Travelling through the Gibson Desert Oct 1 – 10 — (sorry about emails)

Just a quick note to say I’ll be out in the Gibson desert beyond phones and emails for the next ten days. Apologies, as I won’t be able to reply and haven’t set up an email auto reply. Responses will be very very delayed. Posts are still coming, David will keep an eye on things. Thanks to the moderators for keeping discussion going. Merci! Back soon. — Jo

 

Olgas

Yes, I’m headed for that Rock next to these ones. It’s only 2056 km.
9.6 out of 10 based on 53 ratings

181 comments to Travelling through the Gibson Desert Oct 1 – 10 — (sorry about emails)

  • #
    el gordo

    The tide has finally turned in Oz.

    “People were given a choice between a party of climate change deniers … and another party that had different positions on issues like coalmining depending on what audience they were talking to,” Di Natale said.

    “I don’t accept for a moment that the election result was a vindication of the government’s pro-coal position [and] if Labor MPs think that their weak position on climate change cost them the election result, well, they better be prepared to lose the next election, and the next one after that.

    “It looks like Labor has learned all the wrong lessons in the election campaign and they are now walking away from climate change.”

    Guardian

    130

    • #
      Another Ian

      On the other hand

      “A long, but complete, presentation on some of the scientific failures (or perhaps I’d say fraud was closer) in the Global Warming “Science”.

      Video linked at

      https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/independant-org-willie-soon-eliot-bloom/

      90

    • #
      Bill in Oz

      I think that means Natale is going to get wet feet
      As he does his
      “I’m better than Canute”
      Performance.

      60

      • #
        sophocles

        If, and only if, rising sea levels are true, then he(Natale) might just drown. If not, it will be more than his feet which get wet.

        20

    • #
      She

      Labor would be well advised to run not walk away, and to distance themselves from the extremist Greens.

      80

    • #
      GD

      Speaking of Richard Di Natale. I received this ridiculous email today:

      From today, Canberra will be the first city in Australia to be powered completely by the sun and wind.

      This is huge news! It’s Australia’s future, but it exists today in Canberra and it would never have happened without the ACT Greens. It’s an incredible achievement – even more so when the ACT has been pitted against our climate denying federal Liberal government.

      As far as I know, the ACT depends upon NSW for their complete supply of electricity.

      40

  • #
    Kalm Keith

    Have a good, relaxing break Jo.

    KK

    150

  • #
    el gordo

    For our American and UK visitors, the Gibson Desert is a pristine environment.

    ‘In 1984, due to a severe drought which had dried up all of the springs and depleted the bush foods, a group of the Pintupi people who were living a traditional semi-nomadic desert-dwelling life, walked out of a remote wilderness in the central-eastern portion of the Gibson Desert (northeast of Warburton) and made contact for the first time with Australian society. They are believed to have been perhaps the last uncontacted tribe in Australia.’ wiki

    120

    • #
    • #
      Chris

      They were found by other aboriginals driving through the area. It was the first time the Pintupi people had seen a car or white people. The photograph in The West Australian, showed them to be tall, very thin and malnourished. There were no children. The ‘West’ quoted other aboriginal people saying it would be difficult to find someone who spoke the Pintupi language. This one picture showed the realities of living in pre colonial Australia with its extreme climate and environmental conditions.

      20

  • #
    Jonesy

    Yes, a telling moment in our collective history. The last tribe to have a direct conection with country gives up their nomadic tradition. Link this event with the TI people joining with the Commonwealth to remain Australian against the rightful claim of PNG for the return of their islnds claimed by Queensland in the 1870s…makes you wonder what the High Court was smoking.

    Invasion or peaceful settlement, one is a lie.

    80

    • #
      Kalm Keith

      The Torres strait or Thursday Island part is a bit cryptic?

      Did Australia take all the islands?

      40

    • #
      Kalm Keith

      The Torres strait or Thursday Island part is a bit cryptic?

      Did Australia take all the islands?

      30

      • #
        Jonesy

        Ooops, to clarify, ALL the islands up to the low water mark of the PNG mainland…so, to be clear Torres Strait islands?

        40

        • #
          Kalm Keith

          Wow. That’s getting close.

          30

        • #
          Bill in Oz

          Do you have a link about this Jonesey ?

          00

          • #
            Jonesy

            All I can suggest is go to Trove, put Queensland, Torres Strait, Papua, and title claim in the search and read news articles from the day as well as modern post mabo…remarkable! History is certainly coloured by the bent of the researcher, no doubt!

            00

    • #
      theRealUniverse

      And Indonesia stole West Papua from PNG! Maybe the whole of PNG should reunite. The border between West and PNG is made up.

      70

  • #
    Jonesy

    Wow! Never really took much notice of the terrain of the Gibson. It is very much like the country around the channel country of western Queensland. More specifically, Longreach to Winton, south to Betoota and back to Quilpie. Should like to get there one day and check out the tracks of the Bidell expeditions.

    80

  • #
    Antoine D'Arche

    have a great trip Jo and stay safe, we need you 🙂

    130

  • #
    PJ

    Yes love the Gibson , the colours , springs hidden between the massive sand dunes .

    BTW I met some of the last family that walked into Kiwirrkurra, their story doesn’t really match Wikipedia.

    The old man was dying and he told the women to take the family to the community when he died, they had stayed clear of it and all civilisation to that point.

    Unless you go there you cannot even imagine the isolation.

    BTW also the southern Torres Strait islands have always been part of Australia not PNG and northern ones had a vote on which way they wanted to go.. Hardly a land grab.

    150

  • #
    dinn, rob

    born Nov. 13, 1986, Thursday, this guy found his 2-edged dream not entirely at the G. Barrier Reef https://balance10.blogspot.com/2019/09/palfreeman-case.html

    30

  • #
    Graeme No.3

    “beyond phones and emails for the next ten days” That’s what happens when you rely on renewable electricity.

    Have a good trip and stay safe.

    110

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      Reckon with the right Iridium connection you could get up to 50K ( dial up modem speed )…..

      Sat phones can send and receive texts….. 🙂

      10

  • #
    TdeF

    Walking the dogs early in Melbourne as the sun rose, it was 0C in most places and a brisk 4C by the beach. So we stayed in the sun and it warmed quickly, as in the desert, to a high today of 22C. For most of Melbourne thats +22C in a day.

    So what difference +1C in an average? Nothing at all.

    The only danger anyone has been able to invent is rapid sea rise and that hasn’t happened in 31 years. In fact in the last 140 years. You can see it in every beachfront in the world, every harbour, every pier. And in Bangladesh where half the country is less than 1 metre out of the water.

    In Antartica, winter is -50C and summer -25C and the wind howls from the West as the planet turns, 80km/hr in winter and 40km/hr in summer. Nice.

    The only place this 1C matters is at the North Pole which is a balmy +0C average in mid summer. It has even reached an amazing +13C, which is warmer than this moment in Melbourne at 37 South. So at the North Pole you would expect more of the sea ice to melt, which must be a good thing, allowing easier shipping. Melting sea ice does not affect sea level. In Victorian times many lost their lives looking for a Norther route. Even Captain James Cook after circling Antarctica three times went to the Aleutians and the Bering sea. I would also note that the vast amounts of deep snow and ice across most of the Northern Hemisphere melts every year without any adverse effect at sea level.

    The ONLY thing you would expect from +1C or even +2C across the planet is a slightly warmer ocean surface temperature on this water covered planet. And what you would expect from that is substantially higher CO2.

    And what’s wrong with more plant and animal food? All the best times in recorded human existence have been in warmer times, the Roman warming, the Renaissance warming and the 20th century warming. It takes a doomsayer to find something wrong with +1C in a hundred years. Or an opportunist.

    240

    • #
      TdeF

      Also I read about giant icebergs, the size of Manhattan say. That is 59km2.

      Consider the ice block of Antarctica is 3.5Km tall and the size of South America (two Australias) at 14Million km2. So a giant iceberg represents 0.42% of Antarctica, even if they were as deep as the ocean and if it was, it would float 1000′ or 350metre tall, which they don’t.

      And given the oceans cover 75% of the earth’s surface at 360million km2, one sixth of a millionth of the ocean. You would have to say the calving of giant icebergs is a fantasy problem. And as far as satellites can measure, Antarctica is growing quickly in the center with snow and ice at -25/-50 and so the water around Antarctica is actually dropping.

      This of course makes nonsense of a ‘world temperature’, but even that is not changing when you have to set records by 0.004C. That would not have been noticed on my walk. The dogs would have said something.

      170

      • #
        Kalm Keith

        Hi TdeF, the percentage on recalc is even smaller: 0.0004%.

        One Big burg isn’t much at all.

        60

        • #
          Kalm Keith

          And that’s just on area. Using the vertical detail would make it even smaller.

          40

          • #
            TdeF

            There was one huge iceberg, B15. The size of Jamaica. It is nearing the Georgia islands and already breaking up. Four pieces are left, the biggest B15Z. Over 20 years.

            Also you have to love Google. It seems the tallest iceberg ever recorded was a massive 550 feet (178 metres), so this iceberg was less than half the height of Antarctica which is also as tall as the ocean is deep. So halve again.

            30

            • #
              OriginalSteve

              Sacred green beliefs make the best ham-berg-ers…..

              Or are we just stirring up the CAGW bughers….

              50

    • #
      She

      Only 18C mid north coast of NSW at 9.15 am Tuesday.

      60

      • #
        TdeF

        Now 16C in Melbourne. That used to be good enough for everyone but we now have digital thermometers and so called scientists are worrying about 0.004C, which is measuring the cooling effect of a mosquito’s wings. This tiny amount was enough to claim an IPCC’s hottest ever year.

        It’s hard to take Climate Scientists as real scientists because they are not skeptical at all? And they all parrot the same lines without a hint of self awareness that it’s all silly. As if natural variation across a planet could not yield 0.004C.

        90

        • #
          Geoffrey Williams

          TdeF, you are most informative and we all love your bloggs;
          But you will have to stop ‘extracting the urine’ from these poor climate alarmists.
          When they read your bloggs I’m sure they will be screaming blue murders down there in Canberra. I can imagine them calling the climate police and having you chained up to a dungeon wall, whipped and forced to recite alarmist theory all night long.
          Keep up the good work mate . . .
          GeoffW

          70

  • #
    robert rosicka

    The grants being given to shires in drought seem to have caught BOM and their fiddling out somewhat .
    The government have asked for a please explain over why BOM listed Moyne shire as being in drought and now I’m hearing other shires are meeting with a view to not accepting the Million dollar drought relief money because they also have had a good year with rainfall .
    Might be good if the investigation digs up some tampering .

    140

    • #
      David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

      G’day r r,
      On this one I suspect carelessness rather than nastiness, in that they may have used a pre-rain data set rather checking on how extensive and useful the widespread, recent rain over Victoria had been.
      And they may not even have a definition of when a drought ends…
      Perhaps their home screen should have, in large letters: “check the weather, look out the window”??
      Cheers
      Dave B

      100

      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        Bom were ask for and provided details up to 30 June 2019. David Littleproud then allocated the money based on those figures. The BOM has nothing to worry about. /Just another incompetent minister

        012

        • #
          AndyG55

          “provided details up to 30 June 2019”

          Moyne Shire had good falls of rain in May and June

          “According to the statistics provided to Mr Littleproud’s office, Moyne Shire’s rainfall deficiency for March 2019 was 78.4 per cent and the June deficiency was 62 per cent. “

          Port Fairy data shows a dry start to the year, but that May/June were about average rainfall

          So someone has goofed.

          And its NOT the Minister.

          PF is LYING yet again. !

          121

          • #
            Peter Fitzroy

            Yes, but that is what the BOM provided. How they made the list is all about Littleproud and politics. Lets see, who has the Federal seat around there…. Oh, I know, it the Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan.

            The BOM did not make the list, as it would have pushed more queensland and NSW areas into it. This was a purely pork barrelling political exercise. How could you blame BOM?

            112

            • #
              AndyG55

              “Yes, but that is what the BOM provided.”

              So you admit that it was BOM made the error.

              Thanks PF. !!

              And who was it who asked for it to be investigated, Dan Tehan

              You really are a confused little twerp, aren’t you PF !

              “How could you blame BOM?”

              You just said it was BOM that made the list.

              Some more of your fantasies and cognitive non-functionality coming to the fore again, silly boy.

              Just make it up to suit your slimy agenda..

              61

            • #
              AndyG55

              “How they made the list is all about Littleproud and politics.”

              BULLS**T… no evidence of that.

              You are inventing falsities again, PF.. ie DELIBERATELY LYING

              Nothing unusual about that, is there.

              No honesty, no integrity.

              No wonder you hate yourself.. ?

              41

            • #
              Peter Fitzroy

              So Andy you are saying that the BOM put on their greenshirts, laced up their jackboots, stormed into Littleproud’s office, forced Littleproud to accept that list, and only after the Mayor says, this stinks, does Littleproud fess up? From your list there are 5 in Victoria, 4 in NSW, 3 in Queensland, and 2 in SA. However, the effects of the drought are more pronounced in NSW, and Queensland, and they have larger areas than Victoria.

              /not lying, explaining

              07

              • #
                AndyG55

                BOM wrote the list

                GET OVER IT, twerp

                You aren’t accusing BOM of deliberately giving a Liberal minister incorrect information are you.

                WOW. !! DELUDED IDIOCY from PF, that is for sure. !!

                41

              • #
                Peter Fitzroy

                No Andy I’m saying that the BOM provided a list of all the drought affected areas in the Country, and Littleproud designed the final list. The BOM are blameless in this. Also it is interesting that the electorates which got funding are mostly from one side of politics and mostly cabinet ministers at that.

                05

              • #
                gee aye

                In rural areas? What were the non-government choices?

                14

              • #
                AndyG55

                BULLS**T you have no evidence of that.

                The data provided by BOM is given above.

                That is the data the Minister used.

                Just make up LIES, its all you have ever done. !!

                61

              • #
                AndyG55

                Pretty UGLY accusation from PF, (with zero evidence of course)

                He is accusing a member of BOM of deliberately giving the LIBERAL Minister information to send funding to a Liberal seat.

                Not only an UGLY accusation, but also totally delusional and totally against any sort of rational thought process. !!

                One wonders what LIES he will invent next. !

                51

              • #
                Peter Fitzroy

                Kennedy is the standout (Katter) by it is true it is hard to find an equal political distribution. However, there are 5 rural electorates in Victoria, and they got the largest share of the funding, with the one under discussion being the only one held by the LNP. So the recap – the smallest mainland state (not counting territories) gets more funding than any of the other eastern states, and it just so happens that a LNP seat is (although not really high on the eligibility list) is a beneficiary. But wait – that is all the fault of the greenshirts at the BOM. As the used to say, pull the other one!

                06

              • #
                AndyG55

                Smoking hallucinogens again, PF ?

                ZERO EVIDENCE

                Just baseless supposition and innuendo.

                Like ALWAYS.

                You can see the data that BOM sent..

                GET OVER IT and stop your ridiculous posing and attention seeking.

                51

              • #
                AndyG55

                “”We do not believe Moyne Shire is experiencing drought conditions and so we are pleased the minister has ordered an audit to be carried out on information used to inform this decision,” Cr Wolfe.”

                “The embarrassing granting of $1 million for drought relief to Moyne Shire will lead to a review of weather data collection provided to the federal government.

                Mr Littleproud has asked for an audit of the selection criteria, but has defended the process, saying it is predicated on drought mapping of each shire by the Bureau of Meteorology

                It cannot be clearer that PF is just having a massive brain-F*RT !!

                51

        • #
        • #

          I didn’t realise that you two were brothers. Explains everything

          https://www.facebook.com/PeteandAndy/

          06

    • #
      She

      The map BoM produced showing not drought effected areas as drought effected was shown on Sky last night.

      I wonder what BoM were planning, global warming deception?

      70

      • #
        Sceptical Sam

        Manipulation or incompetence?

        Take your pick.

        Couldn’t be an error because they’re public servants and they never make mistakes. 🙂

        30

  • #
    el gordo

    Ian Wilson is still confident that El Nino will show its face this year, even though all the models suggest neutral conditions.

    Warm SST is travelling east along the equator at approximately 10 kph.

    https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/ocean/surface/currents/overlay=sea_surface_temp_anomaly/orthographic=-158.87,9.37,486/loc=-163.201,-3.185

    50

  • #
    David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

    Safe travelling Jo,
    Hope you’ve packed an EPIRB and lots of water in several containers.
    Will you be able to see around the Giles station?
    Enjoy,
    Dave B

    50

  • #
    Greg in NZ

    Looks lovely & warm & dry & sunny in that photo.
    If you ever want a ‘change’, hop the Tasman (Sea) but don’t forget your thermal underwear & jacket & boots & skis/board:

    https://rotoruanow.co.nz/news/9160-cold-blast-to-start-school-holidays.html

    Tuesday 1 Oct, 2019
    “MetService is forecasting a series of cold fronts to… usher in strong, cold southwesterly winds, bringing unfavourable conditions for new-born lambs, orchardists, and students planning outdoor activities to start their spring break… As temperatures cool, the snow level is expected to lower to 300 metres over southern New Zealand this evening and to 800 metres over the central North Island Tuesday afternoon… These strong winds will whip up large waves in the New Zealand region this week, with southwesterly swells of 4 to 6 metres [15–20 ft]”.

    Yeehaah – stoked! Surf, snow, hail, howling freezing gales, crank the heater up, put on a pair of fat socks… I’m loving this climate emergency!

    70

    • #
      theRealUniverse

      Oh, Rottenrua..lovely place, dont you love that SO2.

      70

      • #
        Greg in NZ

        I do enjoy immersing myself up to my chinny-chin-chin in boiling hot natural spring water (42˚C is my preferred temp which is the same as my hottest day ever in Kalgoorlie) yet the idea of lingering for too long within a sunken active caldera, enveloped by the wafting stench of rotten eggs, always makes me a little jittery, as in tick-tick-tick-tick…

        Roto Vegas barely shows on this 2017 worldwide map of SO₂ (sulphur dioxide). However, there’s HEAPS above China and India for some UN-known reason. And New York, and Sydney, and Kalgoorlie.

        50

        • #
          theRealUniverse

          ‘et the idea of lingering for too long within a sunken active caldera, enveloped by the wafting stench of rotten eggs’ yes remember 1886!

          I loved Kerosine creek but I read it has got rather contaminated by trash? Too many tourists finding it?

          10

        • #
          robert rosicka

          Greg Have a dip in Dalhousie springs it comes up at 42 degrees then depending on where you swim a lovely 38 degrees

          00

  • #
    Lance

    If any were wondering where Saint Greta originated, this might explain things a bit:

    https://twitter.com/Henrik_Palmgren/status/1175507661368037376

    “On behalf of Swedes, I apologize for #GretaThunberg, she does not represent us. I disavow her climate alarmism that’s sucking kids into an apocalyptic cult. She’s being used in a PR campaign called “We Don’t Have Time” started by Al Gore’s business partner Ingmar Rentzhog:”

    More on Rentzhog, Gore, “We Don’t Have Time” and the financial/media complex involving vast financial interests

    http://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/2019/01/17/the-manufacturing-of-greta-thunberg-for-consent-the-political-economy-of-the-non-profit-industrial-complex/

    110

    • #
      MudCrab

      Interesting. Wrong Kind of Green is a bit difficult to calibrate fully.

      At first glance the willingness to expose the bright, shameless and shining lie that is Little Miss Stolen Childhood paints the author in the nominal camp of the science realists. However deeper reading suggest the author’s intent is not to expose the lie that is Global Warming(tm) but to expose the lie that is Rich White Men who are hijacking Global Warming(tm) in order to continue the capitalist oppression of the rich over the rest of the world.

      Open to differing interpretations of the articles, but my take is that the author is an out and proud environmental Marxist who regards Saint Greta as the manifestation of everything that is wrong with the green revolution. Greta, if I understand the author’s intent correctly, is just another rich parasite sucking on the blood of desperately struggling environmental poor.

      Interesting read. Not only for the researching into the true background of the Nordic Thanos, but also as a reminder that when you are a Left, you really struggle to get on with ANYONE.

      (also amusing is some of the comments. There is one where a reader refers the author to a statement made by the Saint Greta herself (made after publishing of the article) where Greta states she was never formally part of We Don’t Have Time and We Don’t Have Time used her likeness without her knowledge or permission, but they have since apologised and the matter is closed. The commenter goes on to say that since Greta has said this, none of what Wrong Kind of Green wrote is valid and Wrong Kind of Green should retract. Yes. Greta states and facts happen. Greta cannot be questioned. Once you bend the knee before She Who Can See CO2 you must not question the narrative.)

      30

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      O/T

      But wait…there’s more…..Guardian “loses it”, shouts headline at its readers, who it appears to thinks need everything spelt out s-l-o-w-l-y :

      http://catallaxyfiles.com/2019/10/01/c-l-now-subeditors-are-stealing-dreams/

      “C.L. : Now subeditors are stealing dreams
      Posted on 1:18 pm, October 1, 2019 by Guest Author

      Enraged Greta fetishists in the media are on the brink of seven-decker headlines.

      Luckily, cooler heads prevailed today:

      Five years from now the Daily Mail will publish photos of her bending over at the beach.”

      Other headlines from the Daily mail today:

      “Her royal hairness! Windswept Meghan Markle arrives at University of Johannesburg to meet screaming students before she is reunited with Prince Harry tonight after six days apart”

      Yup…..

      40

  • #
    TdeF

    As it’s unthreaded, I have been amazed by the saga in Britain with so much of the country trying to stop BREXIT and disenfranchise the majority. It is an unholy collection of customers, Extreme racist communists like Corbyn, leftists in the Labor party, Bankers, former Prime Ministers John Major, Tony Blair, David Cameron and of course the very anti Brexit Teresa May. She of the “no deal is better than a bad deal” statement over 150 times, not meaning a word of it.

    Plus a lot of rich Tories with their Banker and business friends and the usual Deep State types like Sir Humphrey Appleby and the newly created Supereme Court which has relished overruling the Prime Minister as a criminal breaking their new judge made law. It is the most amazing scene.

    And the dreaded Backstop in Ireland where the EU and Britain would have the only land border. What is Boris going to do about it? A terrible question with no help from the Irish PM who has delighted in being obstructive, as the Irish manage to be on the wrong side again, like the Scots.

    The simple answer. Absolutely nothing, as currently. As Ireland is an island, like Britain, just control the ports in Northern Ireland and inspect the cargoes, as currently. Of course there might be a lack of excise on Irish Whisky and a few potatoes may go untaxed in either direction, but that is hardly a future problem as it isn’t a present one. The trade with Britain is entirely agricultural and Britain is Ireland’s major market. The same with immigration, unless Ireland finds a surge in African migrants without passports crossing from Algiers in rubber dingies to Wicklow and sneaking across the border at night to pass as locals. There is nothing to stop that today, so why bother?

    Like icebergs, a non problem put forward as unsolvable, like the boat problem in Australia, which stopped almost immediately.

    And as the speed signs change on the ridiculous windy border, in out of Northern Ireland, things will travel at the same pace as always. Dead slow.

    110

    • #
      Ross

      TdeF

      I hope you are right about Boris doing nothing or effectively doing nothing.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/30/boris-johnson-reveal-final-brexit-plan-eu-leaders-within-24/

      If Boris’s plan is a watered down version of May’s deal with the backstop issue “resolved” then Boris will be toast as PM. I am hoping he tries to take the hard line (against his foes) and becomes a modern day version of his hero, Churchill

      60

      • #
        TdeF

        I think most of the world is hoping that. Like Churchill he is in the elite, but at odds with the other elites and with a fierce pride in Britain and its place in the world. It comes with being aware of British history and the remarkable place his English and German forebears have had in creating a better world. And the problem with Napoleon, the Kaiser and Hitler. One of them a distant relative too.

        Unfortunately he is also committed to zero carbon too, but one problem at a time. Britain like France does have the Nuclear option and as the proponents of nuclear power say incredibly, nuclear has no emissions.

        The whole anti Western carbon fable has come from the EU/UN and merchant bankers. Once Britain is free of the EU, we can only hope the Un Jolly Green monster can be silenced.

        100

    • #
      Bill in Oz

      For a sovereign UK
      The real problem of an uncontrolled land border with Ireland
      Is that it will not take long for lots of folks wishing to migrate to the UK
      To do so via Dublin in the EU
      And then hop over to Belfast
      From which there is no controls on entry to Britain.
      Would the Irish deal with this ?
      Or would they rather help such folk along ?
      Just to be obstructve, like !

      60

      • #
        TdeF

        It is an island. To get to the UK you have to come by boat or plane and you cannot get on either without a valid Visa. I cannot see the porous border makes a difference, any more than it does today.

        60

        • #
          TdeF

          Yes, I suppose the IRA could row you across in a coracle, covered in wode and pretend to be a Celt. A bit hard when you are from Pakistan or Niger or Algeria though. A problem with the accent.

          80

          • #
            Greg in NZ

            But, but Comrade President Jacinderella announced to the UN, only last week, we lived in a “borderless world” –

            https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/400018/changes-to-nz-border-rules-kick-in-today-what-you-need-to-know

            “Visitors will be unable to travel to New Zealand without a new Electronic Travel Authority [ETA] as tougher border rules go live today. Up to 1.7 million travellers from 60 countries who previously didn’t need a visa will now be required to declare their passport details and any criminal history before they can travel. The government has spent $5 million on a domestic and international marketing campaign”.

            Immigration NZ director of policy integration, Mr Aldous, said: “Being aware of that’s been very good for us cos that’s enabled us to put staff on the ground and they should be able to manage any non compliance”. C’mon RNZ: spelling, grammar, proofread! Oh right, school holiday interns.

            Surely Cinders isn’t speaking out of both sides of her mouth at the same time? Maybe she’s just horsing around?

            110

            • #
              TdeF

              She might be a bit unhappy that Australia is sending NZ criminals home. It’s also a massive source of revenue.
              America always has had strict VISA requirements. And most countries. The idea is to stop you before you get on a plane or boat to a country where you do not have an ETA.

              I just cannot see the problem with people coming from Northern Ireland. They can cross from France today by boat if they want and across the islands from Ireland, it is no further. 20km maximum. An hour in a very slow boat. I guess with centimeter radar they can see you coming.

              And then there is the question of whether you really like porridge. Both types.

              50

    • #
      MudCrab

      Was in Ireland recently.

      Many of them, both north and south of the border, are absolutely convinced Brexit will completely dismantle the Peace Process.

      “We will have to go back to shooting each other!” they claim.

      You counter that you are sure that the fine details will be worked out and nothing of the sort will happen.

      “Oh no. They will need to put up a hard trade border. That breaks the Peace Process. We will have to go shoot each other again!”

      You re-inforce your counter by suggesting that no one really wants to see people killed and, although you are an outsider, you are sure people will find a pragmatic way of making this work.

      “SHOOT EACH OTHER!!!”

      And then you get the slow uncomfortable feeling that maybe, just maybe, your new friends are actively looking forward to the excuse for new violence.

      Strange place Ireland.

      60

  • #
    David Maddison

    I gather you’re going to Ayers Rock which is exactly 2056km by road from Perth plus nearby Olgas?

    Here are some videos I made of my recent adventure in that locale.

    https://youtu.be/GLJe4GJJeKM

    https://youtu.be/pg8JKKCJ8Ww

    https://youtu.be/lgd-XJ_Vpx4

    https://youtu.be/JqAvwikr-p0

    https://youtu.be/v4Md4EfxVQs

    https://youtu.be/2ywZseH_JPM

    https://youtu.be/6t2MIocDxv0

    https://youtu.be/2VSIp1zU6wQ

    41

    • #
      robert rosicka

      Did you do the field of lights ? Recommend the wine and nibbles tour of the field of lights .

      10

  • #
    Penguinite

    As Roy and Dale Rogers used to sing “Happy Trails to you” and if you notice any unusual climate change…..

    80

  • #
    David Maddison

    Can you believe this garbage?

    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/some-of-australia-s-migrant-communities-say-they-feel-left-out-of-climate-conversation

    Action on climate change is an at-times emotionally-charged issue. But there are some communities in Australia who say they feel left out of the discussion entirely.

    UPDATEDUPDATED 1 DAY AGO
    BY OMAR DABBAGH

    At a Uniting Church in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Strathfield, a multi-faith meeting is being held between local leaders, representing Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and M*slim communities in the area.

    These leaders are united over the main item on their agenda: global warming.

    Each person is passionate about reducing Australia’s carbon footprint and explaining why to influential members in their respective communities.

    See link for rest.

    80

  • #
    David Maddison

    Gosh, I got two posts in a row “awaiting moderation” for no apparent reason…

    50

    • #
      theRealUniverse

      NOTICE: “Mods are in the desert you have to wait 2 weeks” 😀

      30

    • #
      sophocles

      ,,, and it must have been/was your turn!

      I got a couple over recent posts and neither of them had any naughty words in them, at least not that I knew of … and now Jo’s `hiding’ in the desert. I bet the script is just checking to see if we are awake 🙂

      10

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Earlier this year we travelled the Great central Road from Uluru to Leonora and a fun fact is if you get a permit from the info centre (free) to travel the road you get free access to the rock and the Olgas .
    The road itself was interesting with the amount of broken cars on and off the road probably one per kilometre as an average but dodging Camels keeps you ever alert .
    We got into Giles late in the arvo so only stayed for a few photos before heading to a bush camp further down the road .
    Lassiters cave was interesting and there are lots of things to see along this road if you have a good navigation computer or map .

    60

  • #
    Annie

    Have a great time Jo! 🙂

    50

  • #
    pat

    enjoy the trip, jo.

    the big FakeNewsMSM “spin” today is about the long-overdue investigation of the investigators, which has been called for ever since it became public that Clinton/Dems were responsible for the so-called “Steele dossier”:

    30 Sept: TheHour: Barr personally asked foreign officials to aid inquiry into CIA, FBI activities
    by Devlin Barrett, Shane Harris and Matt Zapotosky, The Washington Post
    Attorney General William Barr has held private meetings overseas with foreign intelligence officials seeking their help in a Justice Department inquiry that President Donald Trump hopes will discredit U.S. intelligence agencies’ examination of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the matter…
    But the high-level Justice Department focus on intelligence operatives’ conduct will likely cheer Trump and other conservatives for whom “investigate the investigators” has become a rallying cry…

    ***David Laufman, a former Justice Department official who was involved in the early stages of the Russia probe, said it was “fairly unorthodox for the attorney general personally to be flying around the world as a point person to further evidence-gathering for a specific Justice Department investigation,” and especially so in Barr’s case…
    https://www.thehour.com/news/article/Barr-personally-asked-foreign-officials-to-aid-14480918.php

    reminder. read all:

    8 Feb 2018: ConservativeTreehouse: DOJ National Security Division Official, ***David Laufman, Quits…
    by sundance
    David Laufman was the Department of Justice, National Security Division, Deputy Asst. Attorney General in charge of counterintelligence, cyber security, counterespionage and export controls.
    As most people are now aware the epicenter of the DOJ/FBI Clinton-Steele operation against candidate Trump stemmed from a collaborate “small group” effort of Main Justice officials within the National Security Division (John P Carlin – head), and officials within the FBI centered around the Counterintelligence Division (Bill Priestap – head)….

    According to the Washington Post, David Laufman resigned effective yesterday, Wednesday February 7th…
    In his former position, Laufman would have been involved and hold knowledge of the FISA “Title-1” surveillance program initiated on target Carter Page and the “incidental” Trump campaign officials. Laufman would also have close contact with former Asst. Deputy Attorney Bruce Ohr; husband of Fusion GPS employee Nellie Ohr.
    David Laufman also participated in the July 2nd 2016 interview of Hillary Clinton…

    Additionally, as a result of his specific responsibilities David Laufman would also have been involved in any FARA investigations of General Mike Flynn (Turkish lobbying), and/or Paul Manafort (Ukraine lobbying); and had access to FISA-702(16)(17) database use for incidental surveillance and subsequent unmasking etc…

    National Security Division head John P Carlin resigned around the same time as the Carter Page FISA warrant application was submitted, October 21st, 2016. National Security Division head Mary McCord replaced Carlin, and she resigned shortly before Special Counsel Robert Mueller was assigned May 17th, 2017…

    The Department of Justice’s own Inspector General (currently Michael Horowitz who opened a January 2017 investigation into the 2016 politicization of the FBI and DOJ) was previously not allowed to investigate anything that happened within the NSD branch of the Department of Justice…
    It is not coincidental the players used on the DOJ side of “Operation Trump” (Bruce Ohr, John Carlin, etc.) all seem to come from within the National Security Division…

    Accepting all of that mounting evidence, does this March 2017 interview (LINK) with former Obama administration official Evelyn Farkas (Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense), appearing on MSNBC, make more sense now?…
    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/02/08/doj-national-security-division-official-david-laufman-quits/

    30

  • #
    pat

    re the so-called “whistleblower” who relied on hearsay:

    30 Sept: The Federalist: Deleted Firsthand Knowledge Requirement For Whistleblowers Implicates Another Federal Agency
    by Matt Beebe
    Was the ‘nonpartisan’ Congressional Research Service weaponized to force the House into a premature impeachment inquiry?
    Sean Davis wrote Friday (LINK) about a secret update to the intelligence community inspector general’s “Disclosure of Urgent Concern” complaint intake form. It revamped the procedure to allow hearsay complaints, while prior versions of the form had included an admonishment that the IC IG could not find a complaint credible without “reliable, first-hand information.” While it appears the IC IG has the statutory right to promulgate new procedures, the rationale for the change and the curious nature of the timing has still not been shared.

    Compelling new evidence now shows that the purportedly nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) may have been weaponized to mislead members of Congress and the American people — all in the name of advancing the impeachment process against President Trump. It appears that misleading guidance about precisely how expansive the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act (ICWPA) is was incorporated into the report just as the current whistleblower controversy began to pick up steam…

    These Kind of Report Revisions Are Highly Unusual
    Without the CRS report obscuring certain facts about the underlying statutes, it would have been clear early on that the allegations made in the whistleblower report would not have been considered an “urgent concern” under the statute. Perhaps more surprising, without the misinformation it would have been clear that the president is not subject to the specific oversight requirements of the ICWPA at all. The CRS report facilitated a false impression that ultimately provided a false impetus for the current impeachment inquiry…

    Additionally, the timing of the updated report’s release raises additional questions about whether certain congressional staff or members were illegally coordinating with the whistleblower during this IC IG’s review process…READ ALL
    https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/30/deleted-firsthand-knowledge-requirement-for-whistleblowers-implicates-another-federal-agency/

    60

    • #
      Lance

      How odd. The Whistleblower filled out a form that didn’t exist until 12 days after he filed it.

      Must be a miracle.

      60

      • #
        pat

        now the TDS mob are claiming Atkinson’s statement debunks the “hearsay” story! sundance has plenty to say…read all:

        30 Sept: ConservativeTreehouse: ICIG Michael Atkinson Attempts Four-Page Justification for Changing “Urgent Concern” Whistle-blower Guidelines…
        by sundance
        Methinks Mr. Atkinson doth protest too much. Prior to the current “whistle-blower complaint” the Intelligence Community Inspector General did not accept Urgent Concern whistle-blower claims without first hand knowledge. However, the ICIG revised the protocol in August 2019 to accept a CIA complaint against President Donald Trump.

        Today the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, Michael Atkinson, presented a four-page justification (LINK) explaining why the IC changed the Urgent Concern rules to allow the CIA to target President Trump with anonymous complaints based on hearsay…
        The IGIC revision was made at the same time HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff was tweeting in August about President Trump, Rudy Giuliani and holding back funding pending assistance with political opponents. Note the Date: (link)…

        The Soft-Coup effort continues…READ ALL
        https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/09/30/icig-michael-atkinson-attempts-four-page-justification-for-changing-urgent-concern-whistle-blower-guidelines/

        50

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: Fox News: Barr asked Trump to reach out to other countries for Durham probe, official says; source pushes back on NYT reporting
    by Jake Gibson
    A Justice Department official told Fox News on Monday that Attorney General Bill Barr asked President Trump to make introductions to foreign countries that might have had information pertinent to U.S. Attorney John Durham’s ongoing probe into possible misconduct by the intelligence community at the outset of the Russia investigation.

    But a person familiar with the situation told Fox News it would be wrong to say Trump “pressed” the Australian prime minister for information that could have discredited former Special Counsel Mueller’s now-completed probe, as The New York Times reported earlier Monday.
    “The countries have been helpful,” the source said. “There was no pressing required.”…
    The president was letting the heads of other countries know that the attorney general would be contacting the appropriate law enforcement entities in each country, according to the DOJ official. When Barr was in Italy last week, he did talk to law enforcement officials there about Durham’s review, Fox News was told…
    Barr assigned Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, back in May to conduct the inquiry into alleged misconduct and improper surveillance of the Trump campaign in 2016, as well as whether Democrats were the ones who’d improperly colluded with foreign actors.

    “Mr. Durham is gathering information from numerous sources, including a number of foreign countries. At Attorney General Barr’s request, the president has contacted other countries to ask them to introduce the attorney general and Mr. Durham to appropriate officials,” Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said.
    Durham, known as a “hard-charging, bulldog” prosecutor, according to a source, has been focusing on the period before Nov. 7, 2016 — including the use and assignments of FBI informants, as well as alleged improper issuance of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants. Durham was asked to help Barr to “ensure that intelligence collection activities by the U.S. government related to the Trump 2016 presidential campaign were lawful and appropriate.”…
    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/barr-trump-durham-probe-new-york-times-reporting-justice-department

    40

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: Townhall: Matt Vespa: As Impeachment Theater Ramps Up, The New York Times Totally Whiffs In Their Latest Attempt to Swipe at Trump
    The liberal media is desperate to keep the impeachment balloon afloat to the point where they’re trying to frame perfectly acceptable requests of foreign leaders as some odious plot…
    Well, first, there’s nothing illegal here. Second, the Mueller report did have partisan origins. It started as an FBI counterintelligence probe into Russian collusion and disgraced ex-FBI Agent Peter Strzok was a key person who signed off on it. Sztrok and his mistress, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, exchanged tens of thousands of texts, anti-Trump in nature, and meant exactly how they read, according to Page. She has since resigned from the FBI. Strzok was fired over the exchanges.

    It was these texts that showed election meddling might not have been coming from the Kremlin, but the J. Edgar Hoover Building. That’s what AG Barr is trying to figure out. Strzok and Page also mentioned an “insurance policy,” which many have alleged is a reference to the Trump dossier that was used to secure a FISA spy warrant against Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign. It was not verified. It was a political opposition research project funded by the Democrats and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
    So, yeah—totally out there to view the Mueller probe as a partisan witch hunt. It was. Stack those sandbags, folks. The Left is going to make another hard impeachment push, even if it makes them look like total fools…
    https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2019/09/30/as-impeachment-theater-ramps-up-the-new-york-times-totally-whiffs-in-their-lates-n2553942

    ignore the couple of old tweets, pinned at top, begin with “Bye bye Downer” tweeted 3h ago:

    Twitter: George Papadopoulos
    https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19

    40

    • #
      robert rosicka

      Still with the Russians will they ever learn , I think American voters switch off now even if there was a valid corruption claim .
      A case of crying wolf too many times .

      50

  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    Be careful of that global warming whilst out there.

    In NZ the carbon (sic) tax is working overtime …

    Rain, strong winds and snow ahead for parts of the country as turbulent weather hits

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/weather/news/article.cfm?c_id=10&objectid=12270610&ref=rss

    If only Australia would close its coal mines, the Gibson desert would be a green Garden of Eden, and NZ would be free of freezing global warming.

    90

    • #
      Greg in NZ

      “Drive carefully on the road as we are seeing intense snowfall below the ski area. Road is reopened – 2WD vehicles must fit chains”.

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

      Three metres snow base, -5˚C max [-13˚C wind chill] 20–30 cm new snow today: “Rain, with possible thunderstorms and hail, clearing late tonight. Snow gradually lowering to 700 metres. Gale southerlies in exposed places this evening”. Warning: Don’t expose yourself.

      60

  • #
    Roy Hogue

    Only one thing I can say…ENJOY and don’t worry. We’ll all still be here when you get back. 🙂

    70

  • #
    TdeF

    I had a feeling we have not had a world ending iceberg article for some time and right on cue..

    “Iceberg the size of Sydney busts free of Antarctic shelf”

    Oh, the humanity.

    60

    • #
      Greg in NZ

      Gravity sucks. Great to see something still works.

      70

      • #
        TdeF

        I guess it’s called an ice shelf for a good reason. Sooner or later they break off and this is 1/10th the size of B15. While everyone says this is not Climate Change, they said that about bushfires. Now thanks to Climate Scientists we know all bushfires and storms are Climate Change caused by a +1C in 100 years.

        80

        • #
          theRealUniverse

          Funny about shelf ice actually breaking, of course it should stay connected and extend all the way to NZ and Australia..if it wasnt for ‘klimate chwange’ causing it.

          30

    • #
      Peter Fitzroy

      last one from that area was in the late 60’s, and this one had been predicted to break off in 2012,2013,2104,2015,2016,2017,2018….

      30

      • #
        el gordo

        ‘last one from that area was in the late 60′s …’

        Just before the great climate shift of 1976, which pulled the world out of a cool 30 years. What do we no about calving?

        40

      • #
        el gordo

        What do we know about calving?

        ‘Snow from the interior builds up and flows out to the edge of the continent. At the edges it thins, and because ice is less dense than water, it sits on top of the ocean instead of on the seabed.’

        Its not caused by global warming and sea level won’t rise.

        40

        • #
          TdeF

          Not so sure about that. I suspect it’s called a shelf for a reason, as if it is cantilevered off a glacier over the ocean and sooner or later it will snap and float. What that means is that the sea level will rise when it crashes into the water, by a fraction of a millionth, but it will rise There would be a nice tidal wave as well if it cracked suddenly. But as all water comes from the oceans and this is part of the process, it is just another part of the balance.

          What is interesting though is the steady and fast growth of the centre of Antarctica as seen and measured by satellites. As it is -25C to -50C, nothing melts and nothing moves and the water accumulates, which after all is how it came to be 3.5km thick and this process is continuing. That means while we are supposed to be anxious about bits breaking off around the edges, the question is what is happening over vast areas in the middle? It might be all in equilibrium over 10,000-100,000 years but it has only been that long since there was a glacier over New York.

          I cannot see a problem with continuing warming, less ice, more CO2 but humans should be very scared of cooling. A drop of a few degrees would see the glaciers advance over Europe, Russia, Canada and America and down from the mountains. It could be very rapid. Then we would see the seas drop dramatically. I suppose then Britons can walk back to Europe from their pile of sea shells which is a lot of the UK.

          50

          • #
            el gordo

            During the second half of the 19th century there were huge icebergs in the Southern Ocean and plenty of them. It was the end of the LIA and I’m wondering if global warming did it? There has been talk that it had something to do with Length of Day (LOD).

            50

          • #
            • #
              TdeF

              The Length of Day variation at maximum is 0.004 seconds, if I read ms as milliseconds. I suppose you could pick up the slightest variation in the earth’s core with this sort of accuracy and conservation of angular momentum. Whatever goes with the surface is probably insignificant. Ice and water only have a density of 0.9 and 1 where the iron core is up to 9. Connecting it to icebergs is a bit far fetched as they are relatively close to the South Pole. You have to measure the angular momentum from the axis and Antarctica is very close to the axis, so the contribution to angular momentum is tiny, almost zero and the mantle at the equator and low latitudes would be the major source of variations in LOD with conservation of angular momentum.

              20

      • #
        sophocles

        You’d better go back and stick your finger back in the ice shelf, Peter…

        10

    • #
      AndyG55

      “Iceberg the size of Sydney busts free of Antarctic shelf”

      a wee tiddler then !!

      50

    • #
      Another Ian

      Everything gets a turn. The MJO even got a mention again recently

      https://www.sheepcentral.com/need-for-rain-prompts-interest-in-climate-science/

      Somewhat like doing a jigsaw puzzle, except you don’t know if all the pieces are there and you can’t find those that define the edges

      00

  • #
    pat

    read all:

    30 Sept: GatewayPundit: HERE’S MORE PROOF on How Twitter is Censoring President Trump’s Account — TO HIDE HIS SUPPORT!
    Guest post by Joe Hoft
    Twitter is still censoring and shadow-banning the most talked about man in the world’s Twitter page…

    ***Twitter, Google and Facebook are involved in illegal electioneering.
    The Trump administration better act soon — or it may be too late.
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/09/heres-more-proof-on-how-twitter-is-censoring-president-trumps-account-to-hide-his-support/

    ***add Reddit – reminder:

    Wikipedia: Reddit The Donald is a ***quarantined subreddit on Reddit where the participants create discussions and memes supportive of U.S. president Donald Trump. Initially created in June 2015 following the announcement of Trump’s presidential campaign, the community has grown to over 760,000 subscribers and, as of September 2017,[needs update] is ranked as one of the most active communities on Reddit…
    In March 2017, users of r/The_Donald accused Reddit of discriminating against them when Reddit’s advertising platform portrayed r/The_Donald as having 6,000,000 subscribers instead of the 385,000 displayed on the subreddit live counter available to the public. The Reddit Director of Communications stated that the subscriber discrepancy was a simple labeling error wherein the count for “daily unique visitors” was mistakenly labeled as “subscribers” and that the error would be partially fixed by the end of the day…
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/The_Donald

    irony is The_Donald is well-known as being highly supportive of the police:

    26 Jun: DailyCaller: Reddit ‘Quarantined’ Biggest Pro-Trump Forum
    by Shelby Talcott
    Reddit restricted its largest pro-Trump forum after months of “rule-breaking behavior” and language that “incites violence” Wednesday in a rare move…
    The forum has been moderated after anti-police posts were published on the website, according to Reddit…
    Republican officials in Oregon fled the state last week to avoid having to vote on a ***cap-and-trade climate bill, and officials were trying to bring them back using the police…
    “Most recently, we have observed this behavior in the form of encouragement of violence towards police officers and public officials in Oregon,” Reddit sent to moderators of the forum as an explanation for the restrictions…
    https://dailycaller.com/2019/06/26/reddit-pro-trump-forum-quarantined/

    one big happy family. Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit is married to Serena Williams, who is on the board of Survey Monkey. Google is a long-time investor:

    24 May 2017: Bloomberg: Serena Williams Joins SurveyMonkey Board in Diversity Push
    Tennis champion Serena Williams will join the board of online-polling provider SurveyMonkey Inc., where she’s expected to advocate for diversity at the company and throughout Silicon Valley…
    Facebook Inc. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is also on the board of SurveyMonkey, where her late husband David Goldberg was CEO…
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-24/serena-williams-joins-surveymonkey-s-board-with-intuit-s-smith

    21 Feb: SeekingAlpha: Billion-Dollar Unicorns: SurveyMonkey Should Do A Platform Strategy
    by Sramana Mitra
    According to a recent report, the global online survey software market is estimated to have grown 12% annually over the period 2014 to 2018 to $2.8 billion in 2018. The industry is estimated to grow to $5.7 billion by the year 2020. Billion-Dollar Unicorn SurveyMonkey recently reported its fourth quarter results that failed to impress the market…
    Until September last year, SurveyMonkey was venture funded, having raised $1.1 billion from investors including its late CEO Dave Goldberg, Tiger Global Management, Google Capital, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, SunTrust Robinson Humphreys, Bain Capital, T Rowe Price, Social Capital, and Spectrum Equity Investors…

    23 Jan: SurveyMonkey Hires Google and Facebook Alum Joe Cummiskey to Fuel International Growth

    SurveyMonkey Raises $800 Million in Debt and Equity Recapitalization
    PALO ALTO, CA, January 17, 2013
    ***Google Inc. is also becoming a new shareholder. The combined transaction represents one of the largest capital raises by a privately-held US internet company…
    David Lawee of Google Inc. will also join the Board as an observer…
    JP Morgan is leading a syndicate providing the debt financing. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and SunTrust Bank are also participating in the debt financing…

    10

  • #
    Lance

    Traveling music for Jo and Mr. David.

    “Come What May”, Jesse Cook.

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

    20

  • #
    Greg in NZ

    Because in these topsy-turvy Tunberg times, we all need a good hearty laugh now-and-ten:

    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/09/the-week-in-pictures-whistleblower-edition.php

    Contains: That “woman in a blue dress”, Biden-Schiff-Pelosi & Co., Bernie Billionaire, Grøta as the Moaning Lisa, and a Gallery of Stolen Childhoods and Ruined Futures (pictorial). Oh yeah, and Florida Man is still at it!

    00

  • #
    Andrew McRae

    Strange women living in rocks chucking French words at you is no basis for a system of blog government.

    On the plus side, Jo will discover the tropospheric hotspot… and probably won’t be missing it much.

    30

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Friend of mine just contacted me as to why he has been getting a certain error message for a couple of days on his solar inverter app and his solar output has been shutting down .
    Seems the dreaded over voltage in his area is biting into his feed in tariff .
    Mind you at an average of 2kwh per day consumption this frugal person had a hard time even getting the solar installed .
    And no he never got it installed to save the planet just the wallet for when he retires .

    20

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: SouthChinaMorningPost:Xi Jinping ‘no dictator’, American businessman Michael Bloomberg says
    •US billionaire says it will take time to solve problems like air pollution but China is taking action
    by Wendy Wu
    https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3030970/xi-jinping-no-dictator-american-businessman-michael-bloomberg

    27 Sept:WashingtonFreeBeacon: Bloomberg: Xi Jinping Is ‘Not a Dictator’
    ‘He has to satisfy his constituents, or he’s not going to survive’
    by Graham Piro
    Michael Bloomberg told Firing Line (PBS) host Margaret Hoover that Chinese president Xi Jinping is “not a dictator” and insisted the Chinese Communist Party listens to its constituents. The comments come in the wake of the former New York mayor’s announcement of an economic forum (LINK) in Beijing this November.
    Bloomberg defended China’s ruling communist regime citing its handling of pollution and environmental policy, claiming that it is responding to the needs of citizens…

    “The Communist Party wants to stay in power in China and they listen to the public,” Bloomberg said. “When the public says ‘I can’t breathe the air,’ Xi Jinping is not a dictator. He has to satisfy his constituents, or he’s not going to survive.”
    “He’s not a dictator?” Hoover asked. “He doesn’t have a vote, he doesn’t have a democracy. He’s not held accountable by voters. Is the check on him just a revolution?”
    “No, he has a constituency to answer to,” Bloomberg responded. “You’re not going to have a revolution. No government survives without the will of the majority of its people.”…
    https://freebeacon.com/issues/bloomberg-xi-jinping-is-not-a-dictator/

    TWEET: Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, PBS
    .@MikeBloomberg tells @FiringLineShow that China’s leader is addressing pollution to satisfy constituents & secure his political future.
    “The Communist Party wants to stay in power in China and they listen to the public,” he says.
    26 Sept 2019
    https://twitter.com/FiringLineShow/status/1177397448320458753

    TWEET: Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, PBS
    This week’s guest on Firing Line is trying to teach adults about the dangers of not addressing climate change. But he’s been a familiar face to science fans for decades…
    Can you #guesstheguest? Winner will receive a @FiringLineShow mug!!
    30 Sept 2019
    VIDEO: 1min08sec (former executive director, Sierra Club) Carl Pope on acid rain, October 9, 1990
    https://twitter.com/FiringLineShow/status/1178777533250232323

    TWEET: Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, PBS
    This week’s guest is none other than @BillNye !
    Congratulations to @SillyGreenFairy on being the first to correctly guess!
    30 Sept 2019
    https://twitter.com/FiringLineShow/status/1178810064150388742

    30

    • #
      pat

      on the other hand:

      28 Sept: Daily Caller: Paul Krugman Makes A Prediction: Journalists Will Be Imprisoned Or Trump Ends Up In Jail
      Shelby Talcott
      Economist and New York Times op-ed columnist Paul Krugman suggested Friday evening that either “thousands of journalists” will be imprisoned because of the administration or President Donald Trump will end up in jail…
      The White House restricted access to other phone calls between Trump and foreign leaders, CNN reported Friday evening. Following this news, Krugman tweeted that there seemed to be “two possible outcomes.”
      “Trump and a number of others end up in jail, or thousands of journalists end up in prison camps,” Krugman, a Nobel Prize winner, suggested (LINK)…

      Krugman did not follow up his tweet with reasons as to how “thousands of journalists” would become imprisoned if Trump doesn’t spend time behind bars.

      Turkey, China and Egypt are responsible for more than half of all jailed journalists, a 2018 Forbes article reported. The report is based on data collected from the Committee to Protect Journalists, which noted that zero journalists were jailed in the U.S…

      Krugman wrote (LINK) an opinion piece Thursday titled “Impeaching Trump Is Good for the Economy.” He suggested impeachment “will slow down the administration’s war on competence,” adding that “the Nixon administration was a paragon of good government” compared to the Trump administration…
      http://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2019/09/28/paul-krugman-makes-a-prediction-journalists-will-be-imprisoned-or-trump-ends-up-in-jail/

      clearly TDS, tho maybe Krugman thinks it was “thousands” of journalists who colluded with the Dems/Deep State in the Russiagate scandal.

      10

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Due to climate change Victoriastan is greener and there are predictions forecast if it’s not hot and dry it will be cold and wet some years ?!?

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2019-10-01/climate-change-pollen-hay-fever/11545464

    20

    • #

      They make sure that all weathers get equal opportunity

      04

      • #
        Greg in NZ

        That’s show-shill-ism for you. Yet climates are on a one-way street to Gretageddon? Easy as ABCD (D for Doom, Dumb or D-minus fail).

        60

      • #
        el gordo

        Yes but its the way they slant it.

        “But in Australia we go from one extreme to the other, so even if we’re moving into a drier climate generally, there will still be years that are particularly wet that we need to look out for.”

        What was that … ‘so even if we’re moving into a drier climate generally” …. that is a big lie.

        ENSO takes Australia from one extreme to another, its the temperature and precipitation control knob, a land of drought and flooding rains.

        50

  • #
    robert rosicka

    Just thinking about the trip from Perth to Yulara and it would be a great one with a few options for 4wd fans .
    And yes going from west to east you get into the park and get to see the rock for free .
    Amazing country truly amazing .

    20

  • #
    pat

    see reply to Lance above – #24.1.1 – for Conservative Treehouse’s latest on the so-called “whistleblower” hearsay saga.

    read all:

    30 Sept: GatewayPundit: BREAKING: Author Peter Schweizer Drops Biden Corruption Documents – Shows Hunter Involved in Sale of US Company to China with Potential Military Applications
    by Jim Hoft
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/09/breaking-author-peter-schweizer-drops-biden-corruption-documents-shows-hunter-involved-in-sale-of-us-company-to-china-with-potential-military-applications/

    40

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: The Federalist: Did The Inspector General’s Office Help The ‘Whistleblower’ Try To Frame Trump?
    The ‘whistleblower’ was not acting alone, and members of the intelligence community inspector general’s office were likely providing an assist in the hoax attempt to bury President Trump
    by Margot Cleveland
    To fully grasp the depths of the deception and duplicity, however, requires a familiarity with the governing whistleblower laws. Once those laws are understood, the latest attempt by the Deep State to take down our duly elected president become even more obvious. It also becomes clear that the “whistleblower” was not acting alone, and members of the intelligence community inspector general’s office were likely providing an assist in the attempt to bury Trump. So here’s your lawsplainer…READ ALL
    https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/30/did-the-inspector-generals-office-help-the-whistleblower-try-to-frame-trump/#.XZH_4h56K6h.twitter

    Democrat Dershowitz on the regressive progressives:

    Youtube: 2min48sec: 25 Sept: Fox Business: Alan Dershowitz: Impeachment inquiry will backfire on Dems
    Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz on Pelosi’s impeachment inquiry and the White House release of the Ukraine transcript.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmtwT1mqb1Q

    27 Sept: The Hill: Alan Dershowitz: Why the Framers would reject the Democrats’ impeachment criteria
    The Framers rejected the broad criteria proposed by some, and required instead that a president could be removed only after a trial when he was convicted of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”…
    There is nothing in the (Ukraine) call that even approaches the constitutional criteria for impeachment and removal of a president. Nor does the special counsel report contain evidence that would justify impeachment. Democrats are seeking to weaponize the Constitution for partisan purposes…
    https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/463395-framers-rejected-democrats-criteria-for-impeachment-for-good-reason

    40

  • #
    pat

    26 Sept: Newsbusters: Soros Gave Global Climate Strike Partners More than $24M
    By Joseph Vazquez
    At least 22 of those partners have been funded by liberal billionaire George Soros who spends nearly $1 billion a year on groups pushing a variety of left-wing causes.
    Together, 22 organizations listed as international or North American partners of the Global Climate Strike (LINK) received at least $24,854,592 from Soros’ Open Society Network between 2000-2017…

    In recent years, Soros funding went to at least 22 of those partnering groups including 350.org, Amnesty International, Avaaz, Color of Change and People’s Action. Those groups had various climate-related agendas from reducing global carbon emissions to less than 350 parts per million, campaigning for 100 percent “clean energy,” banning new fossil fuel projects to a “green civil rights movement.”…LIST ETC
    https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/business/joseph-vazquez/2019/09/26/soros-gave-global-climate-strike-partners-more-24m

    30

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: DailyWire: BREAKING: Letter From Australian Official Emerges That Casts Doubt On Report From New York Times
    By Ryan Saavedra
    The letter, reported (LINK) by Nine News Australia’s Kerrie Yaxley, is dated May 28, 2019, from Australian Ambassador Joe Hockey to Barr, and states…LETTER

    In May, Trump said of Barr: “And I hope he looks at the U.K., and I hope he looks at Australia, and I hope he looks at Ukraine. I hope he looks at everything because there was a hoax that was perpetrated on our country.”…READ ON
    https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-letter-from-australian-official-emerges-that-casts-doubt-on-new-york-times-report/

    reminder:

    11 Jan 2017: Politico: Ukrainian efforts to sabotage Trump backfire
    Kiev officials are scrambling to make amends with the president-elect after quietly working to boost Clinton.
    By KENNETH P. VOGEL and DAVID STERN
    Ukrainian government officials tried to help Hillary Clinton and undermine Trump by publicly questioning his fitness for office. They also disseminated documents implicating a top Trump aide in corruption and suggested they were investigating the matter, only to back away after the election. And they helped Clinton’s allies research damaging information on Trump and his advisers, a Politico investigation found.

    A Ukrainian-American operative who was consulting for the Democratic National Committee met with top officials in the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington in an effort to expose ties between Trump, top campaign aide Paul Manafort and Russia, according to people with direct knowledge of the situation.
    The Ukrainian efforts had an impact in the race, helping to force Manafort’s resignation and advancing the (FAKE) narrative that Trump’s campaign was deeply connected to Ukraine’s foe to the east, Russia…
    https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/ukraine-sabotage-trump-backfire-233446

    30

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: BBC: Green developments ‘could avoid planning red tape’
    Developments that tackle climate change could avoid having to get planning permission, under proposals being considered by the Scottish government.
    Local renewable energy and electric vehicle charging are projects that may get the immediate go-ahead…

    Planning Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Planning has a key role to play in addressing climate change and radically reducing our emissions…
    “These proposals mark a new way forward for planning in Scotland.”…
    Also included in the proposals are measures to “empower people, communities and organisations to get involved in planning”…
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-49871275

    30

  • #
    Ian1946

    The wife and I are travelling by train from Caboolture to Cairns tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the state is holding up in the drought. Mrs 1946 got an issue of National Geographic to read. It is sad to see how a once respected scientific magazine is now an advocate for AGW according to them the Arctic is doomed.

    70

    • #
      gee aye

      sorry Mr 1946, the NG was never and has never claimed to be scientific insomuch as it does not report scientific findings or report anything in a scientific way. It is an ethnographic and geographic photo journal with an often misguided and patronising brief to be the educated man’s eye on the world.

      15

      • #
        robert rosicka

        In short it’s a hard left rag now that perpetuates the myth that the use of fossil fuels is killing the planet .

        50

      • #
        Peter C

        “NG was never and has never claimed to be scientific insomuch as it does not report scientific findings”

        Err…

        The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science……..
        The magazine contains articles about geography, popular science, world history, culture, current events and photography of places and things all over the world and universe.

        70

        • #
          robert rosicka

          Is it possible Fitz and ahhgee are related .

          60

        • #

          that’s the society not the journal Peter.

          00

          • #
            Peter C

            The magazine contains articles about geography, popular science, world history, culture, current events and photography of places and things all over the world and universe.

            10

            • #

              ffs… it is not a scientific journal and never has been other examples are scientific american and New Scientist. They report science they don’t publish THE science.

              00

              • #
                Peter C

                “NG was never and has never claimed to be scientific insomuch as it does not report scientific findings

                00

        • #
          MudCrab

          Possibly what Gee is suggesting is that Nat Geo has never been a publisher of scientific papers?

          In this the claim seems to be technically correct for all purposes, however I do not think it can be safely claimed that Nat Geo is not promoted as a ‘science magazine’.

          There core subject matter has always, more or less, been ‘science’, and not for example Royal Watching, relationship advice and 101 ways to feed a family of 4 for under $15. I feel confident in stating that Nat Geo has always intended to be a ‘science’ magazine, although I am completely open to debating the actual factual quality of their content.

          20

  • #
    Maptram

    The BOM is forecasting an abnormally hot run until the end of the year

    https://au.yahoo.com/news/spring-heatwave-sweep-across-australia-061933143.html

    40

  • #
    pat

    lengthy, but worth reading, so hopes don’t get too high!

    30 Sept: RealClearInvestigations: ‘Straight Shooter’ Justice Dept. Watchdog Has Held His Fire on Powerful People
    by Paul Sperry
    As Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz finalizes his probe of allegations of abuses surrounding the surveillance of a Trump campaign aide, some colleagues and Republican lawmakers say they have no doubt he’s conducted a tough, impartial investigation. They expect him to deliver a hard-hitting report, due for release next month.
    Others are more skeptical. While acknowledging that Horowitz is widely respected, these critics say his work has long been hampered by biases, conflicts and a tendency to play favorites, as in past probes of former FBI Director James Comey, whom Horowitz worked under in New York…

    ***Federal records show Horowitz volunteered on the political campaigns of several Democrats while in college and later donated to the campaign of Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, a former colleague who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination – and who has slammed Trump’s praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Horowitz, moreover, is married to a former political activist who helped run campaigns for liberal Democrats before producing programming for CNN out of its Washington bureau. Records show his wife, Alexandra Kauffman Horowitz, also contributed to Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign…READ ALL
    https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2019/09/30/straight_shooter_justice_dept_watchdog_has_held_his_fire_on_the_top_brass_120565.html

    40

  • #
    pat

    first 3min20secs only. Geraldine Doogue does the interview, even tho Hamish Macdonald is supposed to be filling in for Fran Kelly – who has been on leave for weeks – Mondays to Thursdays, with Doogue doing Fridays. Doogue gives a short, garbled & ambiguous intro. is VERY nervous throughout:

    Trump-hating Matt Bevan does the other piece on this topic – “Trump pushed Morrison to help discredit Mueller probe, (FakeNews)NYT reports” – and even quotes FakeNewsCNN as well.

    apparently, Macdonald is in China, & does extensive piece from there, later in the program.

    Downer admits, for the first time, that it was he who passed the “info” on to the FBI:

    AUDIO: 9min39sec: 1 Oct: ABC Breakfast: Alexander Downer says he knew nothing about Trump-Morrison call
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/alexander-downer-says-he-knew-nothing-about-trump-morrison-call/11562692

    1 Oct: Channel 10 Australia: Explained: How Alexander Downer Instigated The Russia Investigation
    by Alex Bruce-Smith
    ***Downer, with permission from the Australian government, then informed FBI agents about potential Russian meddling, which paved the way for the initial FBI probe and later, the Robert Mueller investigation…
    Speaking to ABC Radio this morning, Downer — who was booked for the interview prior to the Times report — said he didn’t “have a clue” about the Morrison-Trump phone call…
    “I mean, I had a conversation with this guy, ***I passed on the conversation or that one element of the conversation to the Americans and there’s just nothing more to it. I can’t offer you any more information.”…
    https://10daily.com.au/news/world/a190930ghqjw/explained-how-australian-alexander-downer-instigated-the-russia-investigation-20191001

    SMH seem to be hedging their bets!

    1 Oct: Sydney Morning Herald: Donald Trump asked Scott Morrison to help discredit Mueller probe
    By Matthew Knott
    He forwarded the information on to officials in Canberra, ***who then passed on to US intelligence services, who had also received warnings from Five Eyes’ intelligence services.
    Speaking on Radio National on Tuesday morning, Mr Downer said: “I’ve got nothing to say about it beyond what I’ve ever said … I mean I had a conversation with this guy, ***I passed on the conversation or that one element of the conversation to the Americans and there’s just nothing more to it.”….
    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/donald-trump-asked-scott-morrison-to-help-discredit-mueller-probe-20191001-p52wfh.html

    20

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: RenewEconomy: Two huge renewable hydrogen projects planned for Queensland
    by Giles Parkinson
    Two huge renewable hydrogen projects have been planned for the heart of Queensland’s major coal and gas regions, with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency agreeing to initiate funding to support feasibility studies to use large-scale renewables for the production of ammonia.
    One proposal is to build a solar farm of up to 210MW along with a 160MW hydrogen electrolyser to produce renewable hydrogen and “green ammonia” at Dyno Nobel’s existing facilities at Moranbah in central Queensland, which currently rely on gas.

    The second proposal is to tap into wind and solar and storage facilities to be built by Neoen to use renewable hydrogen to supply one fifth of the ammonia needs from Queensland Nitrates ammonia plant near Moura, which also currently relies only on gas.
    The two Queensland projects add to a growing list of renewable hydrogen proposals across the country, not just for the purposes of storing wind and solar for electricity, but also to help reduce emissions in key manufacturing industries such as ammonia production, and for the export of renewable fuels.

    The advantages of these two projects is that both facilities currently use hydrogen, have customers, and are simply looking at whether sourcing the hydrogen from cheap wind and solar and electrolysers can offer a cheaper and cleaner deal than with the gas they use now or other fossil fuels…READ ON
    https://reneweconomy.com.au/two-huge-renewable-hydrogen-projects-planned-for-queensland-57207/

    20

  • #
    pat

    30 Sept: WashingtonExaminer: Church of Sweden proclaims Greta Thunberg ‘successor to Jesus Christ’ in resurfaced tweet
    by Ellie Bufkin
    The Church of Sweden declared teen star climate activist Greta Thunberg to be an appointed successor to Jesus Christ in a 2018 tweet that resurfaced in the wake of her speech before the United Nations.

    “Announcement! Jesus of Nazareth has now appointed one of his successors, Greta Thunberg,” the tweet said on Dec. 1, 2018. The account, operated by the Limhamns Church, had previously tweeted several sentiments of climate activism…

    After some backlash in December when the tweet was published, the church posted a second tweet that suggested “success” could be interpreted in more than one way. Shortly after, the entire account was abandoned, with a sign-off message that defended the original celebration…
    The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden, though it ceased to be the official state religion in 2000.
    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/church-of-sweden-proclaims-greta-thunberg-successor-to-jesus-christ-in-resurfaced-tweet

    the church is not alone:

    16 Sept: TheBlaze: Sarah Silverman likens teen climate activist Greta Thunberg to Jesus: ‘He is this girl’
    ‘You think you will recognize Jesus when he comes back? I see him all around.’
    Silverman added in a follow-up tweet: “The irony of it being most lost on the evangelicals who preach Noah and ark and are so totally blind to it all happening right in front of their eyes.”…
    https://www.theblaze.com/news/sarah-silverman-likens-climate-activist-greta-thunberg-to-jesus

    40

    • #
      OriginalSteve

      “24
      And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

      25
      And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

      26
      Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

      27
      And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

      Hmmmm…Greta isnt Jesus….not even close…

      30

  • #
    Kalm Keith

    The world has achieved total weirdness of thought, word and deed.

    Freaky man freaky.

    30

  • #
  • #
    tom0mason

    Yabba-dabba-do!

    UAH Global Temperature Update for September, 2019: +0.61 deg. C.
    See http://www.drroyspencer.com/2019/10/uah-global-temperature-update-for-september-2019-0-61-deg-c/
    The usual idioŧs can hyperventilate about that now.

    All I can muster is — SO WHAT? followed by —
    .
    .
    The minutia of monthly global temperature does not show us very much about how the climate is changing. The differential between the poles and the equator should tell us more about the weather changes, and the solar effects (and the way the sun affects the oceans, and atmospheric variability) governs how our weather changes as a short term average (1-30 years).

    Beyond about 30+ years, yes global temperature can indicate whether any temperature change was(is) significant or not, however it does not tell us how or why the climate changes in any region,
    as climate (long term changes in weather patterns) is only ever regional, never global.

    10