving mankind.
    unveiling a new monument on the site of the former NOAA headquarters in Washington DC.
    As evidence comes in signaling the end of the interglacial, it appears that just enough warming
    has been added to the normal temperature to prevent the tipping point into another ice age.
    Although we know know that all our Carbon dioxide only helped by about 1 degree Farenheit over fifty years,
    this was was just enough to keep all of Canada, and much of the US from being once again encased in ice….

    this is about where I woke up.

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  • #
    RicDre

    Warning, tipping point ahead….

    “Time Magazine: Arctic Nearing ‘Point of No Return’ from Climate Change”

    As noted in the article “[Time Magazine’s Jasmine Aguilera says] not only is anthropogenic climate change to blame for all our weather woes, but once it warms, the Arctic can never cool again (despite the fact that the earth has already experienced five or six major ice ages in the past with no help from fossil fuels).”

    https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/08/03/time-magazine-arctic-nearing-point-of-no-return-from-climate-change/

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    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Jasmine is just parroting 2 Climate “experts”. Her acceptance of what she is told, without thinking at all, shows the MSM for what they are – dumb bunnies.
      Oops, mixing my metaphors. Any bunnie that can imitate a parrot would be worth a laugh at a party.

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    • #
      Latus Dextro

      On April 28, 1975, Newsweek published a provocative article, “The Cooling World,” in which writer and science editor Peter Gwynne described a significant chilling of the world’s climate, with evidence accumulating “so massively that meteorologists are hard-pressed to keep up with it.”

      The ideological airheads at TIME continue the tradition – manufacturing another puff piece, whose desperation is as palpable as it is unhinged, chiefly to sell more worthless copy.

      Check in over at reality: The Path To An Ice-Free Arctic
      Tony Heller provides a superb list of magazine and newspapers headlines predicting end times, the usual tiresome rank hyperbole injected with Left wing corporatist globalist ideological steroid.

      Posted on August 3, 2019 by tonyheller

      There is currently about six trillion tons of Arctic sea ice. All that alarmists have to do is melt that in the next week or two, before the melt season shuts down.
      They just need to melt about one trillion tons of ice per day.

      They’ve said it before and they’ll say it again. No they won’t. This time they’ll never have another chance. They’re blown their cover and they’re out in the open now. An excellent take down and description of the ‘sustainability’ and transformational agenda.
      Rosa Koire. UN Agenda 2030 exposed
      ‘The needs of the many (NGO’s, corporations, governments, communities, municipalities) outweigh the needs of the few’.

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      • #
        theRealUniverse

        After the 70s ‘cooling’ scare they realized that that one just didnt work..so along came ‘WARMING’! “Well get them somehow” Them meaning stopping us proletariat using decent energy sources.

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        • #
          Latus Dextro

          Prince Harry and Meghan’s made-to-measure morality

          Prince Harry’s revelation that he intends to only have two children for the sake of the planet is woke politics at its worst.
          This made-to-measure approach to morality is everywhere these days: from so-called ‘flexi-veganism’ to the long-haul flights enjoyed by some supporters of Extinction Rebellion. It enables people to signal virtue without having to change very much about the way they live. Harry’s seemingly selfless attitude to the national birth rate is a classic example
          What Harry won’t discuss are the aspects of his lifestyle he is least likely to want to change for the sake of the environment. Following Harry’s logic, long-haul flights are arguably far more of a ‘dirty habit’ than plastic food wrapping.

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          • #
            Geoffrey Williams

            I’m sure that there are quite a few little Harry’s running around out there that we just don’t about . . .
            GeoffW

            20

    • #

      We’ve approached and passed that ‘point of no return’ numerous times for maybe 40 years now. The boy who cried wolf keeps coming to mind.

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    • #
      OriginalSteve

      Sounds like peak panic to me…….they are losing and they know it….

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        Ah yes, a small group waiting on that specially selected hilltop for the mothership to arrive that was foretold by a specific amount of prophecised warming by computer 1,

        A cup of coolaid held in a slightly trembling hand………

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    • #
      Bobl

      So winter won’t exist in the Arctic any more? Some people are gullible aren’t they, if the temp gets below zero C then ice forms! The ignorance of simple chemistry today is what I find alarming. How many people don’t understand photosynthesis and the carbon cycle any more … including alarmist climate wonks.

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    • #
      Mal

      The only tipping point we have reached is the descent into mass stupidity in the western world.
      There are now more people who are empowered in the western world who have zero knowledge of Science, maths, engineering, economics or anything else that underpins modern civilisation.
      These people control the media and politics.
      All they will achieve is the collapse of western society

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  • #
    Another Ian

    You’ll all be happy to know that, in the face of previous rumours,

    “Greenland Endures”

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/08/03/greenland-endures/

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    • #
      yarpos

      That great climate guru Waleed Aly did a piece on Greenland apocalypse because summer + geothermal activity. He should start a consultancy with Tim Flannery.

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      • #
        Analitik

        He is the man that called 83 seats for Labor at the start of the election coverage.
        Nice to see his expertise extends into the sciences too

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      • #
        James Murphy

        Waleed Aly demonstrates profound and robust ignorance on a wide range of topics.

        He’s consistent, I’ll give him that.

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  • #
  • #

    I don’t think there’s been enough discussion about one of our planet saving activities, that being recycling. Another Green Scheme that’s gone spectacularly wheels up with a new upset just about every week, for example:

    Victorians are being urged to keep up their recycling efforts despite the collapse of kerbside collections for dozens of councils around the state.

    At least 60 per cent of materials that would previously have been processed by SKM Recycling will go to landfill after the waste contractor on Thursday night told councils it would stop taking their recyclables.

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    • #
      Bobl

      Well I’m bemused…

      Yes, was always impractical in rural areas so is the plastic bottle tax where the government taxes rural pensioners on bottles that can never be returned. When you need 2000 containers just to cover the $20 fuel cost to take them to a recycling point then it stops being a deposit and becomes a tax. Green lunacy abounds.

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      • #
        yarpos

        That would be 200 containers boblĺ

        Some of my daughter’s friebds are going to a sporting tournament in Thailand courtesy of that scheme. Nice of us all to contribute.

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        • #
          Bobl

          Oops… well yes… head hung in shame , the point is still the same though when it takes over two hundred containers to get a part refund owing to the transport costs then it’s a tax.

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        • #
          Yonniestone

          The national sport of Thailand………Ping Pong?

          40

        • #
          Latus Dextro

          Sigh. The post-2015 development agenda – aka. Sustainable Development Agenda (aka. UN Transformational 2030) makes “interesting” reading in this regard (sports). Classic UN-speak ideology. Delighted to learn you’re contributing to it and doing your bit. Once everyone is crammed into a city per UN Urban Habitat III, then sports will be a requirement for the youth of the corporatist globalist Left. The resonance with past historical eras is obvious.

          Articel 37 states:

          Sport is also an important enabler of sustainable development. We recognize the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.

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      • #
        toorightmate

        Aaaahhh,
        but doesn’t recycling make us all feel warm and fuzzy?
        Because that’s the only reason we do it (aluminium cans are the only exception).

        30

      • #
        Another Ian

        Bobl

        Our rural regional council has just waded in with full enthusiasm.

        I await the dawning of reality.

        10

      • #
        Another Ian

        “Well I’m bemused”

        But you are posting as Bobl

        10

    • #
      David Maddison

      I no longer put my paper or cardboard in the recycling bin, I burn it in a fireplace.

      I still put plastic bottles, steel and aluminium cans in recycling but it probably goes to land fill. But that’s OK because it can be mined as a resource by future generations if necessary and cost effective.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Given recycling has basically collapsed in Australia, it makes perfect senee to burn a lot of the paper etc to produce electricity….

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    • #
      Bill in Oz

      I live in South Australia
      We have a deposit on all beverage plastic & glass containers.
      Currently it’s $0.10 a container.
      And people do collect their containers
      And return them to get their refund.
      There are not many such drink bottles
      Littering our streets or road sides.
      Why ?
      Because lower income people make extra petty cash
      By collecting them all.
      Frankly I think this scheme should be extended
      To cover ALL food & drink containers sold
      By take away food outlets like KFC or MacDonalds etc.
      Why ?
      Because as a farmer before I retired
      Managing a farm with about 1.5 ks of road frontage,
      One of my less pleasant chores was collecting
      The stuff thrown out of cars as they drove past.
      95% of it was from the Macca’s or KFC stores
      In nearby Mt Barker.
      Their customers cheap crappy food
      Meant wasting my time unpaid on collecting their waste.
      Why not take it to the recycle center for $0.50 an item ?

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      • #

        I’d love to make it law that you either bring your own packaging or eat in when it comes to McRubbish and KFlittering. Where I live, people throw out their bags etc less than a minute from home. The back road where I live means that these people are a maximum of a minute from entering their front door.

        30

      • #
        Kevin Lohse

        That takes me back. As a boy, I and my friends used to do a door-to-door collection of refundable deposit glass beer and pop bottles. Work up and down the street then into the off-licence to collect the cash. Happy days.

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        • #
          Analitik

          And I remember “bottle drives” when I was in the Boy Scouts to raise money for our troop.

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          • #
            Bruce J

            A ha’penny for 26oz beer bottles, 3 pence for a lemonade bottle and 6 pence for a big Coke bottle just shows how many of each there were in circulation!

            10

      • #
        StephenP

        Why not bag it up according to source and pay them a visit and tip it back on the floor of the original fast food outlets? It might show them what you have to put up with. On the other hand in today’s world it might get YOU fined.

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        • #
          Bill in Oz

          That thought did occur to me
          But I would probably have been charged
          With littering their premises.
          One of the ironies of life life !

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        • #
          toorightmate

          Why are you blaming the fast food outlets for the pathetic behaviour of some of their customers?

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      • #
        Analitik

        I fully support the slight inflationary costs of bottle and can deposits as a means of reducing litter as opposed to “sustainability”. Broken glass bottles are especially a peeve of mine due to the entirely avoidable mess and the hazard.

        And if the masses truly want recycling, then they should front up to the true costs and pay the increases in council levies necessary for the process to be financially viable (sustainable).

        The Reserve Bank keeps wanting higher inflation anyway so why not.

        20

        • #
          StephenP

          If 90% of plastic in the oceans comes from just 10 rivers, then cleaning up/intercepting the plastic before it gets to the oceans could make a big difference.
          The rivers are
          Yangtze
          Indus
          Yellow
          Hai He
          Ganges
          Pearl
          Amur
          Mekong
          Nile
          Niger
          Seven of these rivers are in China and India both of which have become more prosperous and could get some of their large populations cleaning up the rivers before the plastic gets to the oceans.

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          • #
            toorightmate

            The main items of pollution visible on the Yangtze are timber (branches/twigs) and rubber thongs – mostly left foot????
            I concluded that it’s the leftists who are the main polluters.

            40

  • #
    Hanrahan

    FA 18 crash in Death valley.

    This area is famous for plane spotters as they watch low level high speed passes of the jets. Ten of these were injured in the crash.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaKSDDaYfPE

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  • #
    David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

    Morning all,
    I’ve extracted three paragraphs from the SMH article at the link below, from its Business section in yesterday’s paper. Another organisation feeling the adverse effects of the warmists’ madness.

    ” Mr Jacques told investors on Thursday that unclear energy policy and increased energy prices were putting Rio’s aluminium smelters in Queensland and New South Wales “on very thin ice”. ”

    ” We’re not asking for anything special. But I’m looking at it from the outside and saying ‘Hang on, Australia is full of resources, it should be a place where energy is pretty cheap in a global landscape’  and that is not the case today.” ”

    ” Coupled with weakening aluminium demand – its price decreased 15 per cent in the last year – Mr Jacques acknowledged long-term closure of the smelters could be possible if government discussions were unfruitful. ”

    And the link:

    http://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/rio-tinto-shares-slump-to-three-month-low-despite-highest-profits-in-a-decade-20190802-p52d8b.html?btis

    Cheers
    Dave B

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    • #
      el gordo

      G’day Dave, Alan Kohler at the Oz says ‘there is so much solar and wind power either being built or about to be built that the grid can’t handle it.’

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      • #
        David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

        Thanks e g,
        That he made such a comment surprises me. I’d picked him as an avowed warmist.
        Cheers
        Dave B

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        • #
          Graeme#4

          He is David. And he is also a big supporter of Renewables. But now every time he writes in The Australian about renewables, he is unmercifully hammered.

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        • #
          yarpos

          He is, he makes out its a grid problem not a renewables problem

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      • #
        Graeme#4

        And Terry MacCrann writing a very good article saying that Kohler is wrong, along with another 371 comments so far, most of them also saying that Kohler is wrong.

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      • #
        glen Michel

        Koehler even suggests the removing subsidies for renewable energy

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      • #
        theRealUniverse

        ‘the grid can’t handle it’ So as Tony would probably say/agree, how come the ‘grid’ can handle ALL the coal power and not the TINY (un-)renewables drip feed? They guys is talking (un-)renewable BS as usual.

        10

    • #
      toorightmate

      Mr Jacques Rio Tinto business did extremely well out of iron ore over the past year – 75% of EBIT was from iron ore. They (and Australia) had better hope that China does not “turn the tap off” wrt iron ore.
      Mr Jacques is also the dill who decided that coal was no good for the world and sold the coal assets.
      Mr Jacqes is an A Grade jerk. It is about time Rio Tinto reintroduced some mining and resources expertise and knowledge to their BoD.

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      • #
        David Wood

        Another one in the line of RIO CEOs like the one who bought Alcan’s assets at the complete top of the market, reminiscent of Alan Bond buying Chanel 9 from Kerry Packer.

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      • #
        yarpos

        I wonder how he imagines iron ore becomes steel, I guess he feels more morally pure just being complicit in an arms length sort of way.

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  • #
    Peter C

    I will be attending the CPAC conference in Sydney on this coming Friday 10 Aug.
    https://cpacaustralia.org/

    I will look out for any other JoNova followers. I might make a JONova lapel badge out of a piece of paper so as to be recognised.

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    • #
      Annie

      I hope there will be plenty of reports about it as we can’t attend. I hope also that you have a great, interesting time Peter C.

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    • #
      Yonniestone

      Hang a lump of coal around your neck…….subtle but effective.

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        Oh and sculpt it into a small millstone, the symbolic irony will not be lost on that crowd.

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        • #
          Yonniestone

          Sometimes I wear a costume angels halo with fake dog poo attatched to the ring.

          As no matter what life throws at me I’ll always walk on under-turd……

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    • #
      RickWill

      I will not be there but it is an interesting line-up. I am looking forward to reports with impressions of the topics and speakers.

      One message that should come across loud and clear is that “renewable” referring to existing wind and solar generators is a misnomer at best as well as deceptive and misleading.

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        Besides the energy from evil “fossill” resources to produce them the amount of transportation and equipment to install them is mind blowing, let alone the constant maintenance.

        The schedules these things need puts an AMF era Shovelhead to shame.

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    • #
      theRealUniverse

      So how much ‘un-reporting on this conference will we see from Aunty ABC?..I suspect a few zeros in the answer.

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    • #
      Kinky Keith

      I would like to go but have a Saturday night engagement.

      10

  • #
    edwina

    Daily temperature measuring?

    When I hear about the temperature for any day it is given as the minimum and maximum. e.g 10’C – 20’C with the average being 15’C. But do daily readings take into account the “rate” of temperature rise or fall during the day? i.e. a 10’C minimum could be followed by a rapid rise after sunrise to 20’C maximum on a clear.

    Likewise, a 10’C minimum could be followed by a vsry slow rise to 20’C maximum due to cloudy overcast. The reverse could be possible when the maximum fall quickly to the minimum in clear still conditions c.f. a slow fall in overcast nights.

    Do weather experts or climatologists take this all into account? What I mean is a day can be termed warm or cool due to fluctuations from hour to hour or even shorter periods during one day. Yet 2 different days with the same minimum and maximum may be said to be the “same” just because of the 2 figures.

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    • #
      el gordo

      This from BoM.

      ‘Traditionally, trained observers would read the thermometer and send in the observations at least twice a day—normally at 9 am and 3 pm; but these days we have automatic thermometers that send in the information electronically, so the Bureau can collect a lot more data.’

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      • #
        RickWill

        I suspect the primary driver of Global Warming is the increase in infrastructure around existing thermometers combined with the automation of the measuring process.

        Would be an interesting exercise to determine the difference in reading between an automated station average and a manual station average in the same location. If there was high resolution electronic data it would be possible to add thermal lag for a thermometer and then just do spot readings twice a day plus the max and min.

        I doubt the automated station knows to discount readings during the period that the adjacent incinerator is fired. The vast majority of infrastructure will cause heating unless it provides direct shade.

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  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    Spot the difference …

    1. “Ordinary bloke who works at a pub, goes to his local ATM to withdraw some cash after his shift.

    He pulls out $200, despite it saying “transaction cancelled”, then pulls out more money and before you know it he’s living it up as a millionaire.

    Eventually the law did catch up with him — but only after he outed himself to the bank and newspapers about what he’d done, the program reported.

    He was charged with obtaining money by deception — $1.6 million — and sentenced to a year behind bars in 2015.”

    https://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-man-jailed-after-atm-glitch-to-pocket-16m-has-no-regrets/news-story/c0cf00dbfa2483fac58cf1fca4715576

    2. “Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has called on National Australia Bank and its former chairman, Ken Henry, to immediately respond to revelations they knew some of the bank’s financial products were ripping off customers.

    Dr Henry, the then NAB chairman, privately told consultants in the midst of the Hayne royal commission he was “confident” the bank was selling products that ripped off its customers and would eventually trigger compensation.”

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/finance-minister-tells-nab-to-respond-to-bombshell-ken-henry-revelations-20190802-p52d6d.html

    If you answered that there are two laws, you would be correct.

    You go to jail for stealing from a bank, but, a bank can steal from you with impunity.

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  • #
    Graeme#4

    The recent WUWT article about the exposure of the XR’s internal records, including financial donations, should make interesting reading today…

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    • #
      Annie

      Saw that on Notalotofpeopleknowthat yesterday, referred to on WUWT today. Fascinating revelations but not very surprising. 🙁

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      • #
        beowulf

        The bit I like best is how the £ amount beside Soros’ name is blanked out. Fishy, very fishy.

        40

  • #
    edwina

    The ABC had a report that QLD recorded a very warm July. For the coldest spot, it said Stanthorpe recorded a minimum of -0.7. When I looked up Weatherzone Stanthorpe monthly temperatures it showed Friday 19th having a minimum of -7.

    Is -0.7 the same as -7?

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    • #
      Greg in NZ

      Decimal points, zeros, meh… the thing is WE’RE ON FIRE!!! [not] Or DROWNING! [not]

      So this is what was prophesied long ago as living in a virtual reality.

      • virtual: almost or nearly as described, but not completely; not physically existing;

      from Latin virtualis, virtus, ‘virtue’, or possessing certain virtues.

      Hence another word flipped 180˚ from its original meaning to today’s ‘virtue signalling‘.

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    • #
      Bill in Oz

      Only in BOM WORLD Edwina !
      Only found on their brand new super computers !
      But reported to us all
      As reality.

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  • #
  • #

    Phew!

    Thank heavens all of that is (almost) over.

    My good lady wife Barbara has finally come home from Hospital.

    It was 29 days, four long weeks. The Pneumonia, fluid on the lungs, blood toxicity to one of the medications, and then the seizures from her Epilepsy, one thing after another.

    I am now the ‘home nurse’, as the recovery continues, getting her fitness back, physiotherapy to a plan I was given, and a new medication regime.

    You simply have no real understanding of the way the health system is operated these days until you have to actually experience it. Barbara herself would have little idea, but watching it all happen for eight hours a day while I visited with her gave me the most amazing insight into how well something like this actually does happen. You hear so much on how the health system is run, more often than not articles that are not all that flattering, but in our case, and watching from close up, it all works so astonishingly well.

    The thing that impressed me was the standard of nursing, and you also hear of low nurse to patient ratios in hospitals. Here I was really impressed by the fairly large number of nurses, and how they are moved around in the wards, so that they are never in the one ward for longer than a couple of days. Barbara was in three separate wards, and each ward has a different operational task, and she was in and out of the High Dependency Ward (just four beds) three separate times, and that’s the high care ward between Intensive Care and the main wards. Each of the wards has anything up to six to eight rooms ranging in size from two to four beds. and each room has two nurses on a rotational basis, so you never see the same nurse from one to two days.

    Doctors come and go, Interns, registrars, residents and attendings, and there is a (very) definite hierarchy.

    Everyone has a job, and it gets done more efficiently than we might be led to believe if we do believe those articles about how bad it all is, and it is nowhere near as bad as that.

    To me, it looks like a well oiled machine, considering the seeming chaos it can all be at times.

    Barbara received the absolute best of care and at all times, I was included as part of the process, you know, have someone around the patient who she knows.

    To see all these people do their jobs from so close up was an amazing thing, and at no time, ever, did I have any misapprehensions about what was happening.

    From a detached point of view, I also saw close hand how much electrical power a hospital uses, and it needs that 24 hours a day, ABSOLUTE, full stop. Huge amounts of electrical power.

    I don’t really care much any more about the money spent on health budgets at a State or Federal level.

    If that’s how it is used, then it’s money well spent.

    My wife is back home, and the recovery continues, and I am eternally grateful that because of good working procedures and operational capabilities, she came through all this.

    To all of you here who offered us both your kind wishes, thank you all.

    Tony.

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    • #
      Yonniestone

      Great to hear some good news Tony.

      I agree on what price to save a life, and be thankful for Australian values the faciltate this..

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    • #
      Roy Hogue

      Tony,

      Glad to hear your wife is on the mend. And don’t forget to take care of yourself wile you take care of her.

      Tell her she has get well wishes from America. According to my wife they’re the best kind to have.

      Roy

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    • #
      Greebo

      !8 months ago I spent the worst time of my life watching as my wife Jan died of liver cancer. I am glad your result is a better one. I must agree with you. The health care system, and more particularly the HC professionals involved with Jan were quite simply superb. The support I received following her death was first class as well.

      People moan and grumble about elective surgery waiting lists. I have been on one myself recently. But the point here is the ‘elective’ bit. Jan’s situation was NOT elective, and the “well oiled machine” swung into action seamlessly and professionally. It’s just a pity she entered it too late, but that’s our fault, not theirs. My advice would be to have regular, thorough checkups. If Jan had been diagnosed even three years earlier it’s possible she would still be here. That thought brings me no comfort, but it might help someone else who reads it.

      Make the most of your time together, Tony, and God Bless.

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      • #
        Hasbeen

        I moan about waiting lists.

        When I was referred to a specialist for a bad knee it took 3 years & a dozen letters asking if I still wanted to see anyone, before I dot my first examination.

        Apparently you don’t go on a waiting list until after the first examination. This is a great way to keep waiting lists down.

        2 years later after another couple of examinations I was told I was on the list for surgery. I then had an appointment with the antitheist, an MD & a couple of others. Having driven 80 kilometres, including 9 of stop start peak hour traffic to get there, I was in a wheel chair all day.

        Over a couple of days I received advice of a further 7 appointments I had to attend, one a day, at 9.00 AM, before my surgery could go ahead.

        I advised that 7 more trips through peak hour traffic in 11 days was just not possible for me with my knees.

        I was advised that in that case I was not eligible for the surgery, & they could offer no alternative.

        The public health system may be fine for emergency, but for real preventative or repair treatment it totally stinks.

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    • #
      pat

      TonyfromOz –

      whew. that took a while.

      best wishes to Barbara and, as has been said, be sure to take care of yourself as well.

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    • #

      🙂 🙂 Barbara/Tony.

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    • #
      Bill in Oz

      Good news Tony !
      Very glad to hear it.
      Hope you can spend good time together at home.
      In 2015 I spent a week in hospital in Manila
      After a fall lead to elbow fractures.
      The care I received then was excellent
      Just as you report for your wife.
      It’s good to now that some parts of our
      Modern world work so well.

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      toorightmate

      Agree Tony. For every bad health story there are thousands of terrific stories.
      It’s a bit like the weather, All over the world, for every really hot day, there are hundreds of beautiful or cool/cold days, but you only hear about the one hot day.

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      Again, thank you all.

      While she was in hospital, I had a cramp in the early AM in my calf muscle that I just could not press out. I thought I could walk it off, and had a horrendous limp and could hardly walk at all, but those trips to the hospital were mandatory for me at that time, so I just struggled on for three days, limping very badly, and favouring that left leg.

      When our GP’s admin staff phoned with a standing appointment for ancillary health matters for my wife, I cancelled that and asked (on the off chance) if I could see the Physio for some tips, and she informed me I would need to see our GP first.

      So as not to miss getting to the hospital, I made the appointment early, and he saw me at 7.45AM. I told him that the muscle felt OK, just a thin line of excrutiating pain up the centre line of that calf muscle.

      He sent me for an ultrasound, and they actually started at the groin and worked down, even though I told them it was muscle pain in that calf muscle. They (evidently) found what they were looking for on the screen, and were (almost deliciously) saying that was a good image right there. I had no idea what they were looking at. I waited for the results, and they gave me a report and told me to immediately drive back to my GP.

      He told me I had a Deep Vein Thrombosis in that lower vein along the length of that calf muscle, and explained the ramifications and put me on a course of blood thinners, (Revaroxaban) starting immediately.

      That was two weeks back now, and while the limp has all but gone, there’s still that line of pain, slight now.

      I have not been walking daily since Barbara fell ill, ten days before being admitted, so it’s been seven weeks since I have walked. I asked our GP if it was OK to resume walking, and he said that would probably be good for it, but to start out slowly and less distance than I usually cover.

      Huh! It all started with the fluke of them calling me with an appointment I had to cancel. Otherwise I would never have known.

      Still, what I have is secondary now to my good lady wife’s recovery.

      Tony.

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      • #
        Annie

        Sorry to hear about your DVT, it never rains but it pours, as the saying goes. Look after yourself too.

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      • #
        Bill in Oz

        Tony I take Magnesium Citrate
        To prevent muscle cramps
        But it is also recommended
        For Cardio Vascular health.
        The Citrate form is best as Magnesium Oxide
        causes diarhorea !

        And not a lot of people know that

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      • #
        Peter C

        I am glad that you are ok Tony.

        The cramp may have been the cause of the calf muscle vein thrombus. I had a really horrible cramp myself about six months ago which kept triggering. It took about 15 minutes before it wore off. There must have been muscle damage because, like you, I could not walk easily for a few months.

        The reason that the sonographer starts in the groin is that the blood clot can propogate upwards and become very large, without much in the way of symptoms. If the clot had got up as far as the groin you would have been admitted to hospital, not just put on blood thinners. The problem occurs if the clot breaks off and gets washed up the inferior vena cava, through the heart and then gets plugged in a pulmonary artery in the lungs, blocking it. Small clots are not so serious but large ones, not so good.

        In the old days I used to do venograms to find the clots, which meant trying to put a canula into a vein in the foot, then injecting “dye” and watching the “dye” flow up the veins on fluoroscopy. Fun for me but a bit painful for the patient. It also had some technical difficulties, which meant that clots could be missed. That is assuming that I was even able to cannulate a vein. It is not easy, especially if the patient has a swollen foot.

        The new ultrasound method is much better and more accurate.

        I had no idea what they were looking at.

        It is not all that hard , when you know how. The arteries and the veins appear as small black discs when viewed transversely. When the sonographer presses down firmly with the transducer, the vein should compress flat. The artery, which is usually next to the vein, does not compress because the pressure is much higher in the artery. If the vein has clot in it, it does not compress. It is as easy as that (in theory). Of course I would like to say that the sonographers get very skilled and do a great job, in my experience.

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        Lance

        Happily, your Mrs is on the mend and all are grateful for that. Very best wishes to her on her rapid recovery.

        As to your DVT issues and such, might I suggest you also watch your sodium/potassium intake? I’ve had serious issues with calf muscle cramping because of a potassium deficiency. Since those events, I use some “no salt” ( KCl vs NaCl ) to alleviate that issue.

        Decent article on this is at : https://www.health.com/pain/leg-cramps-causes

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    • #
      Annie

      That’s wonderful news Tony and best wishes for Barbara’s complete recovery.
      It is great to bear such a good report on the hospital and medical services. Our local hospital is what one might term a Cottage Hospital, so serious cases have to go to others around, mostly somewhere in Melbourne. Our local one has wonderful care when needed as both my OH and I recently were fortunate to experience when we both were in trouble.
      The electricity consumption in a large hospital must be astonishing and cannot nowadays be foregone.

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    • #
      Andrew McRae

      [Part1/2]

      I also saw close hand how much electrical power a hospital uses,

      Hahah! That’s our Tony!

      If that’s how it is used, then it’s money well spent.

      Kindof, mostly, yes. This is one of the rare occasions where I’ve disagreed with the more fundamentalist libertarian types. Over the last 12 months I’ve begun to understand that all ideologies are essentially fundamentalist in their formulation, if not in practice, as they downplay or ignore any facts that don’t fit into them.

      About 5 years ago I had a minor fall and suspected I’d fractured my elbow and had to decide between public or private to get it looked at. Being totally naive about the healthcare system, I was flabbergasted when I was told by the Mater hospital over the phone that private health cover does not actually cover emergency treatment! Aside from optics and minor paraphernalia it mainly covers in-patient treatment, and getting x-rayed for a fractured bone doesn’t count as being a hospital patient.

      I had to wonder what the hell I’d been paying the premiums for all these years if the one bloody time I actually wanted to claim on it I was prevented from doing so. They offered to check me in for something like $200 and told me that most people just go to the emergency entrance of the public hospitals. I was amazed. My private sector hopes were dashed. Yet at some level I also began to feel the same level of entitlement over the public hospital as I had over the private one. My taxes have been sent to Medicare all this time, shouldn’t I use that since I’ve already paid for it anyway? And that right there is how they get you.

      So I front up to the nearest public hospital and straight up it’s take a number, komrade! There was a cursory triage, but I sat there for maybe 2 hours while every other weekend casualty ahead of me got looked at. I got the impression there was an unusually high number of patients that day. The young couple next to me were only there because their cat had got cranky and scratched their arm. She showed me the thin red tracks. I was really struggling to understand why they didn’t just slap some Dettol on it, Band-Aid the worst bits and call it a day. Why go to the hospital for something so minor?
      Then I remembered my own decision, and I inferred they had applied the same logic I applied. “But I’ve already paid for it.” And maybe now Tony you understand why the staff were so busy at your hospital. Taking away people’s ability to control cost also removes their incentive to economically manage their demands, leading to uneconomical use of public resources. The staff are stretched between on the one hand the dying people in definite need of life-critical services, as your wife needed, and on the other hand the entitled cranky cat owners of our wide brown land.

      Aside from a few Panadol for pain and an X-ray there was not much that could be done other than wait for it to heal. Although my elbow could not open all the way properly, it was thought likely to heal up and was pretty minor considering it could have broken. I had to go to a follow-up x-ray and diagnosis 4 weeks later. It was clear the supervising doctor was giving the trainee a chance to practice on me as a guinea pig that day. Unavoidable I guess. Still, overall the experience wasn’t bad. That was 5 years ago.

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        Andrew McRae

        [Part2/2, the political bit]

        Building on that experience, about 4 years ago I tried to wrestle with the fact that the healthcare system in Australia is fairly good, despite being majority government run and tax funded in a way that libertarian/Austrian economics would say was impossible or sub-optimal. Well it’s hard to prove it’s not sub-optimal because we’ll always wonder what that parallel universe would look like if all healthcare here was privatised. But I still had to find a new mental model that could explain this observation, because the Austrian school had failed on this example in my opinion. I wanted a unified theory of economics that would rise above capitalism and socialism to explain all the results we already see.

        Difficult to build a new model using only one data point. What else is tax-payer funded and government run and also appears to do its job very effectively? The next two obvious examples were the military and the emergency services (SES/SAR/fire etc). That’s three, so perhaps that’s enough to make a new model.
        The common theme to all those 3 services is:
        • The outcome they are seeking is quite concisely and objectively defined.
        • They need to maintain a high level of operational capability.
        • It takes a long training time to skill up the people involved or needs very expensive equipment.
        • They have low utilisation in the sense that each “customer” uses their services so infrequently that many people may never use them at all.
        • Most people agree the service must exist so it can be called upon when needed.
        • The service does not know exactly when and where and to what degree the demand for their service will arise, but
        • They have to get it right the first time, meaning there is no time for trying competing alternatives.

        I arrived at the conclusion that any service which meets all of those criteria is best run by tax-funded departments, and anything which does not meet all those criteria should by default be a private business run in a market mechanism. Nobody can plan for the unexpected, but a well resourced organisation can deal with the unexpected better. The duty of the government to the public then takes the place of the market choice in trying to maintain quality.

        Which is a rather interesting theory, because it predicts our entire education system should be privatised, as it only meets 1 out of 7 criteria for being run as a public service (i.e. we do all need it).

        That’s probably not the end of the thought process on this theory. It has not adequately addressed the cranky cat dimension, though both revolutionary rejection and incremental reform are still on the table as solutions. If the hospital had a finite list of conditions they would treat they could turn people away at the triage stage if it was not deserving of their expert time. The state planning commission would tell you to go away if you asked them how to build a dog kennel, so why should a hospital accept absolutely everyone who shows up?

        One also has to wonder whether education should have been included as “a public service that works very effectively”? If so, the theory falls apart. But does education work very effectively? That’s where the first criteria is possibly not met, as the outcomes are much more difficult to objectively define even if they can be easily tested. Sure you can have a curriculum and test against it, but who sets the curriculum and why? Parents do not seem to have much say over this since the whole system is so centralised. By contrast, India is a good example of where private tuition schools have done a better job than the government schools, and by definition they are decentralised businesses with a lot of parent (customer) involvement. They achieve good results with basically no equipment.

        Makes you think, doesn’t it?

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        • #
          Peter C

          Makes you think, doesn’t it?

          Yes, Both for Medical care and Education.

          I support Defence of the Realm as being a matter for Government. Mexico and Venezuala are examples of what happens when Military Forces are privatised.

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        My experience at the front end was also astonishing, in how smoothly that all went.

        In the ten day lead up as she went from a cough till real pain, she kept telling me that if I sent to her hospital, that I would end up in the next bed.

        There were the last two days I spent up all night watching over her and taking her into the en-suite, and the World Cup Cricket was on so that kept me doing something. Our Son and his wife who live in the next apartment told me the time was approaching, and even I knew that. He had his Hernia done at Redland Hospital, and said that was really nice, and they did wonderful work and care there, as Barbara again had told me that if it got to the point where she had to go to hospital, then the nearest was Logan, and if she woke up in there, I would also need to be admitted.

        On the Friday morning, at around 7.30, I phoned Mater private at Redlands, an adjoining Private alongside the Redland general. The lady mentioned that they couldn’t do ‘Emergency’, so first port of call would be Redland General, and when the time came they could move her to the Private Hospital, as Barbara has had top Private Cover, now for 38 years. The lady told me to phone Triple Zero, and get an ambulance. After ringing off, I did just that and that experience is perhaps the best and most efficient phone service I have ever encountered. After hanging up, I phoned our son, and while on the phone heard a knock at the door, at still before 8AM mind you. No idea who that could have been, so while still on the phone I opened the door and it was the ParaMedics, and they must have bypassed the secure entrance door somehow.

        Four and a half minutes.

        They were so good with her while she was still in our bed. Cannulated, Q and A, the whole works.

        Our son, who works nearby, drove here and arrived as they were about to depart. He asked them politely if they could take her to Redland General, and their reply was that they had to take her to the nearest, Logan, and our Son asked if they could make a call to change, and the nice young lady ParaMedic made that call, and came back with the okay, as Redlands is twice the distance, and in the opposite direction.

        I packed a bag with the necessaries, and took off to Redland, arriving an hour after they did. She was already in Emergency, and they did what they had to do, and then transferred her to the High Dependency Unit, and that process started.

        Three days later I visited Finance at the Hospital, and they said how quickly I had got there as she had only just hung up the phone after calling the HDU asking if they might see me. We had both thought of the same thing at the same time, evidently, as I was going to discuss the possibility of having her stay billed as a private health provider client in the Public System, and that is exactly what she was going to discuss with me.

        She mentioned that Barbara was going to stay in Redland General, as the adjoining Private could not handle that sort of ‘situation’. There would be NO out of pockets for us, as it was all covered, and that where possible, thy would recover whatever they could on her Private Cover. I did all the paperwork involved, very little indeed, and that was that.

        The whole experience from 7AM on that Friday morning has been one that opened my eyes considerably, as to just how efficiently operated every step of the way has been.

        I am still dumbfounded that from the end of the call to the arrival of the ParaMedics at my door was only four and a half minutes.

        And when Barbara finally got to the stage where she was relatively conscious, the first of three or four times, she said to me from the hospital bed ….. This is really nice here. She still has no idea where Redland is.

        I found a wonderful fish and chip ‘joint’ out at Cleveland Point during the time I was not allowed to be in the HDU, and we’re going back there for some fish and chips. (Orange Roughy, beeeeeautifullll)

        Life is good, really good!

        Tony.

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        Another Ian

        In my (small) experience the front line staff particularly in hospital are magnificent, the adminisphere not so much

        https://www.couriermail.com.au/extras/qweekend/fff/features/pdfs/338.pdf

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  • #
    RicDre

    Tesla is planning to do solar roof testing at its Fremont car plant, building permits reveal

    Two quotes from the article:

    Tesla is planning to build “a test structure to evaluate Tesla solar roof product and installation process” at the site of its car plant in Fremont, California, according to a building permit issued to the company in July.

    However, CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Monday this week: “Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year.”

    So they are manufacturing an untested product? I may be old school, but I was taught that you tested a product before you manufactured it.

    https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/01/tesla-plans-solar-roof-testing-at-fremont-car-plant-permits-reveal.html?&qsearchterm=tesla

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    • #
      yarpos

      They are just putting a roof on the tent

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    • #
      toorightmate

      The best thing that Tesla ever puts might be the roof.
      Being an Elon Musk “””idea”””, I assume the roof comes with its own 24 hour supply of cloudless/nightless sunshine.

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    • #
      Analitik

      And this is the product that has supposedly been installed already in about a dozen homes when Tesla has been asked about deployments. Of course they have never specified where these installations are…

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  • #
    pat

    read all – lots of info:

    3 Aug: Paul Homewood: Is George Soros Funding Extinction Rebellion?
    An enterprising individual has got hold of a lot of documents from Extinction Rebellion’s computer database.
    I must stress that these have not been hacked. As he/she explains…
    https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2019/08/03/is-george-soros-funding-extinction-rebellion/#more-40718

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      pat

      reminder:

      12 Jul: UK Independent: Climate activists including Extinction Rebellion to receive £500,000 from US philanthropists
      ‘This might be single best chance to stop the greatest emergency we’ve ever faced,’ donor says
      by Phoebe Weston
      Grassroots climate activists like Extinction Rebellion are set to receive £500,000 from US philanthropists with the promise of millions more in the coming months.
      Three wealthy donors – Trevor Neilson, Rory Kennedy and Aileen Getty – have launched the Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) to help support school strikes and activism groups like Extinction Rebellion.
      “This might be the single best chance we have to stop the greatest emergency we have ever faced,” Mr Neilson told The Guardian. He said he hoped the fund will be increased ***“a hundred times” in the coming months as investors pledge to ask wealthy friends to contribute…
      https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/extinction-rebellion-climate-activists-us-donation-money-a9002466.html

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        pat

        28 May: FinancialNewsLondon: Capital Confidential: Extinction Rebellion means business in the Square Mile
        Extinction Rebellion makes friends with financiers…
        By Tom Teodorczuk
        Back to the barricades! Capital can reveal that Extinction Rebellion, the climate change protest group that brought London’s streets to a standstill last month, is launching a renewed bid to persuade the City to back its environmental aims. “We’ve already had some success engaging with the business community,” an XR source tells Capital. “We’ve seen [governor of the Bank of England] Mark Carney, Legal & General and Axa. But we’re going to step it up by forming a ‘business declares emergency’ movement which will be affiliated to XR. We want large banks, insurance companies, pension funds and hedge funds to openly declare we have a climate emergency and commit to zero emissions by 2025.”…

        While many in the Square Mile took exception to the chaos caused by Extinction Rebellion’s protests, which resulted in over 1,000 arrests, the XR source said the movement has a growing number of City pals. “A hedge fund manager has been significantly funding us,” they said…
        Who is this hedge fund donor? Extinction Rebellion won’t say. But business leaders who have publicly backed its mission include Amy Clarke, co-founder of Tribe Impact Capital, and Bevis Watts, managing director of Triodos Bank…
        https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/extinction-rebellion-means-business-in-the-square-mile-20190528

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          pat

          read all – XR/Thunberg had the entire establishment behind them:

          23 Apr: BusinessGreen: XR Business: Green business leaders rally in support of Extinction Rebellion
          by James Murray
          The group also saw its support expand over the weekend with the official launch of XR Business…
          The group was launched with a letter in The Times (LINK) signed by a host of leading lights in the green business community, including former CEO of Unilever Paul Polman, founder of Ecotricity Dale Vince, The Eden Project’s Sir Tim Smit, founder of Solarcentury Jeremy Leggett, Chris Davis, CSO at The Body Shop International, Safia Minney, founder and former CEO at People Tree Fair Trade group, and Diana Verde Nieto, CEO and co-founder, Positive Luxury Ltd, as well as senior executives at a host of sustainable investment firms, including WHEB, Zouk Capital, Next Energy Capital, and Triodos Bank UK.

          “The multi million-pound costs that the Extinction Rebellion protests have imposed on business are regrettable, as is the inconvenience to Londoners,” the letter states. “But future costs imposed on our economies by the climate emergency will be many orders of magnitude greater.”
          It adds that “contrary to belief, there is business support for the Extinction Rebellion agenda” and welcomes the formation of the new XR Business grouping to engage business leaders, investors and advisers. “To drive things forward, the idea is to convene a meeting of XR activists and experts with business leaders and influencers,” the letter explains. “Most businesses were not designed in the context of the developing climate emergency. Hence we must urgently redesign entire industries and businesses, using science-based targets.”
          The signatories to the letter also call on other business leaders to “make a declaration that we face a climate emergency and organise a session at a full board meeting to consider the case for urgent action”…

          Meanwhile, the protests secured further high profile backing this weekend as former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres hailed the “powerful and courageous” acts of civil disobedience from XR and the School Strikes movement ETC…

          The protests were also given a further boost by the arrival of Greta Thunberg, who attended a series of events across London and will today meet with Westminster political leaders…ETC

          Speaking in an interview on BBC Radio 4’s The Today Programme this morning, Thunberg said she would reiterate her message for political leaders to respond to scientists’ warnings in a commensurate fashion…
          https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news-analysis/3074451/xr-business-green-business-leaders-rally-in-support-of-extinction-rebellion

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  • #
    David Maddison

    I don’t disagree that children born of warmist parents will be less intelligent due to not being taught critical thinking skills. See link for full article.

    https://7news.com.au/news/climate-change/light-shone-on-climate-change-health-pains-c-374540.amp

    Children are being born less intelligent because mothers experience extreme weather events, a new report suggests.

    It is one of many impacts of climate change laid bare in a paper from the Global Health Alliance Australia.

    Watch in the video above: Global warming isn’t about ‘cycles’ now, according to a new report

    The alliance has given governments of all levels a nine-point plan to address the issue.

    Drawing on more than 100 pieces of research and policy analysis, the report shows how environmental changes are affecting various health conditions.

    For instance, it shows higher temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations are increasing pollen output, leading to more allergies and asthma attacks.

    Changes in climatic patterns are also leading to lower crop yields, which reduces food availability and some people not getting enough nutrients in their diet.

    This can contribute to birth defects, brain impairment, stunted growth, anemia and pneumonia, the report suggests.

    (((And it just goes on. See link for full article.)))

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      Serp

      Yet we read that grain crop yields are at record highs these recent years!

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    • #
      Roy Hogue

      Here’s a little video that shows what our children can accomplish. Not everyone will be a singer this talented but I tell you plainly, parental guidance makes all the difference.

      Great intelligence may or may not be required in life. But a life of accomplishment is required.

      Give this a listen and I dare you to have a dry eye when it finishes. It all starts with parents, whether the child is protesting in the streets or doing something better.

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    • #
      Tel

      Reading that article is causing loss of IQ points.

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    • #
      theRealUniverse

      ‘For instance, it shows higher temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations are increasing pollen output, leading to more allergies and asthma attacks.’
      Meaningless science drivel with NO evidence except some biased study. This crap is made for headlines and the MSM idiots to regurgitate.

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    • #
      AndyG55

      “are also leading to lower crop yields”

      COMPLETE BS !!!

      Yields and quantities continue to climb for basically all staple crops.

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  • #
    Yonniestone

    Well as much as I like Perth I’m stuck at the airport for the next 4 hours, any suggestions to pass time that doesn’t involve shopping or copious amounts of alcohol will be appreciated.

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    • #
      David Maddison

      1) Write some letters to MP’s about the anthropogenic global warming scam.

      2) Research how their is no evidence whatsoever that CO2 causes global warming in any amount. I am looking for really solid scholarly support for this and believe it to be true but would like to establish a reading list of relevant papers.

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        Yonniestone

        I’ve already sent emails to Victorian liberal reps post election with automated responses, most are simply not interested and fearful of careers.

        The second one is very good and something I’ve considered before, even though it could be ignored by many sooner or later you’d have to score a hit surely?

        Compiling resources from here and the many great links regulars post would be a good start, also a time line that people can follow easily is helpful, I’ve found some basic odd facts about CO2 works well with keeping attention, analogies are useful for associating scientific facts too.

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      • #
        Graeme#4

        David, I’m currently reading two papers from SciencePC, “Human CO2 Emissions Have Little Effect on Atmospheric CO2”, and “What Humans Contribute to Atmospheric CO2: Comparison of Carbon Cycle Models with Observations”.
        Also I can email my entire collection of related CO2 material to you. Think I have your email address from Silicon Chip.

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      • #
        David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

        G’day David,
        There are two videos I’ve found instructive. Both are recordings pf presentations by (co-)authors of referenced papers. I’ve not read their papers. Both links were given in replies to Jo, but I didn’t record by whom. Sorry.

        #1. Prof Weiss
        Two cycles, 250 years and 65 years, De Vriess and AMO/PDO
        De Vriess: Solar cycle
        AMO: Atlantic meridional overturning
        PDO: Pacific Decadal Oscillation

        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-E5y9piHNU

        #2. On the propagation of errors. 42 mins.
        Falsity of IPCC models.
        Prof Dr Patrick Frank Stanford Uni. (2017?), speaking at Omaha.

        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=THg6vGGRpvA

        Hope these help.
        Cheers
        Dave B

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        Chad

        David,
        Several of the best scientific minds .. (Salby, Rex Fleming etc )…have studied and analysed the global temp and CO2 records and concluded there is NO correlation between them and certainly that means there can be no causal link for CO2 to Global warming.
        The recent relationship of CO2 increasing and the claimed increase in temperature is at best a coincidence and at worst a fake .
        Either way, a single correlation in the billions of years of historic data is totally not relavent and cannot support a linkage.
        That is irrefutable and should be enough for any open mind to realise the false basis of the AGW argument.
        The Rex Flemming podcast is linked in another thread on JoNova.

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        Graeme#4

        Meant to add that I believe Dr William Happer is an expert on CO2, so it may be worthwhile tracking down any papers he has generated.

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    • #
      toorightmate

      Watch the buggies crash into the towing vehicles.

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  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    Look away if you play …

    Excavator DESTROYS $500,000 Hundreds of BRAND NEW Gibson Firebird X Guitars!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=dd7ySopIwog

    The Day the Firebird X Died | Why Did Gibson Do It and How Many Are Left?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjCKtUdBhEE

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  • #
    Maptram

    When I look at the BOM latest weather observations page for Redesdale, Vic, it shows temperatures every half hour for the last three days. For 2 August the page shows a maximum When I look at their Climate Data Online site, daily maximum temperature, it shows at 3pm, 12.4°C, at 3:30pm 13.1°C, at 4pm 12.8°C. But when I look at the Climate Data Online site, Daily Maximum Temperature page, for 2 August it shows a daily maximum temperature of 14.7°C.

    THat would be climate change if the ABC or any of the alarmists spotted it.

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    • #
      Maptram

      Correction

      When I look at the BOM latest weather observations page for Redesdale, Vic, it shows temperatures every half hour for the last three days. For 2 August the page it shows at 3pm, 12.4°C, at 3:30pm 13.1°C, at 4pm 12.8°C. But when I look at the Climate Data Online site, Daily Maximum Temperature page, for 2 August it shows a daily maximum temperature of 14.7°C.

      THat would be climate change if the ABC or any of the alarmists spotted it.

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        Most likely an acorn dropped onto the screen causing a spike…..

        That aside do you know where the BOM site is?, I’ll be able to tell you when I get back tonight if you like.

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    • #
      Peter C

      Hello Maptram,

      I looked up the observations for Redesdale and made a copy. I confirm that the maximum temperature on 2 Aug 2019 was 13.1 at 3:30pm.

      Where are you finding the Climate Data Online site?

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        Peter C

        Ok I found it now.

        I suspect it a good example of warming caused by the way the BOM records one second temperatures. The temperature at 3:30 was 13.1. It was cooler at 3:00pm and 4:00pm. By sometime during the afternoon a truck drove down the Mt Lofty Rd, which is near to the BOM site. The warm exhaust gas drifted across and was recorded by the electronic thermometer as short duration temperature spike, which then gets put down as the maximum for the day.

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        • #
          Bill in Oz

          Peter, Can you give us a link on Google Earth
          To the station site ?
          I think Kek when he has finished with SA BOM stations
          will be interested in details of BOM sites in other states

          20

          • #
            Peter C

            -37.0194, 144.5203,

            Actually the site is not too bad, compared to the sites that Ken has reviewed so far. My idea about the truck exhaust is of course speculation.

            I think that Maptran has none the less shown that the BOM current method of recording maximum tempertures for the day causes warming, comparted with older records.

            40

            • #
              Bill in Oz

              Thanks Peter.
              I had a look. Yes it looks pretty good compared to the SA BOM weather stations Ken has found.

              But it is between two roads. One is a major rd. ( to Bendigo ? ) The other I assume is a minor one not used very much

              30

  • #
    Peter Fitzroy

    Form the Australian ““Global warming is a real, man-made problem,” Lomborg writes today.” – Bjorn Lomborg. What he then says is that we should not use real man-made money to fix the real, man-made problem. I’m thinking the hopes and prayers mantra (which has so worked for mass shootings) is what he would advise.

    213

    • #
      Yonniestone

      Interesting that over 90% of US mass shootings and gun crimes occur in “gun free” states and zones.

      Going by your global warming beliefs shouldn’t you be living in a carbon free zone?

      101

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        Off topic, but you have my thoughts and prayers

        29

        • #
          Yonniestone

          Off topic but you mentioned and linked to it?

          Thoughts and prayers from someone who has many ani-humanity Malthusian ideals is quite novel.

          90

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            you really do not understand the use of similes do you?

            29

          • #
            Roy Hogue

            Peter you may get away with telling that to many readers of Jo Nova but you won’t jerk me around like a fool. I live here and you sir, are the fool if you think someone with a gun should not find bullets flying back at him. It works. A good marksman has a better chance than the shooter because the shooter doesn’t know where his opposition is coming from until it’s to late.

            When you live here and have a stake in what happens, then tell me what works and what doesn’t.

            121

            • #
              Peter Fitzroy

              Roy – I’m talking about Bjorn Lomborg, and his claim that although global warming is a problem and is man made, the only response is hopes and prayers. To show how that might work out I used a simile of the effect hopes and prayers have on gun violence. Either way innocents are dying due to inaction.

              19

              • #
                AndyG55

                So, not a simile at all, just a piece of gibberish from a warped twisted mind.

                Not similar in any way.

                You still haven’t admitted that Lomborg was correct about the absolute waste of time, effort and money to achieve absolutely nothing to solve a NON-EXISTENT PROBLEM.

                80

              • #
                AndyG55

                No-one is dying due to “climate change™”

                Many in undeveloped countries are needlessly dying BECAUSE of the actions to combat this mythical CO2 based “climate change™”

                People are dying in some parts of the world BECAUSE electricity prices are forced up BECUASE OF the actions battling the fantasy of AGW.

                90

              • #
                Analitik

                There are increasing numbers of people are dying in DEVELOPED countries during winters due the climate change meme driving up the costs of heating.

                120

              • #
                Roy Hogue

                I’ve heard a lot of rationalization poured on problems but Peter, you take the grand prize. Climate change is not killing anyone.

                70

        • #
          tom0mason

          Peter Fitzroy,

          As you state that you pray, I would assume that you believe in a power greater than mankind’s.
          This I find this a strange admission as you appear to always rant about the climate decaying to some sort of disaster of mankind doing. That mankind is in the climate driving seat. Or maybe these are the outcomes that you pray for?
          Your prayers are for a great human regression? A regression where the majority of humankind will once again become powerless victims of a feudal society run by unaccountable elites.
          IMO your prayers and views are for a truly depressing future.
          Please stop spreading this depressing outlook as it is an unreal perspective on what the future could probably hold. Mankind is wonderfully adaptable, and with proper use of fossil fuels will overcome just about anything the climate throws at us, even the very real likelihood of a cooler period during the coming 50 years.

          70

      • #
        Roy Hogue

        Believe it or not, in the past some have called for the elimination of all carbon. These were not exactly engineers and scientists but they had their mouths flapping until they got the message. Ignorance is no barrier to being an expert on climate change.

        130

    • #
      Bill in Oz

      No reply to my questions yesterday Peter !

      80

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        Bill – for a summary, go to the wikipedia page for Berkeley Earth, else go directly to their web page
        For the rest of yesterday’s comments, none of them was on the topic, so why would I answer them.

        111

        • #
          toorightmate

          The Drongo strikes again.

          71

        • #
          Bill in Oz

          I asked you 4 questions Peter.
          You have NOT replied to any of them.

          80

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            I’ve given you a summary and a link, your other questions? Did you not read my comment? did you not see the word ‘deplorable’?

            To continue, I’m commenting on your poster boy, Bjorn – who now admits that man made climate change is real, but is now quibbling about the cost. Mind you he does not have any solutions so it’s just a whinge on his part.

            110

            • #
              AndyG55

              We know all about Burke-ley and its fabricators

              As for Lomborg, were did you get the idea he was anyone’s poster boy.

              Just making up CRAP as always, hey PF.

              He was always a bit of a “believer” because, like you, he doesn’t have the science background to make a proper finding, he should stick to economics.

              It just so happened that he was totally correct about all the “methods” to reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions and their effects on the economy, and that REALLY got the leftist dander up…

              … couldn’t have the FACTS about the highly negative economic effects getting out, could they.

              He stated, with total accuracy, that they are a waste of time and money and would have a highly detrimental effect on society and modern economies.

              There is absolutely no need for him to come up with any solutions to the NON-PROBLEM of mythical “Global Warming™”,

              … but he sure knows all the socialist ideologies proposed by the AGW scammers, isn’t worth squat for any reason except control.

              Just remember, PF, whatever happens, you will STILL be at the bottom of the human ladder.

              111

              • #
              • #
                AndyG55

                Thanks for showing that even a “believer” like Blomberg KNOWS JUST HOW USELESS all these carbon taxes and other “give us all your money” schemes will be.

                And just how DESPERATE the AGW glitterati are to NOT ALLOW that message to get out.

                You really did a massive faceplant that time, didn’t you PF.

                So FUNNY.. so pathetically sad.

                101

              • #
                AndyG55

                Poor ZE-PF still doesn’t realise that the MSM and others call Lomborg a “skeptic” ONLY because he KNOWS all the money and funding and theft-by-lies will have NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER on climate.

                They are trying to stop him talking because they know he is CORRECT about the ECONOMICS of the non-solutions to a non-existent problem.

                Let’s see PF come up with some line where Lomborg shows he is a skeptic of “climate change™”.

                Because you lack the basic capability of engaging your brain, have fallen for propaganda pap yet again, little PF.!

                71

            • #
              AndyG55

              You are a COWARD, PF. Answer Bills Q’s properly .

              Not your usual RUN AND HIDE headless chook distraction routines.

              91

        • #
          AndyG55

          One goes to BURKE-ley Erf if one wants to be CONNED by scammers

          They use all the worst data they can find,

          They have basically no idea of the quality of the data or where it actually comes from..

          … but the more bad data they have, the easier it is to hide their data manipulations and fabrication.

          Again , note yet again that PF is incapable of presenting answers to anything. DUMB !

          111

    • #
      AndyG55

      Blomberg is an economist. Climate comprehension .. not so much.

      “““Global warming is a real, man-made problem,””

      WRONG.. the very slight warming since the LIA is purely NATURAL, coming from solar energy via El Nino events

      Yes, “Global Warming” does exist and been CREATED from data manipulation and failed modelling

      And yes, it is a problem that they continue to get away with it.

      As you should be well aware by now, PF, there is absolutely no empirical evidence than human CO2 has caused any of the actual beneficial warming out of the coldest period in 10,000 years.

      121

      • #
        tom0mason

        It’s all a MacGuffin!
        Western governments and NASA are players in the scám. A scám built on nothing but MacGuffins (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin). The MacGuffin: ‘A device or plot element that catches the popular attention, or drives the plot dialog. It is generally something that every character appears to be concerned with.’ The MacGuffin is essentially something that the entire scám is built around and yet has no real relevance. The UN and it’s cadre of CAGW elites and advocates are the undisputed masters of disinformation scámming, yet what makes a CAGW so special? What is the ‘scheme’ in CAGW scám? What is it that puts that creepy feeling on the back of your neck? Would you believe that it’s nothing (apart from hot air)?
        That’s right it is nothing.
        The MSM reports emotes about ice melting, Polar Bears, the atmosphere overheating, mass extinctions, sea level rises, forest fires, the number/intensity of storms, or Climate Models™ forecasts and projections …. MacGuffins everyone! Even the Western Governments are in on the act, pontificating on this or that aspect of the CAGW scám because it gains them power and money.
        But it’s those linchpin MacGuffins, the CO2 illusion and the supporting Climate Models™ that are the key, cripple them and the whole charlatans’ edifice of MacGuffins come tumbling down.

        But for the cAGW true believers screech “But CO2 is the most powerful ‘greenhouse’ gas!” – oh no it’s not, I say! There are no ‘greenhouse’ gases – greenhouses need no special gas to operate! The experiments by Professor Wood finished that idea many decades ago when he conclusive showed that glasshouses need only to contain their atmosphere within glass walls and roof to work, and this planet’s atmosphere is not constrained in that manner. Also water is the most abundant and powerful gas that interacts thermally and is very IR active in the atmosphere, not the bit part player of puny CO2. The warming this world has experienced since 1850, and leaving the LIA, is only about 1°C. That is neither rapid not alarming, it is well within normal natural limits of temperature change.

        So we’re left realizing that the aim of all this climate nonsense is not the saving of the planet, it’s about losing individual freedoms while being taxed for the air you breath. It’s abouts the UN elites unending desire for more global governance, more power. It’s about the IMF and World Bank’s desire for political power.
        Look to who is winning power, money, and influence (people like A Gore) and there lies the corruption that takes your money and your freedom.

        111

        • #
          Peter Fitzroy

          Similes are not in your ken?

          28

          • #
            AndyG55

            Childish attempts at distraction from PF.

            Nothing unusual.

            Poor little fella is flapping around like a landed mullet.

            Cackling like a headless chook.

            73

          • #
            tom0mason

            Peter Fitzroy,

            Try repeating this phrase every day,

            “It’s not alarming, it’s natural variation.”

            And I’ll promise you that your depression will lift, and every day will seem like the first day of the rest of your life.
            So wake-up, stop drinking the Koolaid, and enjoy life!
            🙂

            70

          • #
            Bill in Oz

            Still waiting !!
            I asked you 4 questions Peter.
            You have NOT replied to any of them.

            40

            • #
              Peter Fitzroy

              Yes I did, its just that you do not understand the answers

              15

              • #
                AndyG55

                That’s because you speak GIBBERISH as your only language.

                And NO , you DID NOT answer the questions, you slithered and wormed your way around them.

                21

              • #
                Dave

                The

                PF

                or Peter Factor!
                Add any % from any source, add them together and that’s the answer!

                You’re GOLD Peter!
                Love your work, it’s makes better reading than Sarah Hansen Young!
                Sea Patrol

                10

    • #
      AndyG55

      Blomberg is correct about one thing though.

      Any attempts to “cure” this NON-problem will have a highly detrimental affect on Western civilisations (and will have ZERO effect on the climate anyway, because human CO2 does not affect the climate)

      But that is the WHOLE IDEA, as stated by the UN and other driving the AGW farce.

      To bring down Western capitalism so that un-elected marxist/socialist swill can take over control.

      121

    • #
      el gordo

      Bjorn Lomborg is a lukewarmer talking rubbish.

      110

      • #
        Dave in the States

        Moreover, his figures showing the futility and detrimental effects of climate action are based on the over the top IPCC climate sensitivity estimates and models predictions.

        20

    • #
      theRealUniverse

      “Global warming is a real, man-made non existent (non) problem,” Get a life PF!

      40

  • #
    Greg in NZ

    I’ll spare you all the links, but down south there’s SNOW TO SEA LEVEL and roads closed and vehicle accidents and sub-zero temps and all because we didn’t tackle battle grapple Normal Globing! Why oh why didn’t we listen to Pippi Longstocking!!!

    “The Metservice has updated its severe weather warnings as a polar blast hits the South Island. Most Southlanders have woken to snow on Sunday morning. Snow is falling in Invercargill, which has delayed some flights, and there is snow on the ground throughout the province, and in south and west Otago. Invercargill Police are urging Southlanders to avoid or delay travelling in wintry conditions today”.

    Buddy from down there texted this morning: ‘Mr G, we have snow on the sea, whisky and fire for me, teeheehee’.

    150

    • #
      toorightmate

      Yet further proof that August will be the hottest EVVAAAAHHHHH.

      90

      • #
        yarpos

        Well it will be somewhere, but probably not Invercargill

        70

        • #
          Greg in NZ

          Personally I hold the sun responsible – 12 days and counting with nary a spot to be seen – and the ensuing wobbly jet streams goin’ this way and that [00:00 UTC 4 August Southern Hemisphere]:

          http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/jetstream_sohem_00.gif

          Notice the freight train southerly roaring off Antarctica (from your Mawson Station) all the way up to Invergumboot and even as far as where I am in the Whanau North before turning around and heading back down to Scott Base / McMurdo Station in Antarctica (tomorrow’s headlines: Heat Wave At Scott/McMurdo – Panic!). Southern Brazil’s been getting whacked with frigid freight trains from off Antarctica all winter too but sssshhhh, don’t mention ‘cold’, ’tis all about the ‘heat wave’.

          1 Aug 2019: New 3D Map of the Milky Way Shows Our Galaxy’s Heart Is Totally Twisted “much like an enormous potato chip”. Say what? Bye-bye ‘tipping point’ and hello ‘crunching point’!

          https://www.livescience.com/66080-3d-mapping-milky-way-twisted.html

          40

    • #
      Philip Mulholland

      Here is the Ventusky snow cover forecast for 7pm on Thursday 8th August for The Snowies.

      30

      • #
        Greg in NZ

        Even your Bureau of Mismanagement has read the tea leaves correctly for a change, though it must hurt when they have to issue, for VIC & NSW alpine areas later this week, words such as: Blizzards… Max -5˚C… Very high (95%) chance of snow showers…

        http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/mounthotham.shtml

        Meanwhile, our very own Blizzard of August continues to wreak havoc across our ‘climate change crisis emergency’ ravaged isles: “Due to current and forecast weather, all facilities are CLOSED at Turoa today. Snow is currently falling at low elevations and is forecast to continue through to Thursday”. Roads are closed, trucks and cars are sliding off into the bush, snow has fallen as far north as Takaka Hill in the S.I. and the Mamakus in the N.I. (Rotorua) yet not a squeak about CCCrap™, it’s only ‘weather’ doncha know:

        https://www.metservice.com/skifields/turoa

        40

  • #
    Roy Hogue

    For Jo’s large American readership…

    Now we have another shooting, this time in El Paso Texas. 20 are dead because no one was armed and confronted the shooter. When will we learn?

    All it would have required is 2 or 3 patrons to have been trained and armed and you don’t run away from danger, you confront it.

    This statistic is already probably 5 years old. In a mass shooting event:

    — When no one was armed so the shooter went unopposed: death toll average 22

    — When someone was armed and confronted the shooter: death toll average 2

    America, when will you grow up and take the responsibility that comes with self government, with being an adult, with being smart instead of stupid? When will you learn that the would be killer goes to the gun free zone because he’s safest there? When will you learn to stop creating zones where a killer can expect to be safe?

    This present course is stupidity.

    173

    • #
      Yonniestone

      Peter Fitz has all the answers above Roy.

      If all the village idiots in the world got together an created their own village,
      He would be the idiot of that village!

      110

    • #
      yarpos

      Well if you arent readily finding armed opposition in Texas it doesnt bode well for the rest of the country.

      80

      • #
        Roy Hogue

        It probably has nothing to do with Texas and everything to do with Wal-Mart. To make a safe environment for their customers they do the following nonsense. Declare the store is a gun free zone and then if they find you armed inside the store, you get arrested.

        And they will tell me a million reasons why I’m wrong, including that the defenders are in danger and might be shot. And I say, so what? Are we cowards who cannot face danger? There will always be those who don’t want to go armed. But some will. What if two or three of those had been inside and knew what they were doing? No more shooter and Texas is spare a big expense.

        81

        • #
          yarpos

          mmmmm fair enough, I thought thats why they put the concealed in concealed carry. Maybe the venue says it all, may not have that demographic.

          40

        • #
          Analitik

          Don’t they sell guns in Walmart? I remember examining a pistol in a general department store in Denver a couple of decades ago, just because of the opportunity. The salesman very helpfully answered all my questions about the purchase processes required even though he knew I was totally ineligible to buy the gun and offered sympathy to the licensing requirements we faced downs der.

          60

          • #
            yarpos

            Never found the licence requirements that onerous here. A bit of process and paperwork up front but once you are in the system it fades into the background. The main thing is the minimum 10 shoots a year, which isnt a big deal given that you probably got the licence to shoot anyway. I guess some find secure storage a pain. To an American it would all be an abomination of course but no point comparing apples and oranges. They have their society and we have ours.

            20

        • #
          Bill in Oz

          Roy, here in Australia
          We live our lives in a different way
          Without mass murders
          Due to almost every one having guns.
          We are lucky.
          And we have made our luck
          By having tight laws about guns.
          It’s up to Americans to deal with
          The mass murders & gun issues as best you can.
          I do not envy you folks in the States.

          42

          • #
            Bill in Oz

            Iwrote the comment above at 2.00 am
            And made a mistake or typo
            I wrote
            “Due to almost every one having guns.”
            But I meant to write
            ” Due to almost NO one having guns.”

            40

            • #
              Roy Hogue

              Bill,

              Australia and the United States are two very different places. You do not have a constitution that makes individual gun ownership a constitutional right. We do. And the Supreme Court has ruled exactly as I just said, individual personal firearm ownership is a constitutional right. So I don’t want to start comparing the two. It isn’t fair to you or to us.

              There are two problems.

              1. How do we defend against such violence as effectively as possible?

              2. How do we remove the harder problem? The human heart is sick, it turns all too often to violence as a way of solving problems.

              I can tell you what I think is the best solution to problem 1, be there to take down an active shooter as soon as possible. You have to be serious about it. If someone is shooting people you cannot worry about the shooter. You must write him off for the sake of his intended victims. This is the policy I have advocated for a long time. It is shown to work or work as well as anything can. Once bullets start flying around only a policy of defense at any cost to the shooter is going to save lives.

              Problem 2 is a tougher one isn’t it? How do you change the human heart?

              And I have to admit that I don’t know a good one size fits all answer. Honestly, I don’t.

              But I do know some appropriate questions to ask.

              Since the criminal, as a matter of the very definition of the word criminal, does not obey laws, why are we willing to believe he will obey laws that say he can’t have a gun? Does anyone have an answer to that question that I won’t laugh at? I’m unable to find one.

              I have always been an advocate of not allowing civilian possession or use of weapons that have only military use. Fully automatic rifles and pistols have been prohibited here for a lot longer than I have been alive.

              Since guns are clearly dangerous in the wrong hands I am an advocate of mandatory training for first time gun buyers. If we don’t allow you to drive without proving you can do it safely, why would we allow just anyone to buy a gun? I’m an advocate of background checks provided they don’t start looking at someone’s likelihood of committing a future crime based on anything. Past acts and attitude only. The constitution does not allow prior restraint yet Trump is signing off on so-called Red Flag laws. If that’s not prior restraint I don’t know what is. But at least it gets the court and a judge involved.

              Most of the gun control in this country is a joke. It’s not working and the reason it’s not working is because it’s trying to find some magic formula, smaller clip, hand grips on a rifle, etc., to solve problem 1 when it’s problem 2 that needs the effort. The entertainment industry turns out so much junk every year that glorifies use of force to solve problems that we’re choking on it. MIGHT WE PLEASE LOOK AT THAT STUFF AND ITS EFFECT ON SOCIETY?

              And now I’ve written a book but at least now you know where I stand.

              20

            • #
              yarpos

              Almost no one? about 900,000 owners with 3.1 million firearms.

              Be vewy careful Bill, they are everywhere.

              10

        • #
          theRealUniverse

          The multiple shooter evidence by witnesses got quickly suppressed.

          30

    • #
      Peter Fitzroy

      open carry in El Paso since 2016, https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2016/01/03/open-carry-law-now-effect-texas/78143608/ and like that Las Vegas massacre, it did not help now did it.

      17

      • #
        AndyG55

        Still with the PETTY distractions, hey PF.

        Only 3 years.. you think change happens that quickly.

        Although now, more people will start carrying.

        Why are you unable to admit that if someone had been carrying and knew how to use it, 20 people would not be dead

        So long as you can try an make a baseless point, that’s all that matters, isn’t it. !

        71

      • #
        toorightmate

        Do guns kill people?
        Or is it people kill people?

        61

      • #
        Roy Hogue

        Open carry is not the answer. I think even Peter Fitzroy can see the difficulties there. You want concealed carry, never raises any eyebrows and never gives the bad guy a chance to find all the possible opposition before he acts.

        Peter Fitzroy will never understand the problem or the solution. Does he want an end to gun violence or does he only want to talk about it.

        61

        • #
          Peter Fitzroy

          Other countries like Switzerland have high rates of gun ownership, but do not go around murdering people.

          70

          • #
            yarpos

            Exactly , the number of guns and how they are controlled is a only small part of the issue. The nature of the surrounding society is really the main issue. In recent times Switzerland has tightened up its gun laws in response to the general climate in Europe and a worsening trend locally.

            20

        • #
          el gordo

          Roy we are different cultures, carrying guns in the US is part of the Constitution.

          After the Port Arthur massacre and the gun buyback we still get the occasional slaughter, but generally its only the gangsters killing each other over territory.

          40

          • #
            Roy Hogue

            Do you want even the gangsters shooting at each other over whatever tickles their fancy at the moment? I’ll take a wild guess and say, NO.

            01

        • #
          el gordo

          ‘Does he want an end to gun violence or does he only want to talk about it.’

          Donald will have to get rid of the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms, ratified on December 15, 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights.

          The President can do this because its radical and shows clear intent to reduce the carnage.

          20

          • #
            Roy Hogue

            Donald cannot do this and hope to succeed. It will be the death of the rule of law in America. We say we are a nation governed by laws. If we no longer follow the constitution’s Second Amendment, what other part of the constitution do we suddenly no longer follow? And soon it will be something that hurts the interest of those who are now willing to see the Second Amendment done away with. And soon after that you have anarchy or a dictator.

            The one thing that has kept ours the most stable form of government on Earth has been that we follow the laws, that when an unpopular president was elected we all acknowledged that he was legitimately elected. Witness the Obama presidency. Prime ministers and along with them the “governments” of nations have fallen by backroom deals and suddenly you wake up in a different world. What happened to Tony Abbott?

            Now another duly elected president has a lynch mob after him and you would advise him to advocate for unconstitutional prior restraint laws. God help us. There is a well known method written into the constitution for changing it. There is a very good reason that the gun grabbers and the AOC and other types do not use it. They are afraid the won’t get their way by the amendment process. And they should be very afraid of trying anything else because if you take away my rights you can expect me to want to take away yours. And what have we left after a few rounds of that?

            30

        • #
          el gordo

          Once the Second Amendment is ditched by acclimation, an amnesty can be introduced with a gun buyback scheme.

          After awhile, depending on how things pan out, another amnesty would follow with a warning that laws have been enacted to forbid people owning firearms.

          Those found guilty would be sent to reeducation camps where political culture will be top of the agenda.

          12

        • #
          el gordo

          Donald is a vulgar, ignorant tosser and no longer charismatic.

          https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-06/us-shootings-gun-control/11384258

          12

          • #
            yarpos

            Lets face it if Obamy and the US congress couldnt/didnt want to make major changes after Sandy Hook, its never going to happen regardless of the flavour f the govt du jour.

            Contrast the UK reaction to Dunblane, the AU reaction to Port Arthur and the US non reaction to Sandy Hook. By reactions I mean doing something real , not the thoughts and prayers stuff. Probably indicative of the three societies really, from one extreme to the other.

            20

            • #
              Roy Hogue

              How will more gun control change anything? The problem is attitude, not lack of rules to follow. Chicago’s south side is by all accounts the murder capital of the world yet the gun control ordinances are the most restrictive of any in the whole country.

              How will continuing to debate this with all of you help anything? We don’t see things the same way.

              20

          • #
            Roy Hogue

            Gordo, you are too smart to fall for that bullshit. So is Donald Trump.

            [Careful Roy that is pretty strong language] ED

            10

            • #
              Roy Hogue

              Yes ED, I suppose it is. And yet if I just abbreviated it as BS I doubt that it would get me into moderation and would not give it the emphasis it deserves. The funny thing is that everyone reading this knows exactly what the letters BS stand for. Is there no hypocrisy in that? You answer for yourself. I know what my answer is. You tell me you never said it out in full if you can honestly do that. I’m tired of the dishonest treatment of a critical subject — do we actually follow our laws or not? We stand or fall by whether the constitution and the laws of the United States mean what they say or are just so much wastepaper.

              All I know is that Gordo is too smart to fall for it and calling it by abbreviation is a dodge around the seriousness of the whole gun debate.

              Sorry Gordo but you know better and so does Donald Trump.

              20

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      Agreed. The same leftist nonsense that promotes gun free “safe zones” also appears in the nonsense of CAGW , namely killing off coal power to save humanity…

      I shakes me head, I does….

      80

    • #
      Gee aye

      unfortunately Roy there were heaps of armed people in the vicinity of both shootings. You can kill a lot of people with a gun in 2 minutes of confusion.

      “Just stay there kids while I run off with my gun raised towards the area where I heard gun fire”.

      Imagine how that would end? most chose not to be killed by the police en route and not to risk their lives and others to pursue the gunman. Most choose to flee with their loved ones and keep the gun in case of confrontation. “Most” do that because it is the correct decision and it is what the training tells them to do.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        I agree confusion is a factor in a lot of these issues. That said, once the culprit had been indentified, he could have been quickly dealt with.

        https://crimeresearch.org/2018/06/more-misleading-information-from-bloombergs-everytown-for-gun-safety-on-guns-analysis-of-recent-mass-shootings/

        “UPDATED: Mass Public Shootings keep occurring in Gun-Free Zones: 94% of attacks since 1950”

        Was the mall in question a gun free zone? If so, would the shooter think there was likely to be little or no armed citizens response?

        Time will tell.

        20

        • #
          Gee aye

          in Ohio it took less than 30 seconds – after 9 people died.

          11

          • #
            yarpos

            so what? you guys talk about it as if there are gaurantees or some sought of service level. Every situation is unique, choose your own path, be a victim and wait for help if you like , just dont force that on others.

            20

      • #
        Roy Hogue

        unfortunately Roy there were heaps of armed people in the vicinity of both shootings. You can kill a lot of people with a gun in 2 minutes of confusion.

        “Just stay there kids while I run off with my gun raised towards the area where I heard gun fire”.

        Armed how? Just being nearby and having a gun does nothing. You have to be in the killing zone and you have to be cool and prepared to do something that if you succeed will save lives and kill someone and it will mess with your head for a long time. Running off half cocked is a good way to become a victim yourself.

        The whole point is being missed here. These shootings take place in gun free locations. We need to eliminate the possibility of gun free locations. Concealed carry allowed everywhere makes it impossible for the shooter to feel safe to do what he intends to do. It’s the equivalent of running lights outside at night. Does the thief go where he’ll be seen or does he look for someone careless enough to not have lights at night?

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    • #
      Chad

      This statistic is already probably 5 years old. In a mass shooting event:

      — When no one was armed so the shooter went unopposed: death toll average 22

      — When someone was armed and confronted the shooter: death toll average 2

      Roy, there are statistics and statistics etc etc..
      The statistic quoted today on this topic was that of the 160 “mass” shootings in the US since 2013,…….. only one was ended by an armed civilian shooting the attacker ?
      Also i heart that the Daton killer was shot dead by police within 30 secs of his first shot……
      …..but of course by then 9 inocent civilians were dead !
      A major part of the answer has to be to ban assault weapons and automatic weapons.

      40

      • #
        Roy Hogue

        I have to ask, how different would things be in all those cases where no one was there to confront the shooter if there had been someone there to confront him? And then, why was there no one there to confront him? Bans on different kinds of “Assault” weapons have not worked. They can’t even agree on the definition of assault weapon.

        Automatic weapons have been banned for a lot longer than I have been alive. Yet they too have been a part of our past. If someone will buy it someone will supply it.

        20

  • #
    pat

    24 Apr: Thomson Reuters Foundation: OPINION: Every penny counts when it comes to climate change
    by Bevis Watts
    (Bevis Watts is managing director of Triodos Bank U.K., a sustainable bank)
    It has been a momentous year for environmental activism, with protest groups Extinction Rebellion and Youth Strike 4 Climate making their voices heard on the global stage and calling for real change to prevent climate catastrophe…
    From choosing a green energy supplier to eating less meat or boycotting products with unnecessary plastic packaging, consumers are increasingly thinking about how they can help alleviate the ills of climate change through their everyday spending habits…

    Recent research (LINK), commissioned by Triodos, found ethical finance is low down in many consumers’ list of priorities. Although Britain’s ethical finance market is now worth 19 billion pounds ($25 billion), only 9 percent of British savers consider it a priority – in sharp contrast to the 67 percent of savers who prioritise increasing recycling and reducing plastics use…

    However money can also be used to do good things that help build the society we want to live in – such as supporting social housing, arts venues or renewable energy…
    http://news.trust.org/item/20190424144552-5pdne

    FROM THEIR RESEARCH LINK – TOP POINT:
    New research from Triodos Bank UK confirms ***65% of parents want their savings to help protect the planet for their children…
    NOTES TO EDITORS
    Research conducted by ***Opinium Research on behalf of Triodos Bank, 5th to 8th February 2019, among 2,002 nationally representative UK adults (aged 18+)…(BAD LINK)

    Opinium About Us: Client List (includes Allianz, AXA, BAE Systems, Barclays, Google, HSBC, Guardian, etc)
    https://www.opinium.co.uk/about-us/client-list/

    LinkedIn: James Endersby, Chief Executive, Opinium
    Advisory Board Member, Progressive Centre UK – February 2019 – Present
    A next generation ideas lab, connecting progressive Britain to the world – LINK

    Manager – International Group Operations
    Monitor Deloitte – January 2005 – May 2008

    Co-founder and Rugby Journalist, SARugby
    November 2002 – March 2008
    Co-founded SARugby.com in 2003 one of South Africa’s largest online rugby union magazines…
    https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jamesendersby

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  • #
    beowulf

    Snake Taken to Hospital After Man-Bite

    An Indian man who was bitten by a snake got his immediate revenge on the reptile by biting it back and killing it, the man’s father said.

    Raj Kumar was relaxing at home in Etah, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, enjoying an alcoholic beverage when a snake slithered inside and bit him.

    “A snake bit him. So, in turn, he bit it and chewed it into pieces,” said his father, Babu Ram.

    The man’s family took him to hospital, where his condition was said to be critical, and brought the chewed up snake along to show the doctors.

    I suspect Raj might have had more than one alcoholic beverage, or 5 or 10.

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  • #
    toorightmate

    The antidote appears to have worked.
    Imagine how quickly he would have eaten the snake if he was drunk!!!!

    50

  • #
    pat

    30 Jul: Nature: Harvard creates advisory panel to oversee solar geoengineering project
    Scientists will inject particles of calcium carbonate into the atmosphere and study their effects on incoming sunlight.
    by Jeff Tollefson
    Known as the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), the project would involve the release of calcium carbonate particles from a steerable balloon some 20 kilometres above the southwestern United States.

    Louise Bedsworth, executive director of the California Strategic Growth Council, a state agency that promotes sustainability and economic prosperity, will lead the Harvard advisory panel, the university said on 29 July. The other seven members include Earth-science researchers and specialists in environmental and climate law and policy…
    SCoPEx scientists, led by atmospheric chemist Frank Keutsch and physicist David Keith, hope to release small plumes of about 100 grams of calcium carbonate into the upper atmosphere and then study how the particles disperse…
    https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02331-y

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    • #
      yarpos

      Yet again it sounds like the start of a B grade sci fi movie.

      60

    • #
      tom0mason

      Lord please save us from these deranged ‘do-gooders’, grant that they choke on the chalk they wish to send us.
      They are trying to ruin the performance of ICE vehicles with this pollution.

      ~~~~~
      They are secretly trying to whiten all the non-white faces in southwestern United States? 🙂

      40

  • #
    pat

    3 Aug: Breitbart: James Delingpole: Exposed? Soros on List of Mega-Rich Extinction Rebellion Backers
    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/08/03/delingpole-exposed-soros-on-list-of-mega-rich-extinction-rebellion-backers/

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  • #
    Robber

    The unreliability of wind power in the AEMO grid:
    For the 4 weeks ending July 28, minimum daily wind was below 1.0 GW (i.e. 1000 MW) on 7 days out of 28. Total generation required averages 24 GW with a high around 30 GW.
    On 1 day max wind was below 1.0 GW.
    For the 4 weeks ending June 30, minimum wind was below 1.0 GW on 14 days out of 28.
    On 3 days max wind was below 1.0 GW.
    And back in January, minimum wind was below 1.0 GW on 19 days out of 31. There were no days with max wind below 1.0 GW, but 7 days with max wind below 2.0 GW.
    So to design a reliable grid, you must assume that wind can only be relied on to deliver less than 0.5 GW (lowest day was 0.13 GW). Wind has delivered an average 1.85 GW in Q2 from a nameplate capacity of 6.7 GW, but full backup is required at all times. What a wasted investment.
    Thanks to Tony’s great data, (that he has kept reporting daily despite his month spent every day with Barbara in hospital), for the week ending June 23 wind delivered an average of just 958 MW for the week, and coincidentally in the same week last year wind delivered just 827 MW. On the other hand, for the week ending July 14, wind delivered an average of 3.1 GW.
    To make wind reliable, add a week’s storage of at least 1000 MW = 168,000 MWhr. For comparison, the world’s biggest battery in SA can store just 129 MWhr, and while it was designed to deliver up to 100 MW for 75 minutes, it regularly delivers a whopping 30 MW intermittently to provide frequency control to the SA portion of the grid.

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    • #
      Analitik

      It’s even better than that. More than 100MWh of the storage is allowed to be used for firming (hah) or frequency support along with.that 30MW of output.

      Only 10 minutes of supply at 70MW is contracted for generation shortfalls – to give some extra time for load shedding and firing up the peakers

      60

    • #

      Thanks for this Robber,

      (that he has kept reporting daily despite his month spent every day with Barbara in hospital)

      I actually found the whole process therapeutic really. It kept me from perhaps becoming a little maudlin, as it was something that once I had begun, and had continued for almost 44 weeks, just had to be continued, so I could get a full and continuous 52 week year of daily data.

      I had a routine right from the first day, and I left home at 10AM for the 40 minute drive, then find a parking place in the hospital car park, (no easy task at all) spend 7 hours with Barbara and then drive home, so I was away from 10AM till 7PM every day.

      There was data which could only be collected in the morning, so I did that before I left, and would spend around 45 minutes doing that and the Prep for the Post.

      When I got home, I would do my meal, some chores and sit at the computer then and do the rest of the main data collection, the numbers for the Post and the text and the images, and have it finished by 11.30PM – Midnight.

      The one thing the whole process gave me insight on is how long it actually took for each of those daily Posts.

      Prior to this, the whole thing was spread out across the normal day, and I would do it in around four to five sessions, spread across perhaps six hours, so it was easy going, and I never got a full idea on how long it took as a whole.

      Now I had to do it when I lost those nine hours during the day, I could do it it all in one long session at night, other than the 45 minutes for the compulsory morning data collection, having to do it then, or I would lose the numbers as that AEMO site rolled across the page.

      So all up, it took that 45 minutes in the morning and then two and a quarter hours at night, so three hours all up.

      The Monday Post for the Sunday data and the weekly data Update for all the ‘Rolling Totals’ for all the sources and three text blocks took two hours longer, so that’s five hours for that Post.

      When you do it in blocks during the normal days before all this, I got no real perspective of the actual time involved in something like this, and now I know how long a task it really is.

      The funny thing is that before I started doing it all, I considered not doing it all all, because I thought it would take me a lot longer than it actually does take, and I had to find a way (a set routine) to shorten the time frame involved.

      I still had a niggling doubt about how that daily average for each source might be inaccurate, because I was only taking the readings on an hourly basis for the seven fuel source indicators. Keeping that in mind, I then spent hours and hours longer on one day going over the data, and taking the readings as they show up, every five minutes, to see how inaccurate it might actually be, just collecting the data on that hourly timeframe.

      Then I compared the numbers for the one hour readings, (25 of them for each of Coal, NG, Other, Hydro and Wind, and 12 to 16 for both versions of solar power) and for the five minute readings. (121 readings)

      The result of that was that the difference in the final average was within 0.2%, and in fact most were between 0.1% and 0.2%, so that confirmed that I could stick with the hourly readings to cut back on the time involved, and still have that degree of accuracy.

      True, the process is time consuming, but, as far as I know, no one else is doing anything like this, and you’ll probably have to wait a year to see the Government’s own data on the same thing, and that will just be a yearly total for some indicators, and I’m doing it on a daily basis, and at the end, I’ll have a full year’s worth of data, the day after that year finishes, and not one year later.

      The ‘tricky’ thing about it (but not from my way of going about it) is that those who are in favour of renewables, especially wind power, quote sometimes wild figures about Capacity Factor especially, and I have lost count of the number of times I have been ‘flamed’ for quoting the year round average for Wind Power CF as 30%, when ‘their’ response is more like 38% to 42% CF.

      What I have the data to support now is that after 44 weeks that CF for wind is just a tick over 28%. The Nameplate for wind has changed (upwards) five times this last year already, as more Wind Plants (please don’t call them ‘Farms’) come on line, and each time I have adjusted the CF to reflect the new Nameplate, so that figure of 28% is indeed accurate.

      Solar Plant CF is closer to 17%, and Rooftop Solar CF is around 12%.

      Now I know, and have the back up data to actually prove that is correct.

      And coal fired power hums along at 70% of ALL generated power, after 44 weeks.

      I have learned more and more along the way about power generation, and how it is a finely tuned thing, that is taken totally and utterly for granted by EVERYONE.

      This whole process has been something I am so happy to have done, and stuck at it.

      (Now I have to get back to Today’s Post)

      Tony.

      100

      • #
        Bill in Oz

        Great Stuff Tony
        Thanks for explaining the process
        As a non engineer
        With prior to this
        Almost no understanding of our electrical supply system
        I am really pleased that you have taken this project on and been able to carry it on
        Even while your wife was ill in hospital for over a month.
        You have firmly established the solid evidence
        For the insanity of relying on “renewdables”
        Like wind and solar.
        And it’s proponents are either insane
        Or getting bulk quids ut of the insanity
        Or maybe both !

        60

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        44 weeks CF
        Solar Plant 17%
        Rooftop Solar 12%
        Wind 28%
        Coal 70%

        Total 128%

        I think I wmight wait the extra 12 months for the official results

        19

        • #
          Dave

          OH WOW
          Peter, you are classic!
          You added up the capacity factors of each generation type!

          Hahhaahhah

          This is a great Peter!
          I just can’t believe you did this?

          Hahhaaahha!

          🙂 🙂 😉 🙂

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        • #
          Graeme#4

          28% is correct for wind. Tony put the Aust. average at 27.31%.

          50

        • #

          Peter Fitzroy,

          There is now way on God’$ Earth I would have thought you could be this ….. there’s just no word for it.

          I’m absolutely positive you’re taking the pi$$, because no one could make a mistake like this.

          Each of those Capacity factors is a percentage on its own.

          You just can’t add them together like that to make 100.

          Naah! He’s having some fun here people.

          If he really is serious, then I dread to think what we are up against, people who have no concept whatsoever of simple Mathematics.

          I still can’t believe you actually wrote this down for everyone to see.

          Tony.

          80

          • #
            AndyG55

            DUMB is as DUMB does.

            Having seen PF’s other attempts at maths.. I reckon he “believes” it.

            40

          • #

            Not only is this is a huge Maths fail, but it’s also a huge comprehension fail as well.

            He’s added three Capacity Factor indicators (wind, solar and rooftop solar) to a percentage of supply indicator. (Coal – 70% of supply)

            Let’s not even attempt to explain anything to him any more is my new meme.

            Tony.

            50

            • #
              Peter Fitzroy

              see, you all now appear to smart – I should be thanked

              14

              • #
                AndyG55

                Thank you, for displaying your wilful and perpetual ignorance?

                You are showing everyone the complete lack of basic intelligence of the below normal AGW “believer”.

                We all KNEW that already..

                But thank you for the continual confirmation.

                30

      • #
        AndyG55

        “And coal fired power hums along at 70% of ALL generated power, after 44 weeks.”

        The big point is that coal power is NOT INTERMITTENT,

        and if required could produce at an even higher CONSTANT rate.

        Wind is all over the place, requiring quick-start gas back-up.

        Solar also cannot be guaranteed to deliver a set amount of electricity, even at midday !

        Its the ERRATIC behaviour of wind and solar, and the need for 100% stand-by back-up, that is the real problem.

        30

      • #
        AndyG55

        I would love to see a “minimum guarantee” level, that could be say, “the amount guaranteed for 90% of the time”

        Coal would still sit on 70%+ 24/7

        Hydro could also, so long as the water lasts.

        Wind, according to German data is about 5% of nameplate.

        Solar, is of course ZERO

        30

  • #
    pat

    behind paywall:

    Renewable energy push barely dents fossil fuel dependence
    Financial Times – 3 Aug 2019
    Unprecedented efforts to install renewable power capacity have only translated into meeting 2 per cent of global energy demand, meaning the world’s overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels shows no sign of abating…

    3 Aug: GWPF: Green Energy Transition Flops As Global Demand For Fossil Fuels Is Growing
    Financial Times:
    Unprecedented efforts to install renewable power capacity have only translated into meeting 2 per cent of global energy demand, meaning the world’s overwhelming reliance on fossil fuels shows no sign of abating.
    A new report forecasts that coal, oil and gas will still contribute about 85 per cent of primary energy supply by 2040, compared with 90 per cent today, jeopardising efforts to contain the worst impacts of climate change.

    Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said 1 terawatt of installed solar and wind capacity makes up around 8 per cent of total power generation as of 2019. This equates to just a fraction of total energy consumption.
    “The world risks relying on fossil fuels for decades to come,” the report said…ETC
    https://www.thegwpf.com/green-energy-transition-flops-as-global-demand-for-fossil-fuels-is-growing/

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  • #
    pat

    a vastly-diminished Times newspaper:

    3 Aug: UK Times: ‘Birthstrikers’ refuse to have children for sake of planet
    by Katie Gibbons
    PIC: Blythe Pepino says it would be wrong to bring a child into a completely insecure world.
    Some people avoid travelling by plane, others cut out meat, now hundreds of people are refusing to have babies in an attempt to avert the “existential threat” of the climate crisis.
    Meet the Birthstrikers: women and men who have chosen not to procreate until action is taken by governments to halt the impending ecological disaster.
    The movement, which believes that children should not be brought into a world in which climate-induced wildfires, droughts and food shortages will hit millions of people, drew some judgment and ridicule when it was launched in March.

    But in the week when the Duke of Sussex said he and his wife had a two-maximum policy on children and the UK birth rate fell to the lowest in 80 years, the Birthstrike ideology does not seem so radical…
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/birthstrikers-refuse-to-have-children-for-sake-of-planet-fj2p0sq85

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    • #
      Maptram

      Another variation to the Darwin awards, more people not passing on their genes. If they aren’t going to have children until Government action halts the impending ecological disaster, they won’t be having any children ever.

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    • #
      yarpos

      Whatever turns out to be reality , they are probably doing the world a great service.

      70

    • #
      toorightmate

      Surely Prince Harry and the Gold Digger and not going to produce any more miniature climate deniers????

      70

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      pat:

      I knew a bloke over 25 years ago, who (with wife) had decided not to have children about 20 years before that, supposedly for a similar reason. Remember all the doom and gloom then about how “the Earth couldn’t sustain 2½ billion people”? Today there are 3 times that with less poverty and starvation. About as relevant as the waffle about human induced Climate Change.

      It did result in a well off life style as far as material things went.

      30

  • #
    Geoffrey Williams

    ‘refuse to have children’ . . . selfish people.
    Then again perhaps not; in the end it really doesn’t matter too much.
    GeoffW

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    • #
      Hanrahan

      I’m glad I don’t have grandkids. In my 70+ years there have been incredible technological changes but Australia is still familiar. The young today will not be living in the country they grew up in 50 years +. The American star will have faded and with it our independence. Prey they don’t do the same to Donald as they did to JFK.

      30

    • #
      ghl

      GW
      I see having children as a selfish act. I have two myself, I certainly did not have them for anyone else’s benefit.

      10

  • #
    pat

    a totally-diminished BBC:

    2 Aug: BBC: Climate change: Heatwave made up to 3C hotter by warming
    by Matt McGrath
    A rapid attribution study (LINK) says that heating added up to 3C to the intensity of the event that scorched the UK, France and the Netherlands.
    In France, the heatwave was made at least 10 times and up to 100 times more likely by human activities.
    The shorter event in the UK was made at least twice as likely, experts say…
    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49205072

    from the linked study at WorldWeatherAttribution.org:

    Acknowledgements:
    The study was made possible thanks to a strong international collaboration between several institutes and organisations in Europe (DWD, ETHZ, IPSL, ITC/Red Cross/Red Crescent, KNMI, Météo-France, Met Office, the Radcliffe Meteorological Station in Oxford), whose teams shared data and methods, and thanks to the Climate Explorer tool developed by KNMI and the weather@home simulations provided by climateprediction.net volunteers. It was also supported by the EU ERA4CS EUPHEME research project, grant #690462.
    About
    WWA is a partnership of:
    •Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford (ECI)
    •Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)
    •Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environment (LSCE)
    •University of Princeton
    •National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
    •Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (The Climate Centre).

    ClimateCentral: World Weather Attribution
    Overview — Program Partners — References Cited — Key Literature — WWA Analyses — EEA LIBRARY
    The program — a partnership of Climate Central, the University of Oxford Environmental Change Institute (Oxford ECI), the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the University of Melbourne, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (the Climate Centre) — was initiated in late 2014 after discussions within the scientific community concluded that the emerging science of extreme-event attribution could be operationalized.
    Climate Central coordinates the program and provides its secretariat…
    Program Partners
    The current program partnership team includes the University of Oxford Environmental Change Institute, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, the University of Melbourne, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and Climate Central. Our science partners at KNMI and the University of Melbourne will utilize established peer- reviewed methods to perform their attribution assessments. The Oxford team is currently building on their well-known weather@home methodology to develop the capacity to perform more rapid event assessment. Over time, we will expand the team with additional international partners to develop greater regional capacity and geographic reach…

    Climate Central. In addition to serving as “secretariat” and coordinator of the World Weather Attribution partnership, the Climate Central team — led by Heidi Cullen — is also providing the interface to the science and outreach teams, coordinating Science Oversight Committee activities and peer review and leveraging its network of partners to disseminate World Weather Attribution findings. In particular, Climate Central is coordinating with communications experts and conducting social science research to identify and employ the most effective ways to communicate the science of severe weather event attribution, including the levels of certainty and uncertainty involved in such an endeavor…
    https://www.climatecentral.org/go/wwa

    29 Jun 2018: WUWT: @ed_hawkins propagandized “global warming ties” for TV meteorologists blows up in his face – Climate Central may lose Federal funding.
    by Anthony Watts
    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/29/ed_hawkins-propagandized-global-warming-ties-for-tv-meteorologists-blows-up-in-his-face-climate-central-may-lose-federal-funding/

    30

  • #
    yarpos

    I have been watching the interesting but sometimes cringingly jingoistic Aussie Inventions series on Foxtel. They are currently running a promo trying to link boomerangs to early flight discoveries.

    I am getting a little leary about a culture with no written language, no common language, that didnt have a wheel or permanent dwellings is being elevated to being great navigators, astronomers and civil engineers. I give full credit to anyone who can subsist in the bush in Oz without aid, past or present. I think the number of people who can do that today is vanishingly small.

    To my question. Does anybody know of evidence of an actual relic/ancient made returning boomerang (as opposed to a throwing stick)? I have looked by all I find are weasel words and claims. Is there one somehwere?

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    • #
      Speedy

      Hi Yarpos. I think it’s pretty well documented that Australian aborigines had developed the boomerang by the point of European contact, and that it predates that by many years. I’ve got one at home from Pitingingarra (spelling?) country from Ernabella Station (NW South Australia) but it isn’t a boomerang as we understand it. It’s a throwing stick, which uses the aerofoil principle to give it enough lift to have a flat trajectory and thus enable it to be thrown long distances with greater accuracy. So, it doesn’t come back, but it hits animals and stops them from running away until the old nulla-nulla comes into play. These peole lived a pretty harsh old life, a very marginal existence.

      Which brings us to the second part of your question. Nostalgia, as they say, isn’t what it used to be. And even more so, when people generate this idealised Utopia in the past and then dump the blame for the ills of this current world on those who changed this “Utopia”. This can be very simply done very simply by glossing over the problems in “the old country” and put it on the pedestal. (Emigrant families do the same thing.) I’d say Aborigines, especially given the lack of written history and their fragmented culture, can be as selective with their memories as anyone. Especially if there’s a buck in the guilt industry awaiting them.

      In South Australia some 30 odd years ago, there was an objection to building a bridge to Hindmarsh Island, the objection being put forward by Aboriginal elders who claimed the area was a traditional place for “secret women’s business”. Turns out that the business was so secret that it never actually existed…

      Life moves on, and many people bemoan the things that have been lost, but most of us wouldn’t want to go back to subsistence living and the misery it entails. Modern living also has its problems but many of them (substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, inadequate education) are issues that people can control – if they chose to. And throwing government money around won’t fix a damn thing unless people want to accept responsibility and decide to change and to work for a better future for their children. And that’s something we’d all love to see happen.

      Cheers,

      Mike

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      • #

        Speedy, Pitjantjatjara is a tough one to spell.

        Would you believe I too bought a hand hewn boomerang/aerofoil/stick from an old guy in Ernabella a long time ago when I was doing science shows out there for the school. He told me he was one of the last of the nomads who came out of the desert. In a place like Ernabella, it’s possible.

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      • #
        yarpos

        Thats my understanding as well but then it gets spun (see what I did there?) into yet another of greatly embellished tales that are bound to become self evidents truths before long.

        We visited Goolwa a while ago and I was sitting with a coffee wondering how all the secret business ended up. Seems to have been quietly swept under the carpet.

        50

  • #
    pat

    all week, ABC has been running its ridiculous Countercultures programming, invoking the name of Woodstock:

    ABC Radio National – Countercultures
    Down with the establishment! From Woodstock to Pussy Riot, the dreamers and dissenters ***who challenged mainstream culture.
    RN surveys countercultures from 1969-2019. Who are the are the modern dissenters, those who dare to challenge the mainstream?…
    From religion and spirituality to technology and science, RN celebrates and investigates the past, present and future of countercultural movements…
    PROGRAMS
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/countercultures/

    but ABC has not mentioned this farce:

    31 Jul: TMZ: Woodstock 50: Officially Canceled
    Woodstock 50 is officially a no-go, kaput, donzo, dead — pick your favorite adjective — cause it’s been canceled…
    Greg Peck, a principal of Woodstock 50, tells TMZ, “The unfortunate dispute with our financial partner and the resulting legal proceedings set us off course at a critical juncture, throwing a wrench in our plans and forcing us to find an alternate venue to Watkins Glen.”…

    As you’ll recall … the festival was originally supposed to go down at Watkins Glen International in upstate NY but the venue pulled the plug, this after serious money issues.
    The 3-day festival then got moved to Columbia, Maryland at the Merriweather Post Pavilion … a much smaller venue. As we reported … Woodstock 50 was reduced to become a free show for those lucky enough to get their hands on tickets. So much for that.
    #RIPWoodstock50 … we hardly knew thee.
    https://www.tmz.com/2019/07/31/woodstock-50-canceled-called-off/

    I will make the case that it is the CAGW sceptics who are the COUNTERCULTURE today, while the MAINSTREAM MEDIA – plus mainstream politicians, media, finance, big oil & other corporations, including Insurance, academia etc – as shown in this thread alone – are the orthodoxy, pushing the CAGW scam.

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    • #
      pat

      ABC has invoked the name of ***Timothy Leary:

      AUDIO: 28min48sec: 28 Jul: ABC All in the Mind: Turn on, tune in
      Turn on, tune in, and drop out … that was the catch cry of U.S. psychologist ***Timothy Leary in the 1960s. He was convinced that the psychedelic experience could be mentally therapeutic and even provide insights into consciousness itself…

      but ABC did not mention what is widely known:

      ***29 Jun 1999: UK Independent: Timothy Leary was an FBI informer
      by Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
      TIMOTHY LEARY, the Sixties counter-culture guru who urged the world to “tune in, turn on, drop out”, collaborated with government agents and informed on friends in the left-wing underground to obtain his early release from prison, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation documents just published on the Internet…
      “I want to get out of prison as quickly as I can,” he told the FBI. “I’d like to …work out a collaborative … intelligent and honest relationship with different government agencies and law enforcement agencies.”…
      Leary, who was a Harvard psychology professor before becoming a vocal advocate of LSD and other mind-altering drugs, first wound up in prison in 1970 on two charges of possession. The following year, however, he was sprung from jail by the radical guerrilla group, the Weathermen.
      After he was caught in Switzerland and sent home, he decided to collaborate…
      https://www.independent.co.uk/news/timothy-leary-was-an-fbi-informer-1103070.html

      don’t know if ABC invoked the name of Gloria Steinem in their counterculture programming, but when they do it is:

      March 2016: ABC Life Matters: Gloria Steinem on growing up, feminism and Ms Magazine
      Social activist, magazine founder, feminist, author: it’s fair to say Gloria Steinem has had more titles than most. Speaking with Ellen Fanning, Steinem tells of her unusual upbringing and her thoughts on the current state of feminism…
      This is an ***edited extract of an interview that first aired on Life Matters…

      full interview:

      AUDIO: 22min14sec: ABC Life Matters: Gloria Steinem’s unusual childhood
      The book (My Life On The Road) is also a window into her remarkable life as a social activist, writer, lecturer and travelling feminist organiser.
      https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/gloria-steinems-unusual-childhood/7239272

      but ABC doesn’t bother to say what even Wikipedia knows:

      Wikipedia: Gloria Steinem
      CIA ties and leader of Independent Research Service
      Though she acknowledged having worked for the CIA-financed foundation in the late 1950s and early 1960s in interviews given to The New York Times and The Washington Post in 1967 in the wake of the Ramparts magazine CIA exposures (nearly two years before Steinem attended her first Redstockings or feminist meeting), Steinem in 1975 denied any continuing involvement. In 2004, however, a 1975 report by Human Events which noted Steinem’s CIA ties and which had been classified by the CIA was made public. In 1979, Steinem also had Random House remove mentions of her CIA ties from a book which written by members of Redstockings.
      In her book My Life on the Road, Steinem spoke openly about the relationship she had with the CIA in the 1950s and 1960s and defended the CIA relationship, saying: “In my experience [the CIA] was completely different from its image; ***it was liberal, nonviolent and honorable.” However, it was acknowledged that Steinem in fact served as the leader of the Independent Research Service when it was receiving money from the CIA. She also maintained ties with her successor Gene Theoroux, who acknowledged that he covered up Steinem’s ties to the CIA and that she was “very pleased” when he “killed the CIA reference to her” in his “column.”…
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Steinem#CIA_ties_and_leader_of_Independent_Research_Service

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      • #
        pat

        reminder, read all. they go back to the 60s:

        15 Feb 2018: Atlantic Council: Intelligence Community Continues to See Threat from Climate Change
        By Ellen Scholl and David Livingston
        (Ellen Scholl is deputy director and David Livingston is deputy director for climate and advanced energy at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center)
        PIC: From left: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray; Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo; Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats; Defense Intelligence Agency Director Robert Ashley; National Security Agency (NSA) Director Michael Rogers; and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo testified before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats” on Capitol Hill in Washington on February 13. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
        Climate change has been included in the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s assessments, which began in 2006, for many years…

        Though the White House has often discounted the science, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other federal agencies continue to document temperature warming trends…
        Climate change first appeared in the National Security Strategy in 1991 as an identified environmental challenge which does not respect international boundaries, and has been included in the quadrennial defense reviews from 2010 onward…

        The recognition of climate as a threat multiplier by professionals in the science and national security communities is nothing new, and if anything, the latest Threat Assessment document should sharpen minds around how to translate this recognition into prudent, pragmatic, long-term strategies.
        https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/intelligence-community-continues-to-see-threat-from-climate-change

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Yes, its been said the Elite have been “buying themselves a revolution…..”

        This basically corroborates what a lot of people suspect, as with WWI and WWII whereby the banksters were financing both sides…..making a killing…literally….

        Marx apparently was funded by wealthy benefactors to write his drivel.

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    • #
      toorightmate

      Do you think the ABC will remind us that Jimmy Hendrix played and sang the USA National Anthem at Woodstock. No one booed, hissed or sat down. Haven’t the crazy left changed the times – for the worse?

      BTW did you cricket buffs enjoy the Celts Welcome to Country, the Celts Smoking Ceremony and the dispay of the Celt’s flag at the start of the first ashes test?

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  • #
    yarpos

    Maybe I am paranoid but ….

    I was recently been wondering about the public softening up exercise that has been going on in regard to the slowly increasing US military presence in northern Australia (setting aside Pine Gap and regular visits etc)

    Over the last few years:

    increasing scale of exercises

    permanent presence

    permanent naval base now being discussed

    INF now dudded

    Naval base to become intermediate range missile base?

    Incremental growth to suit the strategic situation

    40

    • #
      el gordo

      The Alliance leader has spoken and so it shall be done.

      20

    • #
    • #
      Hanrahan

      That’s the idea, tell the Yanks to hiss off, we’ll handle China ourselves.

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      • #
        Dennis

        Throw the ANZUS Treaty away, tell the country that is our second largest foreign investors to abandon those investments and the strategic assets such as Pine Gap NT?

        Second largest foreign investor here is Great Britain, China is in sixth place behind Singapore, another ally of ours that has military assets here and training areas.

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    • #
      Another Ian

      What do you expect if you lease Darwin Port to China?

      70

      • #
        yarpos

        do I expect a military base for a foreign (albeit nminally friendly) power as a result of a commercial port lease? No, not really

        41

      • #
        Dennis

        The Port of Darwin is a couple of areas within Darwin Harbour.

        30

        • #
          el gordo

          East Arm Wharf is where our trading partner is camped, leaving plenty of room for the Alliance.

          https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-12/landbridge-sign-at-east-arm-wharf/10890248

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          • #
            yarpos

            Its funny that they are so sensitive about cohabitating in a port with the Chinese. They run a vast web if sigint listening posts worldwide and are suddenly sensitive to the Chinese operating a port? spare me. I think they have a longer game in mind.

            30

            • #
              Dennis

              Apparently China’s satellites cannot penetrate the atmosphere above Australia.

              sarc

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            • #
              el gordo

              Donald wants us to be the deputy sheriff in the Pacific and I suppose when Morrison meets him next month they will say all the right things.

              The US is digging a deeper debt hole and the trade war with China is only going to exacerbate the problem, Australia should quit the Alliance because its out of date.

              04

              • #
                Dennis

                Just 25 million population, approximately 2 per cent of the global economy (USA State of California has a larger GDP) with a vast land mass to defend and Australia should quit the ANZUS alliance, and other related defence relationships including GB and Japan? The “five eyes” intelligence cooperative.

                The US is second behind GB as foreign investors in Australia, China is in sixth position behind Singapore, another of Australia’s allies.

                US bases here such as Pine Gap NT are very important strategic facilities covering a large area of the southern hemisphere, and increasing US military assets are being stationed here sharing ADF bases and undertaking defence training exercises.

                Consider the positions of Taiwan and Hong Kong where China is flexing muscles and then consider how much more pressure could be applied to Australia if we abandoned our allies.

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              • #
                el gordo

                We could join the non-aligned movement, beholden to nobody.

                Xi says war is a waste of resources and I’ve been assured they don’t want to take over Australia in a military sense.

                12

              • #
                Bill in Oz

                EG The USA is the only balance to China’s bullying in this region.
                So far since Xi assumed power China has attempted to bully in a variety of ways :
                Japan,
                South Korea
                The Philiippines
                Malaysia
                Indonesia
                Vietnam
                Taiwan
                Thailand
                Andit is no accident that China is the regional dominant manufacturer of Methamphetamine. Of course it is technically illegal. But all these countries are major target markets for these drugs so the trade is winked at.
                and Hong Kong
                It s already the also dominant power in Laos & Cambodia

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              • #
                el gordo

                Its too easy to think Xi has power of gangsters bringing in drugs, our border people are onto it. This is a worldwide phenomenon.

                The US is bullying us, give me a break. Which is why we need to join NAM, we are still a developing nation.

                ‘The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.’ wiki

                02

              • #
                Dennis

                Australia a developing nation?

                So that explains why the UN requires Australia to provide foreign aid to developing nations like China?

                10

  • #
    pat

    24 Aug 2018: BBC: The festivals mixing music and science
    By Martin Vennard
    “It’s changed my life,” says Andrea Sella, who is professor of chemistry at University College London.
    “I couldn’t believe that I’d found myself at Latitude in front of about 1,000 people talking about carbon dioxide, dry ice and climate change,” he says of his first involvement in scientific outreach at a music festival seven years ago.
    “I thought, ‘Oh my God, they started laughing. Let me remember what I did to cause it.’
    “It’s changed the way I teach and speak to students. I’ve been able to take more risks. I’ve learnt enormous amounts about the craft of speaking in public.”
    Prof Sella, who won the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize in 2015 for his science communication, is one of an increasing number of scientists who are involved in public engagement at music festivals.
    Bluedot, Green Man, Chagstock and Glastonbury are among the growing number of festivals who have brought music and science together…
    https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45284935

    9 May 2017: Guardian: Here comes the science bit: why music festivals are going geek
    From Bluedot to Brian May’s Starmus, festivals are pairing music with science and tech. They are no longer ‘mutually incompatible’, says the Queen guitarist
    “People are much more interested in science and its place in our lives; we’re all aware that science and technology will shape the future,” says Prof Tessa Anderson, science-culture director of Bluedot. “It really expresses a new zeitgeist; [science] is the natural counterbalance to the ‘post-truth’ manipulation of information.”…

    27 Jun: ABC TripleJ: Eggboy, Dr. Karl, funny triple j friends join Splendour In The Grass line-up
    By Al Newstead
    The moment Will Connolly cracked an egg on the head of Queensland Senator Fraser Anning, he became Eggboy, an internet folk hero who earned lifetime gig entry from Aussie bands…
    However, he’s going to be speaking publicly at the annual Splendour edition of ABC’s Q&A. Hosted by Emma Alberici, Connolly will appear on a live panel alongside Labor leader Anthony Albanese, Greens Senator Peter Whilsh-Wilson, pill testing advocate Dr. David Caldicott (who has spoken to Hack on several occasions about harm minimisation)…
    Eggboy will also be interviewed by Marc Fennell, host of The Feed on SBS, who’ll also be ‘In Conversation’ with Courtney Barnett, Allday, and Jacob Banks at this year’s Splendour Forum…

    If you’re a Dr. Karl stan, The Science Tent is the place to be this Splendour. The man himself will be on hand for Dr. Karl’s Science Trip, busting myths about A2 milk and alkaline diets, figure out ‘Do fish drink water?’, and riff on that time the human race nearly got wiped out one Halloween…

    As always, triple j will be bringing the best of Splendour In The Grass to you with exclusive live sets, interviews, backstage goss, on-ground opinions, photos, videos, and more ace coverage across the whole weekend. We can’t wait.
    https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/splendour-in-the-grass-eggboy-dr-karl-forum-science-comedy/11255028

    Splendour In The Grass: Explore the science tent
    The Science Tent returns to fire up your inner Bunsen burner!
    Starring Dr Karl and Adam Spencer along with a big bunch of braniac academics, you can expect cool workshops, a couple of explosions, a few bad puns and some hands-on science demos.Plus, your science hosts will be talking weird and wonderful topics – from the science of a shoey and how Instagram shapes our relationship bodies to the role of chemistry in rock ‘n’ roll. We’ll also analyse some of the greatest sci-fi films with the worst science and cap it off with an all-star science squabble.
    The Science Tent is proudly supported by Inspiring Australia (NSW) and Southern Cross University.
    An Australian Government Initiative. Inspiring Australia. Southern Cross University.
    PROGRAM (includes)
    Changing climate, changing corals…
    ***Testing Pills for Humans…
    Unf*king the planet: energy…
    Beyond Coral…
    https://splendourinthegrass.com/explore/the-science-tent

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    • #
      pat

      22 Jul: ABC: As debate rages over pill testing at music festivals, a mother pleads for more to be done to prevent deaths
      7.30 By Michael Atkin and Amy Donaldson
      “I’m sitting here because of what happened to Alex, but it’s about everyone else’s kids now,” Jen Ross-King told 7.30…
      Nineteen-year-old Alex Ross-King died after she took almost three doses of MDMA before attending the FOMO festival…
      A NSW inquest into her death, and five others at music festivals, heard that she took the extra doses because she was scared of being caught by police…

      Over the weekend, Ms Ross-King went to the Splendour in the Grass music festival, held near Byron Bay, to see how it handled the issue of drugs.
      The festival has been running for almost 20 years and has not had a fatal drug overdose.
      But drug use is still an issue.

      At this year’s festival, NSW police said that more than “350 drug detections were recorded with more than 2.8kg of illicit drugs seized, predominantly MDMA tablets and cannabis”, with charges laid against 200 people.
      Ms Ross-King said that while she understood the police presence at the event, she was worried about how sniffer dogs were used…
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-22/mothers-plea-to-prevent-music-festival-deaths-pill-testing/11330738

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      • #
        yarpos

        I hope the police are also checking the venues of all the other risky activities young people undertake. Cant just stick your nose into one, that would be discrimination. I hear their are young folks out there racing vehicles at high speeds, jumping out of planes and shooting firearms just for the fun of it. This must be controlled.

        20

  • #
    pat

    according to ABC’s James Carleton’s intro, today is the final day of ABC’s counterculture week. give thanks.

    at 50min in: Carleton quiz: who invented liberation theology quiz? (TAKE A LISTEN)

    AUDIO: 54min08sec: 4 Aug: ABC God Forbid: James Carleton: How liberation theology changed the church and the world
    The 60s and 70s were a time of countercultural liberation, and the Christian church was not immune — especially in South America. Liberation theology grew out of the slums of Peru, proclaiming a “preferential option for the poor”, and it has influenced Christian thought across the globe.
    But during the Cold War, blending the words of Jesus and ***Marx was seriously controversial, and remains so today. James Carleton speaks with Dr Deidre Palmer — now President of the Uniting Church, but who once studied under the father of liberation theology Fr Gustavo Gutiérrez — and Rev Dr Peter Woodruff, a Catholic priest who spent most of his life working in Peru…
    In this episode…
    In the 1960s and 70s, troublesome Latin American priests made the news, fomenting revolution (said Washington) and confounding Christianity with ***Marxism (said the Vatican)…
    Whilst liberation theology may have made sense during the Cold War in South America, does it have any relevance in modern Australia?
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/godforbid/how-liberation-theology-changed-the-church-and-the-world/11371032

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    • #
      Speedy

      Actually, Christianity is still quite a controversial philosophy, irrespective of your opinion of it as a religion. Christianity’s enemies are the despots and tyrants of the far-left and the far-right. It’s friends are the libertarians and true democrats, who recognise it as the basis of their philosophy. Western Civilisation is very much a product of Christianity – hence its enemies are the enemies of humanity.
      Cheers,
      Mike

      110

  • #
    liberator

    I was just watching a Netflix show called “Blown Away” – glass blowing competition which is quite interesting to watch. Episode four was about building a future “robot” the artist takes on this brief were a little “interesting.”

    However a comment from one of the guest judges just blew me away! “Climate Change is going to cause a shortage in sand’ He had another comment as well about climate change which he noted when he was judging the finished pieces – just so stupid I don’t even recall what was said now. But common – sand (I guess for glass making) is going to be in short supply because of climate change and may even be as valuable as gold.

    110

    • #
      Greg in NZ

      Cheers for the heads-up, liberator – I’ve got my bucket & shovel and heading for the beach right now… $ $ $ 🙂

      80

      • #
        AndyG55

        Greg, Unfortunately, beach sand contains too much extra “stuff”.

        However, I’m guessing the Sahara, Simpson deserts and similar place have enough silica based sand to last at least a few more years. 🙂

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        • #
          Greg in NZ

          “There are vast tracts of white silica sands on the shores of Pārengarenga Harbour, particularly on the southern head. Quantities are shipped to Whāngārei and Auckland for glass-making”.

          https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7650/parengarenga-harbour

          Dunno what kind of ‘stuff’ you guys have over there, but here our squeaky-clean virgin-white pristine beach silica is blindingly famous & sought-after. So much so, the battle’s been raging for decades:

          “A Far North iwi may block the entrance to the country’s most northern harbour if sand mining resumes before questions of tribal ownership are sorted out… the company would in the meantime continue to import sand from Australia”. June 2000.

          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=4581

          Life’s a beach (and I’m stoked!).

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          • #
            AndyG55

            Ours tends to have a lot of calcium, sea shell based grit + other rock types, in it

            This is better sand… nice and consistent, quartz based (this pic has a natural hematite coating

            I tend to think of “a beach” as a proper ocean beach.

            Still , plenty of sand suitable for glass-making, couple of years at least, wouldn’t you say 😉

            30

        • #
          beowulf

          CSR was taking beach sand from the old Anna Bay dunes (Port Stephens, NSW) in the 70s & 80s for their glass making. This was quite separate to the rutile and zircon sand mining that was going on in the 70s nearby. I knew the farmer who owned the sand hills that they were mining for glass sand. He had a $500,000 contract with CSR which was huge money in 1970.

          60

    • #
      yarpos

      we watched this series last week, I had a WTF? moment and had to back the recording up to see if I heard correctly. Not sure what the mechanism would be, maybe he is a 20 metre sea rise kinda guy? not sure how Sahara/Gobi/Simpson etc desert sands work for glass.

      50

      • #
        Greg in NZ

        Somewhere between QLD and WA (via the NT) I’m sure I passed a sign pointing to a Great Sandy Desert, no? Could have potential. And all the way down the coast to Perth and Margarets and around the corner to Black Point (miniature Giant’s Causeway formation) sand, lots of it, everywhere, sand. Apparently the ocean washes it in… and occasionally, back out again.

        60

      • #
        Hanrahan

        The Arab sand doesn’t work for structural concrete. It has been blown around for so long it is round so Dubai has to import sand for their skyscrapers.

        I recall being on a boat north from Cairns to Lizard Is and the skipper pointed out white cliffs of silica. If they were swamped we would more to worry about than the glass blowing industry.

        30

        • #
          Annie

          I thought we were talking about glass making. Better recycle our mayo jars.

          40

          • #
            Annie

            Sorry…in facetious mode.
            Actually, now I think about it, when I was a child living in Egypt, glass jars were precious commodities. They still should be.
            I have daffodils and daphne arranged in recycled jars now.

            40

            • #
              Hanrahan

              The only practical use I can think of for recycled glass is as aggregate tor bitumin road surfacing. Theoretically, as the tar wears off the glass would glisten in headlights. It hasn’t happened so it must have been a lousy idea. 🙂

              50

              • #
                Greg in NZ

                A few councils here started doing that back when the recycle buzz was all the rage, but not for roads, footpaths!

                In my world, shoes are for weddings/funerals and work, otherwise I’m a barefoot kinda bloke, and the first time I noticed a ‘sparkling’ footpath I stopped in my tracks thinking some hoon had smashed their beer the previous night on the way home. But no! ‘Beautifying’ the town with recycled glass was the explanation given. These days I keep a pair of jandals (thongs/flip-flops) in the van just in case.

                And Annie, having been raised by parents who were kids during the Depression then sent out to work as teenagers during WW2, I still have difficulty throwing out perfectly good, usable, glass jars or containers. Mine are full of nuts, bolts, screws, bits ‘n’ bobs and occasionally (very soon to be true) jonquils – ah yes, sweet fragrance of Spring (and romance) in thee air.

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              • #
                Annie

                Likewise Greg in NZ. I hate wasting perfectly good jars with good caps. Unfortunately I no longer make much jam or chutney so really shouldn’t keep too many; they are just clutter (and I have far too much of that…pity my offspring!). It did hurt to have to get rid of all my best jars each time we moved country; now we’ve settled we no longer eat jam…sigh!
                My father used to shoot rabbits for the family to eat during the Depression and then managed to join the Army.
                Like you, I prefer to walk around barefoot but have had to get out of that habit lately.

                30

              • #
                theRealUniverse

                Yep im a jar keeper too..must be a bloke thing for the shed, Annie excluded…:D

                40

        • #
          Hanrahan

          Chinese deal for Cape York silica sand project – i-q.net.au
          The sand would be produced from its Galalar silica project, which is adjacent to the Cape Flattery silica sand mining operation on Cape York. The agreement was inked with the privately owned Fengsha Group – China’s largest domestic supplier to major glass manufacturers of photovoltaic (solar) and other specialty high end silica sand products.

          A company called Diatreme Resources owns a silica mine there:

          Located near the world’s largest silica sand mine in North Queensland, Diatreme’s Cape Bedford Silica/Heavy Mineral Project is seen helping to satisfy an emerging Asian silica sand supply deficit.

          High-purity silica sand has become an increasingly strategic resource due to its usage in photovoltaic panels and other applications.

          I’m curious about the name, diatomaceous earth is high silica, so can it also be used for glass?

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    • #
      toorightmate

      Indeed.
      There is likely to be a severe shortage of SiO2. It is so rare.
      And probably an impending shortage of N2 and O2.
      Thank goodness CO2 is increasing astronomically to balance these impending shortages.

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  • #
    Greg in NZ

    And just like that, Mt Ruapehu now has a 2 metre snow base with gale sou’westers and snow falling for most of next week. Max temp Monday -8˚C with -22˚C wind chill and snow to 600 metres. Seems winter wasn’t ‘cancelled’ after all: Greenies’ Lament in C-sharp minor. I can feel a road-trip coming on… hoot!

    https://www.metservice.com/skifields/whakapapa

    Oh and Greenland’s now dropped back down even further to -20˚C. Funny how climate change only hangs around for a few days before reality returns. Europe 2019: Shortest Summer EVAHHH???

    90

    • #
      Latus Dextro

      [Epic virtue signalling minority Leftwing] … Government spending in New Zealand reaching an all time high of $11.5 NZ Billion in the first quarter of 2019

      Snow, cold and wind all about this morning, right down at MSL. Another inconvenience that the local daily rag of diminishing relevance Otago Daily Times will ignore in their rabid Leftist climatism polemic that fuels an equally deranged Green municipal council hell bent on eliminating cars from Dunedin while virtue worshipping at the UN altar of the Urban Agenda, Habitat III.
      To these doyens of the UN Transformational Agenda 2030, since all weather is a scientifically proven consequence of CO2 and the evils of mankind the answer is taxation and regulation, that Leftist double benefit theory again, to boost the currently record levels of Leftwing government expenditure. There’ll some wailing and gnashing of teeth from the unfortunates, those power and fuel impoverished, while the University academics will pontificate about climate change causing unhealthy homes, ‘flu and respiratory virus epidemics.

      It’s over. The World is gradually, incrementally, infinitesimal step by step getting its rationality back again. Boris, BREXIT, POTUS DJT, India, Russia, the rise of populism and nationalism, the rejection of corporatist globalism, while the fruit cakes of Hollyweird and the rest of the hanging-on ‘elite’ meet in Sicily to ponder their carboniferous navels in the delicious and affirming aroma of burnt Jet A1.

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      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        They are not spending as much per capita than the USA, and no one is complaining about that, now are they

        27

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          So those thousands shouting “drain the swamp” aren’t complaining about government spending?

          50

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            They all voted for the largest budget ever, including the largest military spend ever. So no, they are not complaining.

            04

      • #
        el gordo

        Latus what are they spending the extra monies on?

        If you are worried that the socialists are on a spending spree with taxpayer dollars, then may I suggest joining the Belt and Road for peace of mind.

        21

  • #
    pat

    2 Aug: ABC: AGL defers Liddell, Torrens power plant closures in bid to avoid summer blackouts
    ABC Newcastle By Giselle Wakatama and Liz Farquhar
    The company has told the Australian Energy Market Operator that the closure has been put back to April 2023 to ensure the reliability of power supplies during the 2022-2023 summer months…

    The Nature Conservation Council has slammed the announcement as “deeply disappointing”, and said AGL is contravening its own greenhouse gas policy…ETC
    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-02/agl-delays-defers-power-plant-closures-to-avoid-summer-blackouts/11377876

    2 Aug: SMH: AGL delays closure of Liddell power plant after battle with government
    By Fergus Hunter and Peter Hannam
    PIC: CHIMNEYS, “BLACK SMOKE”
    https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/agl-delays-closure-of-liddell-power-plant-after-battle-with-government-20190802-p52d6b.html

    2 Aug: Brisbane Times: More coal mines on map for Queensland as government calls for tenders
    By Felicity Caldwell
    Mines Minister Anthony Lynham announced more land in Queensland’s coal-rich Bowen Basin would be opened for exploration.
    On Friday, the Queensland government opened tenders for five areas with high potential for thermal and coking coal…READ ON
    https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/more-coal-mines-on-map-for-queensland-as-government-calls-for-tenders-20190802-p52d6q.html

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    beowulf

    Tomorrow, 5th August marks the 75th anniversary of the Cowra Breakout, the largest POW breakout anywhere during WWII. Cowra was a small farming town about 5 hours drive west of Sydney. The POW camp near the town was large and home to 2,000 Italians and 2,223 Japanese.

    The Italians were model prisoners. Their officers were allowed to wander into town; the lower ranks were loaned out to surrounding properties to help the Australian war effort growing food, where they were willing workers.

    The Japanese on the other hand retained their fanaticism and their desperate shame at being captured. At 2am on 5th August 1944 they stormed the gates and the barbed wire.

    234 Japanese died in the attempt, including some who took their own lives because they didn’t want to escape but also couldn’t tolerate the shame of living. 334 prisoners were returned to the camp, 108 were wounded. 4 Australian soldiers died.

    The Japanese escapees were notable for vowing not to harm any civilians in the district, a promise they adhered to, although a couple were shot by farmers during the roundup.

    At the time the Japanese government refused to admit that there were any Japanese prisoners of war anywhere when they were informed of the deaths of their men. Japanese soldiers just didn’t surrender and that was that.

    After the war the locals began caring for the Japanese war cemetery — the only Japanese war cemetery outside of Japan. A Japanese peace garden was subsequently built near the town jointly by the Japanese and Australians in the quest for reconciliation.

    98 year old Teruo Murakami who survived that night, will visit the graves of his friends this anniversary.

    The following video by a US historian is highly recommended.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1vm4TxldME

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      theRealUniverse

      My dad who bombed Jap submarines in the war told me one thing..”never get caught by the Japanese”. (you didnt survive)

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    PeterS

    ‘We are too late. We are 10 years too late. We need to do everything we can to start moving the climate in the right direction but we also need to start moving our people to higher ground.’ Andrew Yang – a Democrats candidate for President

    It’s just keep getting better. Hopefully the more the left exaggerate their claims on climate change the more likely they will cease to be a viable political party. Our ALP+Greens is just as bad if not worse. Please keep it up.

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      Peter C

      Perhaps I am doing the wrong thing.
      I went to see my local state member (Labor) on Friday. I did not get to see him but I did speak to his staff.

      I appealed for him to cease the solar rebate scheme immediately. Also for our minster for Energy and the Environment to be replaced ASAP. Reasons given. Lets see if I get a reply.

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        PeterS

        You should have asked them if they win the next election will they include in their budget hundreds of billions of dollars to help relocate all the people, business and all to higher ground given they believe in the climate emergency and sea levels rising to catastrophic levels. It would be the sort of question that would blow a fuse and expose the whole thing is a hoax, assuming they would bother responding. It’s the Achilles heel of CAGW.

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          Another Ian

          Think of the “G & C” possibilities in that contract!

          (“G & C” = graft and corruption)

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    Bulldust

    The ABC bias is now beyond the pale. There were two horrific shootings in the US, and what does the ABC lead with? Yes, Orange Man Bad!

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-05/2-mass-shootings-in-less-than-24-hours-shock-us/11382470

    It is time to call out the ABC in no uncertain terms. They instantly leapt at the opportunity to use appalling quotes from fringe democratic presidential nominees to smear the sitting POTUS. In what possible realm is this useful to Australia? Shame on the ABC.

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      pat

      Bulldust – from your ABC article which is headlined “Donald Trump labelled a white nationalist after two mass shootings in 24 hours in US”:

      (excerpts) Authorities have linked a racist, anti-immigrant screed posted online shortly before the (El Paso) incident to the man arrested over the shooting, 21-year-old Patrick Wood Crusius…
      Police have named the (Ohio) gunman as Connor Betts, a 24-year-old man of Caucasian descent…
      Police cited a ***manifesto they attributed to the (El Paso) suspect as evidence that the bloodshed was racially motivated…

      FROM THE CRUSIUS (EL PASO SUSPECT) MANIFESTO. NOTE THE TITLE!

      3 Aug: DrudgeReport: Walmart Shooter Manifesto
      The Inconvenient Truth
      About Me
      The inconvenient truth is that our leaders, both Democrat AND Republican, have been failing us for decades…
      Recently, the senate under a REPUBLICAN administration has greatly increased the number of foreign workers that will take American jobs. Remember that both Democrats and Republicans support immigration and work visas…

      The American lifestyle affords our citizens an incredible quality of life. However, our lifestyle is destroying the environment of our country. The decimation of the environment is creating a massive burden for future generations. Corporations are heaing(sic) the destruction of our environment by shamelessly over harvesting resources. This has been a problem for decades… Water sheds around the country, especially in agricultural areas, are being depleted. Fresh water is being polluted from farming and oil drilling operations.

      Consumer culture is creating thousands of tons of unnecessary plastic waste and electronic waste, and recycling to help slow this down is almost non-existent. Urban sprawl creates inefficient cities which unnecessarily destroys millions of acres of land. We even use god knows how many trees worth of paper towels just wipe water off our hands.

      Everything I have seen and heard in my short life has led me to believe that the average American isn’t willing to change their lifestyle, even if the changes only cause a slight inconvenience. The government is unwilling to tackle these issues beyond empty promises since they are owned by corporations…

      I just want to say that I love the people of this country, but god damn most of y’all are just too stubborn to change your lifestyle. ***So the next logical step is to decrease the number of people in America using resources. If we can get rid of enough people, then our way of life can become more sustainable…

      My ideology has not changed for several years. My opinions on automation, immigration, and the rest predate Trump and his campaign for president. I putting this here because some people will blame the President or certain presidential candidates for the attack. This is not the case. I know that the media will probably call me a white supremacist anyway and blame Trump’s rhetoric. The media is infamous for fake news. Their reaction to this attack will likely just confirm that…
      https://drudgereport.com/flashtx.htm

      my view. the absolute refusal of the MSM/Dems/Deep State to accept the results of the 2016 US presidential election has led to a climate of anarchy. they have a lot to answer for.

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        pat

        as for the Ohio suspect:

        4 Aug: BigLeaguePolitics: BREAKING: Dayton Mass Shooter Was Registered Democrat, Voted In 2 Dem Primaries
        The man who died after allegedly murdering 9 in Dayton, Ohio is a registered Democrat who voted in two Democratic Primaries.
        by Tom Pappert
        Big League Politics can report that Connor Betts, the alleged mass shooter who killed at least 9 people in an entertainment district of Dayton, Ohio earlier today was a registered Democrat who has voted in 7 previous elections, including two Democratic Primaries. Betts was killed during the altercation with police.

        Betts was a registered Democrat who, according to information made public by the state of Ohio, voted in two elections. He allegedly murdered 9 people, including his sister Megan Betts, earlier today in Dayton, Ohio…READ ALL
        https://bigleaguepolitics.com/breaking-ohio-mass-shooter-is-registered-democrat-voted-in-2-dem-primaries/

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          pat

          Heavy are no fans of Trump:

          4 Aug: Heavy.com: Connor Betts: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
          By Jessica McBride
          On his Twitter page, reviewed by Heavy, he described himself as “he/him / anime fan / metalhead / leftist / i’m going to hell and i’m not coming back.” He wrote on Twitter that he would happily vote for Democrat Elizabeth Warren, praised Satan, was upset about the 2016 presidential election results, and added, “I want socialism, and i’ll not wait for the idiots to finally come round to understanding.” The Greene County Board of Elections lists his party as “Dem.”…
          Here’s his tweet on Donald Trump’s election victory:

          TWEET: 8 Nov 2016 #2016ElectionIn3Words. This is bad…

          His parents’ accounts are active. Their names are Moira and Steve Betts. On Facebook, his mom posted pictures of pumpkins, family, Christmas ornaments, Christian religious statues and a graphic that declared “stop the alt right.” …

          5. On Twitter, Betts Described Himself as a Leftist & Wrote About Hell & Guns…
          https://heavy.com/news/2019/08/connor-betts/

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            pat

            also from the ABC article posted by Bulldust:

            (excerpt) The shootings were the ***21st and 22nd mass killings of 2019 in the US, according to a mass murder database that tracks homicides where four or more people are killed — not including the offender.

            YET THIS IS WHAT 2GB AND OTHER MSM ARE REPORTING:

            5 Aug: Quartz: The ***292 mass shootings in the US so far this year, mapped
            By Katherine Ellen Foley
            …according to data collected by the Gun Violence Archive…
            Police believe the 21-year-old white man posted a 2,300-word anti-immigrant manifesto (***LINK TO NEW YORK TIMES) minutes before the attack. According to the manifesto, the shooter was inspired by the New Zealand mass shooting at a mosque in March of this year…
            The high rate of gun ownership and the spread of white nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment are largely blamed for fueling the unprecedented number of mass shootings in the US…
            https://qz.com/1681082/the-292-mass-shootings-in-the-us-so-far-this-year-mapped/

            4 Aug: WTOP: Associated Press: Attack on Texas shoppers to be handled as domestic terrorism
            The shootings in Texas and Ohio were the ***21st and 22nd mass killings of 2019 in the U.S., according to the AP/USA Today/Northeastern University mass murder database that tracks homicides where four or more people killed — not including the offender.
            Including the two latest attacks, 125 people had been killed in the 2019 shootings…
            https://wtop.com/national/2019/08/20-dead-many-injured-after-gunman-attacks-texas-shoppers/

            *** btw Quartz does not link to the manifesto, or quote any of the environmental rhetoric I posted above.
            instead, Quartz links to an open access article at NYT, which also does not link to the manifesto or quote any of the environmental rhetoric I excerpted! both cherry-pick:

            3 Aug: NYT: Minutes Before El Paso Killing, Hate-Filled Manifesto Appears Online
            By Tim Arango, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Katie Benner
            The unsigned manifesto, titled “The Inconvenient Truth”…
            (FINAL LINE) “My opinions on automation, immigration, and the rest predate Trump and his campaign for president,” the document says.
            https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/03/us/patrick-crusius-el-paso-shooter-manifesto.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

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        pat

        for the record:

        2 Aug: GatewayPundit: Leftists Change Shooter Patrick Crusius’s MyLife Page after Saturday Shooting from Democrat to Republican — Page Created After Shooting!
        by Jim Hoft
        At 2:46 PM today MyLife had this profile for the deranged killer Patrick Crusius.
        His original profile at 2:46 said he was a registered Democrat…PAGE
        At 2:50 PM leftists changed his political affiliation from Democrat to Republican…
        https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/08/leftists-change-shooter-patrick-crusiuss-mylife-page-after-saturday-shooting-from-democrat-to-republican/

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          Greg in NZ

          Radio Newspeak here is linking all the above to the Australian who acted-out the Christchurch Ides of March psy-op not so long ago. Likewise, his manifesto of socialism (quickly hushed-up, as was the video, due to incriminating evidence) was turned completely on its head to one of pro-Trumpian racism. And the masses lapped it up. Like trained puppies. Pavlov’s dogs revisited?

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      Bulldust

      The white nationalist thing dates back to the Charlottesville lie that was spread by the media. To see the truth of it see this video at PragerU (don’t misspell it with an e):

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM6k8uNAQBA

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    RickWill

    Switched to their ABC at the end of a program on the solar system to learn that next Sunday there is a program called Climate Change the Facts. As that is the title of the skeptics book I have, I thought it would be unusual for their ABC to offer a skeptical view. Upon reading the outline, I realised these are the “alternate” facts:
    https://about.abc.net.au/media-room/abc-to-air-climate-change-the-facts-presented-by-sir-david-attenborough/

    Using dramatic user-generated content and emotional first-hand accounts, this documentary delivers testimonies to global warming simply and strikingly. Intimate stories get inside the lives of the people affected by changing climates, and those fighting it. And world-leading experts reveal the developments that are redefining our horizons.

    I wonder how anyone could get emotional about changes that are within the measurement error and are more likely due to the change in measurement procedure than in the actual measurements. The only observable change over my lifetime caused by rising CO2 is the rate of growth of trees.

    I wonder if the Institute of Public Affairs could take the ABC to task over the title of the show.

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      DonS

      Yeah, I saw that promo too and initially was very excited that the ABC after 30 years is about to run a program telling the world that planetary climate is the result of a number of factors such as variations in solar radiation output, fluctuations in the magnetosphere, variations in the planets orbit, complex interactions between ocean currents and landmasses and many other things none of which involve minor increases in concentrations of atmospheric trace gases.

      Was I being too optimistic? Am I setting myself up for a big disappointment? Will I end up yelling at the TV like a crazy person? If Attenborough is involved then facts will be thing on the ground me thinks.

      Time for Jo to get out the pen and pad and record all the foolishness being passed of as science by the ABC, again. I will look forward to the dismantling of more junk produced by our taxes.

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      Bruce J

      If it is like the rest of the ABC climate “news” (aka propaganda), it should be re-titled to “Climate: Change the Facts”

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    Steve of Cornubia

    Warmies every day:

    Oh my God. Global will drive all the pretty creatures extinct!

    Today in the UK’s Daily Mail:

    “The common blue butterfly could be booming in the UK thanks to recent spells of hot weather, according to a conservation charity.

    Experts are predicting that the July heatwave and Met Office forecasts for above-average temperatures in August might mean that the common blue has its ‘best ever summer’, Butterfly Conservation said.

    The butterfly has been ‘struggling for the last 40 years’, according to the charity, but common blue populations increased by 104 per cent in the summer of 2018 compared with the previous year thanks to warm weather.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7320923/Blue-butterfly-makes-comeback-40-years-decline.html

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      theRealUniverse

      So how did it survive the previous hot periods?

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        Steve of Cornubia

        Well, if this effect is real, we can assume the Common Blue Butterfly flourished in past warm spells.

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          Annie

          Painted Lady butterflies are in large numbers too, apparently, though I seem to remember no shortage while we were living in Gloucerstershire. We had Peacock butterflies and Red Admirals also.

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    Steve of Cornubia

    *Global WARMING*

    Aaaagh!

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    pat

    an interesting thread, given the Crusius manifesto’s environmental angle is not being reported by MSM:

    TWEET: Bill BLack, Instructor @HistoryDeptWKU (Western Kentucky Uni). Editor @contingent_mag. Civil War memory, Cumberland Presbyterians. Bylines: Vox, Atlantic, WaPo, MEL, Aeon, JCWE
    The manifesto is not the ravings of a madman or a brainwashed kid. It’s what millions of Americans believe.
    3 Aug 2019
    His logic is, so far as fascist logic goes, impeccable.
    1. Our devastation of the environment means we cannot live at our current standard of living indefinitely.
    2. One solution is uber-Green New Deal post-scarcity socialism. America can afford it. The political will for it is growing every year. And it will attract ever more immigrants as the global South warms.
    3. He is unwilling to accept this, and is afraid the time is running out to prevent it. So the other solution is to preserve our standard of living–by decreasing our population.
    Ecofascism is a much graver threat than climate change denial, folks…

    Bill Black
    I understand the impulse to suppress the dissemination of the manifesto, but I actually believe it is important to understanding the crisis at hand. And nearly all of it could be said out loud on national TV and be accepted as part of the discourse.
    4 Aug 2019…

    Bill Black
    I am not saying ecofascism would be worse than doing nothing to address climate change. What I mean is that I suspect the global North *will* address climate change but will refuse to help climate refugees…
    9:54 PM – 3 Aug 2019 …

    frank teran 6h ago
    Replying to @williamrblack @lynnspiracy
    would you call out david attenborough as an ecofascist? as he’s the mouthpiece for current climate alarmism in the uk…and, he’d personally said humans are a plague. he’s also a patron of org ‘population matters’ (formerly ‘optimum population trust’)
    LINK UK TELEGRAPH: DAVID ATTENBOROUGH – HUMANS ARE PLAGUE ON EARTH
    https://twitter.com/williamrblack/status/1158046534484799488

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    pat

    massive piece, doesn’t mention CAGW/RE or anything related:

    30 Jul: Reuters: Special Report: Inside a Trump-era purge of military scientists at a legendary think tank
    by Charles Levinson
    14 Min Read
    They’re members of a prestigious academic panel with top-secret clearances who’ve advised the Pentagon on some of America’s most vexing national security issues since the Cold War. Over 60 years, they’ve won 11 Nobel prizes and conducted hundreds of government studies.

    The advisory group, known as Jason, is a team of some 60 of America’s top physicists and scientists who spend each summer in ***La Jolla, California, conducting studies commissioned by the Pentagon and other U.S. government agencies.
    On March 28, Trump appointee Michael Griffin – the Pentagon’s chief technology officer – unexpectedly moved to terminate the group…
    The efforts to kill the scientific panels show how the Trump administration’s crackdown on the role of independent science in the U.S. government is reaching into areas long thought immune from political influence…
    This may be just the beginning…

    “They speak their mind,” said David Wright, a senior scientist at the ***Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group. “They’ve tried very hard to be independent of the agency that is paying them. Jason can be a pain in the ass. It doesn’t always give people the answers they want.”…READ ALL
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-science-specialreport/special-report-inside-a-trump-era-purge-of-military-scientists-at-a-legendary-think-tank-idUSKCN1UP15P

    some names to conjure with: Hal Lewis, Freeman Dyson, William Happer, Steven Koonan:

    Wikipedia: JASON (advisory group)
    Although most of its research is military-focused, JASON also produced early work on the science of global warming and acid rain…
    Current unclassified research interests include health informatics, cyberwarfare, and renewable energy…
    Other early members included …Freeman dyson…

    JASON members, known informally as “Jasons,” include physicists, biologists, chemists, oceanographers, mathematicians, and computer scientists, predominated by theoretical physicists. They are selected by current members, and, over the years, have included eleven Nobel Prize laureates and several dozen members of the United States National Academy of Sciences. All members have a wide-range of security clearances that allow them to do their work…
    Vietnam War…
    There arose internal conflict between hawkish JASON members such as William Happer, Edward Teller, and William Nierenberg and others such as MacDonald, Sid Drell, and Richard Garwin…
    Around this time, some members critical of the war like Freeman Dyson left, and others directed JASON research into unclassified, non-military work on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy on problems like global warming and acid rain…

    Much of JASON’s public work has involved energy and the environment, including Gordon MacDonald’s project to model climate change that soon convinced him that fossil-fuel burning would lead to dangerous global warming that would outstrip any industrial cooling effects. For decades, MacDonald was a prominent scientific advocate for action on climate change. Current JASON energy research has included reports on advanced biofuel production and how to reduce the Department of Defense’s carbon footprint for strategic and environmental reasons.

    However, several other members of JASON, including past chairs Nierenberg, Happer, and Koonin, have cast doubt on climate science and policies that would limit the use of fossil fuels…
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JASON_(advisory_group)

    is this JASON?

    13 Mar: WUWT: Emails reveal how children become pawns of climate alarmism
    by Anthony Watts
    Genesis of a Shakedown: New Records Expose Children’s Marches as Long-Planned Component of Litigation Campaign
    From Climate Litigation Watch
    Newly obtained public records reveal that the recent wave of private “climate” litigation and state attorneys general (AGs) investigations was not only laid out behind closed doors seven years ago at an infamous 2012 meeting in La Jolla, California. It turns out the attendees also got very early word about the frenzied street theater of children’s marches and school kids’ strikes now filling the streets, including this week in the U.S.

    The reason? These demonstrations are a long-planned component of the climate industry’s litigation campaign, including particularly Juliana v. United States, the “Climate Kids” suit that is a radical example of the extreme climate activism flooding the courts.
    That ***La Jolla gathering gathering, organized by a coalition of Rockefeller Foundation–supported groups, produced a blueprint for what has become a litigation industry dedicated to obtaining a settlement in the hundreds of billions of dollarsfrom energy interests. It also laid out the plan to impose what we know as the Green New Deal — by court order…

    Records of one of the La Jolla presenters, a law professor at the University of Oregon (in Eugene), show that after the implosion of “cap-and-trade”, climate alarmists bemoaned how “conventional approaches” had failed them…
    ***LAST TWO COMMENTS:
    dennisambler March 15, 2019 at 4:27 am
    This document was produced after the La Jolla meeting by UCS and their compadres (LINK 36-PAGE PDF)
    The workshop was conceived by Naomi Oreskes of the University of California−San Diego, Peter C. Frumhoff and Angela Ledford Anderson of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Richard Heede of the Climate Accountability Institute, and Lewis M. Branscomb of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
    This workshop was made possible by the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, and the Martin Johnson House at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Without their generous support, this workshop would not have been possible…
    COMMENT: Carl Friis-Hansen, March 15, 2019 at 11:59 am (READ)
    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2019/03/13/emails-reveal-how-children-become-pawns-of-climate-alarmism/

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      pat

      29 Jun: Newsbusters: ‘Eco-Anxiety’: Vogue Advises Parents On Kids With Climate Change ‘Nightmares’
      By Gabriel Hays
      Vogue Magazine published a piece over the weekend detailing just how hard it can be for children to live in a world doomed by global warming. Talking about “eco-anxiety,” the article claimed that some children are dealing with debilitating fears of world-ending climate change. Vogue tried to offer tips for parents trying to dispel such fears, but we think a much clearer solution would be for dingbat parents to stop convulsing about the world ending in 12 years or that we are all doomed because of greenhouse gases…

      Vogue claimed (LINK), “Studies show that 45 percent of children experience depression after a natural disaster. Eco-anxiety in children is a real thing, and it’s relevant now more than ever.” Eco-anxiety, specifically, is a “type of worry or fear focusing on environmental destruction,” and for those kids whose climate change fear “is at a level serious enough to interfere with their lives,” a loving parent must step in to give them healthy options for dealing with it…

      Another child psychologist, Tamar Chansky, suggested parents “get their kids involved in some sort of activism,” like that of 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg…
      https://www.newsbusters.org/print/245249

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        Dennis

        A new game for keeping children occupied when travelling in a vehicle …… spot the CO2.

        Instructions in the Swedish language I understand.

        lol

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          Greg in NZ

          Greta Corporation’s Anti-Eco-Anxiety Kid’s Travelling Pack®™ comes with:
          • sketch-book and coloured pencil (100% carbon-zero in one colour – Doom)
          • recycled-plastic Carbon Catcher (to catch carbon of course as there’s no butterflies anymore)
          • box of tissues (for traumatic bouts of agonising weeping a la Joëlle)
          • 2 sets of ear plugs (for parents or non-gender-specific legal guardians)
          • CD of Saint Greta’s UN speeches (ft. Rev. Algoricle and the Mumbo-Jumbos)
          • map of drowned cities (still in production, release date to be announced soon)
          • bank account details in Switzerland (all donations gladly accepted except *libra*)
          • app for woke kids’ phones (contains digital versions of ALL of the above) called Greta’s CCCrap App™
          • special 3D sunglasses for ‘seeing’ CO₂ pollution (extra €100, see Swiss bank acc # above)
          • 97% Made in China (Sustainable Nation No.1 according to latest IPPC ‘robust’ standards)

          [No white horses, nor crossed-fingers, were hurt in this production: wish I could say the same about pink unicorns…]

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    Dennis

    Wasting Australia’s Resources By Viv Forbes
    Monday, 05 August 2019
    Foolish politicians driven by extreme green ideology are wasting Australia’s resources. Australia’s nuclear resources are largely wasted. We have abundant geological potential for uranium and other nuclear fuels, we know how to explore and extract them, but with bans and restrictions that change every election, and approval processes that take either some years or forever, only three mines are operating. And Australia is the only G20 country to ban clean silent low-emission nuclear power. Australia’s waste and sterilisation of coal and oil shale resources is also an international disgrace. Solid hydro-carbon resources are very concentrated stores of value, but cannot be used without temporarily disturbing other resources such as soils, vegetation and stored water. Freehold land rights throughout the British Commonwealth once included mineral rights, and there was no conflict between landowners and miners. But avaricious governments stole those rights, and the royalties that once went to free-holders now go to governments. This separation of surface rights from underground rights is the source of continual conflict. Greens then harnessed landowner resentment into anti-mining crusades.

    Expanding national parks and heritage areas has been a powerful green tool to prevent exploration and sterilise coal and oil shale resources. As have the destructive laws that give priority to coal seam gas, water or arable land resources. Farms can be generously compensated to relocate, forests can be replanted, top soils can be set aside or re-created and water and gas can be extracted prior to mining. But solid mineral and energy resources can only be mined or sterilised. All past civilisations have recognised this resource imperative. Australia’s oil and gas resources are largely untested. There was great excitement and headline news in the past when oil/gas was discovered in places like Moonie, Barrow Island, Bass Straight and the Timor Sea. Alas, those exciting days are gone and oil exploration is being slowly killed by green bans, enquiries and the application of death-by-delay to every stage of the process. Fracking has opened up huge shale-oil and gas resources in USA. We can be sure that China, Russia, India and Brazil will soon follow. But of course it is banned in Australia.

    The EU drives the war on hydro-carbon energy. But France can afford to despise carbon energy – they have nuclear power. As can Scandinavia and many other countries with hydro power and Iceland with geo-thermal power. Germany is a green energy poster child – but it is German coal, French nuclear, Scandinavian hydro and Russian gas that keep the lights and heaters burning in Germany. Even the green-EU gets over 70% of its electricity from nuclear and hydrocarbons and about 17% from hydro. No country on Earth can rely entirely on wind and solar power but silly resource-rich Australia is going to try – all in a futile attempt to control global temperature. Scattered tribes of aborigines once occupied Australia without using the coal, oil, gas or uranium beneath their feet. They mined stone tools and ochres and burned a lot of hydro-carbon fuel (biomass) to clear undergrowth, promote grass, fight enemies, trap and roast wildlife and warm their gunyahs. These fires produced heaps of CO2 and aerial pollution. Australia’s Mega Fauna became extinct on their watch but their regular bushfires created vast grasslands supporting kangaroos, emus, bustards, parrots and finches. History shows that a much smaller population could indeed survive in Australia without using mineral hydrocarbons, but life with zero man-made emissions would be grim. And, as our aborigines discovered, if we do not use Australia’s resources, someone else will.

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      TdeF

      Well written and spot on. Germany is totally dependent on Russian gas as their lignite is underutilized. As in Victoria. That is because the innumerate science free Greens believe it has twice the CO2 of other fuels, when that figure comes from the fact that it is 63% water. Otherwise it is very similar to black coal. After all only the coal burns, not the water.

      About a decade ago the Victorian Brumby Labor government incredibly banned the export of $200Million of Victorian coal to India because a revolutionary process developed by a Bacchus Marsh company and Monash university removed the water. As the Age Newspaper trumpeted on the front page, it made the coal ‘blacker’, so the sale was stopped. Everyone knows black is the colour of pollution. This was all borderline insane. Premier Andrews tripled the price of brown coal overnight to push Hazelwood out of business but assured us the electricity would only go up 20%. Did he care? No. He gets his wages and superannuation regardless. Right and wrong mean nothing to Labor politicians, as long as they get Green votes. Who cares how many Unionists lose their jobs? Not Labor.

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        TdeF

        The size of the deal to sell Victorian coal to India was $1.5Bn when the whole project was banned by the Labor Brumby government. And all the jobs which went with it. No problem. All those Green jobs. Where exactly?

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        TdeF

        To make my point about CO2 from brown coal

        Pounds of CO2 emitted per million British thermal units (Btu) of energy for various fuels

        Coal (anthracite) 228.6
        Coal (lignite) 215.4

        but we are forced to talk about energy per ton of something which is just above peat bog. In this way the Greens can forbid the use of Brown Coal, as they do successfully in science ignorant Victoria and Green guilt ridden Germany. Australia might be the ‘lucky country’ but it is certainly not the ‘smart country’. Too many ignorant self serving politicians.

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      TdeF

      What Viv fails to mention is that the world windmills market is almost entirely German. Similarly the desalination market and a lot of the energy market is French. So Green politics translates into massive profits as we Australians will end up paying $100Bn for five French desalination plants, only one of which is being used while the French use nuclear which is forbidden to us. In fact the whole world loves our clean coal, far better for making steel and CO2 than Indonesian coal while we Australians are not supposed to use it. Greens are really the useful idiots of the capitalists.

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        Dennis

        Noting that a former Minister for Water Resources in the Federal Government pushed for desalination plants and no more dams, and a “Born Lucky” relative invested in the Capital Hill Wind Farm claimed to have been created to offset electricity demand from the NSW grid.

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    Serp

    Maurice Newman concludes his page in Spectator Australia with the observation that a country heading into recession can no longer afford the luxury of renewable energy.

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    Carp

    Welcome to renewable energy Britain. We’ve got power cuts now.

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