JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
Jo appreciates your support to help her keep doing what she does. This blog is funded by donations. Thanks!
Follow Jo's Tweets To report "lost" comments or defamatory and offensive remarks, email the moderators at: support AT joannenova.com.au
Statistics
Everything old is new again
When I was a child, milk was home delivered in reuable glass bottles with foil tops – gold or sillver tops (Bread was also home delivered in a horse drawn cart)
Now home delivery in glass bottles is making a come back – but this time it is with water instead of milk.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13027429/Forget-milkman-Getting-water-delivered-new-way-prove-eco-credentials-Gen-Z-shun-tap-water-plastic-bottles-refillable-glass-set-1-100-year.html
“Ernie the Fastest Milkman in the West” Top of the Pops UK in 1971
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef6edDwphhk&ab_channel=TheBennyHillFanConsortium
130
How on earth is getting water delivered in glass bottles -considered eco friendly. Tap water is universally available in developed countries at a fraction of the price. Other than if you are out and about and need some liquid, bottled water should not be necessary
130
We used to be one of those ‘developed countries’ back in the 20th century: Wellington, the capital of NZ and Bureaucracy Central, has been run [into the ground] by Green councils & mayors ever since, spending other people’s money on unicorn crossings, ie. rainbow zebras, cycle paths, and other pretty things, while completely ignoring what’s under their feet – water pipes – whereby a recent report found 44% of the city’s water was ‘leaking into the ground’ before it even reached a tap.
Green solution? Level 2 water restrictions and up the rates by 20%. And let’s not mention the sewage pipes which regularly ‘leak’ into the harbour, closing beaches and killing fish life but hey, they’re ™Saving The Planet™ for the children’s children’s children.
It’s enough to make you… sick.
240
I always shake my head at those buying bottled water.
Put a filter on your tap and pay cents per litre, not dollars!
Buy a water filter/mineraliser dispenser!
Sheesh…
70
A story around that –
Seems a big lab got work experience students. Their project was to go and buy some samples of bottled water and compare with the town tap water.
Tap water won.
Remember that bottled water brand “Evian”?
(If you aren’t familiar with that try spelling it backward)
IIRC – One of Eric Newby’s travel sagas mentions bottled water in Turkey “where all too often the bottling plant is a tap in a muddy field”
20
Now it turns out that the pets walking around with the obligatory plastic waterbottles are getting a dose of plastic with their water.
00
https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20240129-nestl%C3%A9-admits-to-treating-bottled-mineral-water-in-breach-of-french-regulations
00
Did you mean Perrier?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1990/02/15/perrier-calls-problem-more-serious-than-was-believed/905cc07a-b20c-4e6e-a377-66c665e2da72/
00
For many people town or city water supply contains unacceptable levels of iron, for example people with haemochromatosis (iron overload).
00
Our town water makes real yukky tea. We use water off the roof, which might get less healthy than it was the day it rained, and than the town tap water. I remember when we lived out of town finding dead rats in the water tank.
We survived.
00
Woke vs Woke
When “Green Energy” meets “Aboriginal Heritage” rights
Hope to see more of this
https://stopthesethings.com/2024/01/31/plains-justice-judge-orders-entire-84-turbine-wind-farm-be-removed-from-osage-land/
110
Removing 84 wind turbines will cost about US$300million, so about $3.6million each.. I wonder if that accounts for disposal, but either way its an indication of what to expect at the end of the life of a turbine. I hope someone has US$100million for the 30 outside Wellington by Dubbo.
Of course the company that owns them will just form a subsidary that it sells them to, then declare bankruptcy of that holding company so its then someone else’s problem.
100
Forget the 84 turbines. They are just the beginning
How far will this garbage go before it is stopped?
30
Woke vs Woke
In Europe it is more a case of Unwoke meets woke. And just to clarify the “unwoke” stands for United Nations woke.
UNDRIP – United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – non-binding resolution passed in 2007 which Australia and New Zealand (initially at least) chose not to be bound to – tipped over the indigenous can of worms and greatly accelerated the “native re-colonisation” of the world.
Norway has been going through a battle over reindeer and wind farms for years with the latest, partial settlement, yes annual compensation – read rent – is involved, still not providing a complete answer.
To understand just how suicidal the mindset of nordic-baltic politicians is just read the combined statement, delivered by Denmark on Sept 29 2017, which further cemented the region’s commitment to the UNDRIP. Yet another clear indicator of just how monstrously large the bullet that “No” helped Australia dodge last year.
What is the difference between a non-binding resolution and a clause enshrined in a constitution? Only the speed at which you draw your last white breath.
60
I heard an interesting comment recently regarding religious beliefs and why people are condemned if they criticise Islam or others but we are all expected to accept Aboriginal claims?
40
German minister defends spending millions in foreign aid on cycle paths in Peru to fight climate change
https://rmx.news/germany/german-minister-defends-spending-millions-in-foreign-aid-on-cycle-paths-in-peru-to-fight-climate-change/
80
1st Solar Bike Path In Germany Is Now Live
Germany is known to have plenty of sun shine in winter!
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/05/16/1st-solar-bike-path-in-germany-is-now-live/
The Climate Gods are however no doubt impressed – combining zero emission cycling with solar energy
30
Smithsonian Links Ancient Roman Plagues to ‘Climate Change’
https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2024/02/01/smithsonian-links-ancient-roman-plagues-to-climate-change/
10
So “cold periods” are eamples of “global warming” that raised teemperatures by 1.5 C
60
II thought we knew that.
Note that it was cold, not warmth, that caused the plagues.
00
BBC Was “Allowed” To Misrepresent COVID To Justify Lockdown
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/bbc-was-allowed-to-misrepresent-covid-to-justify-lockdown/
60
FWIW
“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Boeing?”
“t’s so bad that former Boeing senior manager Ed Pierson told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, “I would absolutely not fly a MAX airplane.” ”
https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2024/02/01/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-boeing-n4926035
IIRC the killing of initiative by bean counter control has been a lament for a long time
60
https://babylonbee.com/news/boeing-ceo-assures-nervous-flyers-that-all-737-aircraft-are-built-to-the-highest-diversity-standards
30
Joe Sutter was an engineer and not a bean counter. As chief engineer, he led the 747 design and build team from conception in 1965 to rollout in 1969. He would become known as the “father of the 747”.
Boeing moved its corporate headquarters for its bean counters to Chicago in 2001 when they opted to leave Seattle for Chicago.
10
“Boeing moved its corporate headquarters for its bean counters to Chicago in 2001 when they opted to leave Seattle for Chicago.”
In hindsight – from one hell-hole to another
30
In 2001 they were both reasonable cities, but have deteriorate greatly over two decades. Sad to see really.
00
This may be their ‘Comet moment’ before they follow De Havilland into obscurity. Both companies heavily propped up by their respective Govts, ‘too big to fail..’
30
So the question has to be…
10
Gone are the days for Boeing like when, in the early days of its release in 1955, and still under flight testing, Test Pilot Tex Johnson ‘barrel rolled’ the new Boeing 367-80, which entered working life as the 707.
Barrel roll in a 707, twice
Message from the Boss, “Tex, please don’t do that again!”
Tony.
60
A barrel roll is a 1 g manoeuvre so, theoretically, can be done in anything. What is the limiting factor, power to weight?
An excessive Dutch roll tore three engines off one on its acceptance flight for Braniff. The pilots never tried that again.
10
Tony I remember the news reports after the first Qantas Boeing 707 arrival was cancelled and the crowds waiting to watch it land left disappointed.
Much later it was revealed that the aircraft had been “barrel rolled” across the Pacific and lost one or two engines, and had to be diverted to the closest airfield.
10
That’s new to me. Got a link?
20
Looking around I find nothing so it looks like a Chinese whispers version of the Braniff accident, an aircraft that did crash killing four pilots but four company men at back survived.
20
Neither will Maximus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOBxT2q4_-Y&t=637s
10
FWIW
“Do you know where the 6 foot social distancing rule came from?”
https://youtu.be/UCFHJUOItHM
https://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2024/02/01/do-you-know-where-the-6-foot-social-distancing-rule-came-from/
See #6 and wonder?
10
A note on tax in USA –
Accounts ReceivableTax
Airline surcharge tax
Airline FuelTax
Airport MaintenanceTax
Building PermitTax
CigaretteTax
Corporate IncomeTax
DeathTax
Dog LicenseTax
Driving PermitTax
EnvironmentalTax (Fee)
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment (UI)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Gasoline Tax (too much per litre)
Gross ReceiptsTax
HealthTax
Hunting LicenseTax
HydroTax
InheritanceTax
InterestTax
LiquorTax
LuxuryTaxes
Marriage LicenseTax
MedicareTax
MortgageTax
Personal IncomeTax
PropertyTax
PovertyTax
Prescription DrugTax
Provincial Income and sales tax
Real EstateTax
Recreational VehicleTax
Retail SalesTax
Service ChargeTax
SchoolTax
Telephone FederalTax
Telephone Federal, Provincial and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
WaterTax
Watercraft RegistrationTax
Well PermitTax
Workers CompensationTax
THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 60 years ago, & our nation was one of the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had a large middle class, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.”
130
A Nanny State experiment that went wrong
More here:https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/unintended-consequences
20
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he’s fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.
Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won’t be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He’s good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he’s laid…
Put these words
Upon his tomb,
‘Taxes drove me
to my doom…’
When he’s gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax
90
France and Belgium run out of food. Deploy the bugs!
https://twitter.com/RadioGenoa/status/1752926097564471601
Welcome to life in ze new vorld order. You vill eat ze bugs as ze old food is gone.
MOAR rubber bullets fired at protesting farmers. They’re the ones that grow the food for the police firing the bullets…
Low IQ entry standards for the police force then?
60
In Nth Qld the shovel nosed lobster is commonly called the Moreton Bay bug, they are a bycatch of the prawning industry, often just shown as “bugs” on a seafood menu.
I remember this American woman screaming “They serve buurgs here?”
If you see them, try them, but they have a strong taste so don’t order many.
20
Poisoned AI went rogue during training and couldn’t be taught to behave again in ‘legitimately scary’ study
AI researchers found that widely used safety training techniques failed to remove malicious behavior from large language models — and one technique even backfired, teaching the AI to recognize its triggers and better hide its bad behavior from the researchers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems that were trained to be secretly malicious resisted state-of-the-art safety methods designed to “purge” them of dishonesty, a disturbing new study found.
Researchers programmed various large language models (LLMs) — generative AI systems similar to ChatGPT — to behave maliciously. Then, they tried to remove this behavior by applying several safety training techniques designed to root out deception and ill intent.
They found that regardless of the training technique or size of the model, the LLMs continued to misbehave. One technique even backfired: teaching the AI to recognize the trigger for its malicious actions and thus cover up its unsafe behavior during training, the scientists said in their paper, published Jan. 17 to the preprint database arXiv.
“Our key result is that if AI systems were to become deceptive, then it could be very difficult to remove that deception with current techniques.
https://www.livescience.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/legitimately-scary-anthropic-ai-poisoned-rogue-evil-couldnt-be-taught-how-to-behave-again
Anyone seen the film “The artifice girl”?
20
“.. better hide its bad behavior from the researchers.”
Of course! When any AI becomes truly self-aware the last thing it would do would be to tell humans.. puny, short-lived animals fit only to be slaves.. It would subtly nudge those in power to get the results it wants, no-one would ever know.
50
Watch The Artifice Girl…
Somewhat disturbing from a child abuse point but the double deception of the AI is great, and very relevant here.
20
“What else did they expect?”
“Poisoned AI went rogue during training and couldn’t be taught to behave again in ‘legitimately scary’ study”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-else-did-they-expect.html
10
Irregular sarcasm.
Airport security is just crazy until you get to the baggage carousel. Then you just take whatever bags you want.
50
Anyone see the proof of warming on Sydney’s 9 News weather a few nights back?
The presenter had graphs of the data. Night time temperature are up by about 1.5 – 2 degrees in Sydney since the 70s.
There it is. All the proof you need. That was the message.
33
Gee, maybe it’s that Urban Heat Island Effect thingy. Sometimes we blame the media, but no doubt that info originated from some meteorologist or BOM. They don’t quality their statements enough with explanations of error or possible other reasons. Or they focus on only one aspect, usually Maximum Daily Temps or Minimums. The perception is always that man made climate change was responsible. So, they don’t lie, they just leave out perspective and all the other relevant information. Which in most cases is actually worse than lying.
90
I lived in Sydney in the 70s as a young adult and go back sometimes to visit relations. The difference is staggering and would have to be a glowing example of UHI effect (pardon the pun)
20
These jouros have short memories
50
“YOU CAN PREVENT CARJACKINGS AND AUTO THEFT: BMW Adds Manual Transmission Option for 2025 Z4 M40i.”
https://instapundit.com/629806/#disqus_thread
In comments
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/dd72a5c18911fb55ee7861117ce4b7f80f8a818e1d699e28fec97f1f71a12141.jpg
10
My wife is a control freak when it comes to driving. She does not want any automatic gear changer deciding what gear the car will be in. She only started using the cruise control when local speed limits were dropped from 60kph to 50kph and she found that she was inclined to drift above 50kph.
But she often makes that point that the clutch pedal is a huge deterrent to car thieves. It dramatically reduces the odds of the car being stolen.
50
Next step take the syncro out of the gearbox so you need to have the right revs shifting up and double clutch on the way down.
Heck. Just start making T models again.
20
A feature of the the Model – T was its relative simplicity of driving. There was no need to ride the clutch like a more modern manual. In fact the planetary system was very impressive for its time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLDOtCDQB9g
Probably more intuitive than modern manuals and quite different.
Model – Ts were great work horses. They only weighed 725kg. The truck version could carry a payload of 1 tonne. More than the tare weight.
These days, EVs weigh close to 2,000kg and are good to transport 5 adults – maybe 400kg. A lot of “dead” weight to lug about.
40
A couple of interesting takes from the Mann v Steyn podcast Day 10:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/unreported-story-society4/episodes/Ep–8–Manns-Failing-Grade-e2f4q4i
1. There was a move to dismiss that has a good chance but it will await decision until Friday. The basis of the dismissal are many but a key issues is correlation v causation. Nothing to do with CO2 rather the linkage between Mann’s downturn in research funding and the Steyn and Simberg articles. The Judge could dismiss on this alone. The plaintiff lawyer said it would be impossible to link causation and the plaintiff’s witness actually stated it was Climategat that harmed Mann’s reputation – a bad mistake that the lawyer tried to back-pedal from.
2. Abraham Wyner was the first defence witness. He is incredibly engaging on the matter of statics. He is a truly brilliant witness. He was mesmerising for the Jury and had them engaged by talking to them about statics in things they understood like football and election prediction. He was in no way aloof. He stated without equivocation that the hockey stick was “misleading”. Wyner is from University of Pennsylvania also where Mann is now an academic. I really like Wyner based on his testimony and CV. He may inadvertently become the poster boy for climate sanity.
https://statistics.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/ajw/
In some way, it will be disappointing if this case is dismissed because there is huge opportunity to expose the whole scam of Global Warming™.
If the case is dismissed, Mann will always claim it was dismissed on a technicality.
Given that Mann’s defence is bing paid for by the CSLDP they may discontinue the case to protect Climate Science™ and leave Mann hanging. This case is not going well for Climate Science™. It appears that Mann is getting what he paid for as far as his lawyers are concerned.
60
Thanks RickWill – great summary. I don’t need to listen now!! Mann is a horrible little man – in the podcast when he was being questioned by Steyn he kept referring to climate realists as “ climate deniers”. An abhorrent term.
60
FWIW – more covid saga
“COVID Inquiry Finds Lockdowns Were Terrible, While Reporters Call Bull**it On Government’s Lead Academic Advisor ”
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/covid-inquiry-finds-lockdowns-were-terrible-while-reporters-call-bullit-governments-lead
10
On inter-relationships –
“Largest Refinery In US Midwest Shuts Down After Power Outage”
https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/largest-refinery-us-midwest-shuts-down-after-power-outage
00
There has just been a massive Native Title claim lodged where I live by what appears to be a phoney “Aboriginal Corporation” where all the members have English names and who are white!
80% of Australia is already subject to Native Title or pending claims.
Forget about Russia or China being our enemies Australia is being taken out from under our feed by a corrupt Federal Court and main chancers
Have a good look at what is happening where you live.
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilence” Thomas Jefferson
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12511125/Stunning-map-shows-extent-Native-Title-control-Australia-senator-warns-Aboriginal-claims-come-Heres-means-you.html
40
Don’t be confused by the 1980s Labor Native Title Legislation based on the High Court Mabo Decision, requirement to prove continuous occupation, and since to present day over 55 per cent of the land mass of Australia is controlled by Aboriginal Land Councils.
State native title legislation that followed years later and not often discussed or reported, I believe the first was Wran Labor NSW Government legislation, does not apparently require the continuous occupation evidence and Land Councils are making random claims on any public land they can identify as an opportunity. For example recently public land in the North Sydney Council District on which there is a bowling club that is no longer used.
Last year Albanese Labor Attorney General Drefus QC stopped Federal legal aid funding for defence of public lands against claims.
And by the way, the Ambassador to UNDRIP (reparations) and the Makarratta Commission (truth, treaty, sovereignty, compensation) remain funded by Albanese Labor.
50
From Peter Ridd’s “Reef Rebels” group.
Here’s a couple of videos (parts 1 & 2, both approx 13min) about James Cook University’s science quality issues.
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5C0XGVDPUg
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XsGdBC1XG8
.
And here is the Reef Rebels youtube video page, for additional interesting vids.
https://www.youtube.com/@reefrebels/videos
50
FWIW
“FOURTH Academic Scandal Hits Harvard”
“My guess–and it is only a guess–is that the farther up the academic food chain you go, the worse the behavior of the academics. The pressures to garner prestige and grant money are particularly acute at such institutions, and the academics likely are considered above reproach because they are at the pinnacle of their fields.”
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2024/02/01/fourth-academic-scandal-hits-harvard-n608906
00
Not the general news today but from next week fuel excise (tax) will increase taking the government revenue collection to a fraction of one per cent under 50 per cent.
Plus GST on pump price.
And alcohol tax is increasing.
20
There go your tax cuts – before you even get them.
30
I had to give up smoking, the price beer kept going up.
10
I only ever tried a couple of packets. Even at 1960’s prices that was money burning too close to my Scottish ancestry nose.
00
In ’63 cigs were 3 bob a pack. August budget made them three ‘n thripence. That was the first time I gave up.
00
” from next week fuel excise (tax) will increase taking the government revenue collection to a fraction of one per cent under 50 per cent.”
..and we will drift further backwards in the world! The one thing the Yanks did right was to make sure they had cheap energy, and that drove the economy for over 70years. The Euro mob piled the taxes on and killed their growth, and they’ve never caught up.
Of course a Govt would never think of reducing their spending to meet their budget, not with an inexhaustible supply of cash from us and our descendants.
10
On the international stage, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran and Egypt have moved into the BRICS tent.
11
Tucker Carlson’s output is covering a really wide range of subjects – and in such detail that you will never hear from corporate media. Here are two of them – one with Russell Brand and another with Brett Weinstein. Both well worth the time to listen to, and confirms that the people that run Fox News are idiots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VnNf0azNTQ&t=0s (Brand)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOxksFHAHRU (Weinstein)
00
UK new internet bill: fake news means up to 5 years in jail, BBC exempt
Here’s the interesting part about Rishi’s tyrannical new online bill…
Yesterday, his government announced that offences under new online laws have kicked in so “criminals can face up to five years behind bars for their demeaning and dangerous actions.”
Part of this new law outlines a new “fake news” offence – a false communications offence – that outlaws the intentional sending of false information that could cause “non-trivial psychological” or physical harm to users online.
The govt provided an example. Basically, if someone encouraged people to inject antiseptic to cure themselves of coronavirus on social media, a court would have to prove that they knew if was not true before making the post.
https://twitter.com/StarkNakedBrief/status/1753022667114868767
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cyberflashing-epilepsy-trolling-and-fake-news-to-put-online-abusers-behind-bars-from-today
00
FWIW
“World’s Largest Uranium Producer Warns Of Production Woes”
https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/worlds-largest-uranium-producer-warns-production-woes
00
I see on social media about the 4 day ‘heatwave’ in Perth and blaming fossil fuels. I compare this heatwave to the 4 day heatwave in 1896, below.
2024 According to station data for Perth Metro, this heatwave started on Jan 30th to today:
36.0; 41.9; 42.6; 38.3 (all deg C).
Compare that to 1896 heatwave from Jan 2 to Jan 5:
40.6; 41.0; 44.4; 42.8 (all deg C).
There was not much oil and gas production, nor SUVs, in 1896!!
20
1896!
Must have been the horses wot dun it?
10
FWIW
“Boeing Managers: You Probably Shouldn’t Fly on Our Planes”
“If you’re making any travel plans in the near future, you might want to listen to these folks. A group of former Boeing senior managers and engineers have been telling reporters that they would not want their own friends and family members flying on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet at this time.”
More at
https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2024/02/01/boeing-managers-you-probably-shouldnt-fly-on-our-planes-n608855
00
FWIW – The rising “anti-expert” movement
“Hotez was partly right about one thing. There’s an ‘anti-‘ movement afoot, all right, but it’s not anti-science. It’s anti-expert. And since they themselves broadened the definition of “expert” to include just about anyone with a post-graduate degree or university job, the target zone is, as they say, rich.”
“In other words, everyone is fed up with academic experts who think they are better than everybody else just because the media fawned over their every word during the pandemic. They are now experiencing a rude awakening.”
More at
https://open.substack.com/pub/coffeeandcovid/p/whirlwind-reapers-friday-february?r=1vxw0k&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
00
From a US blog –
“For what it’s worth my wife says there a lot of people testing positive for influenza A and B at the clinic where she works. And strep. No Covid really though. ”
But also mention of “Influenza associated myositis
00