Tuesday

8.6 out of 10 based on 20 ratings

161 comments to Tuesday

  • #
    tonyb

    Who would be an armed forces chief demanding billions for the latest hitech weaponry when modern warfare seems to have rapidly become the province of cheap drones

    https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3251700/russia-launches-45-drones-mass-barrage-ukraine-zelensky-continues-war-cabinet-reshuffle

    It is said that the British Navy in attempting to protect the Red Sea shipping routes against the Houthis are using £100,000 pound missiles to down a £1000 drone. Is the answer to have drones-aerial and sea and land borne- of all levels of sophistication? Cheap ones with limited electronics might sneak under the radar whilst sophisticated ones in enough quantities might get through to a Battleship or multi million airplane.

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    • #
      Dennis

      24 June 2020

      Upgraded Phalanx 20mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS) are to be progressively rolled out across major RAN fleet units, including the two Canberra-class Land Helicopter Docks (LHDs), Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced on 22 June.

      The first system upgraded to the Block 1B Baseline 2 configuration had already reached initial operating capability (IOC) aboard the air warfare destroyer HMAS Sydney, which was commissioned in May, the Minister said in a statement last week.

      The upgraded capability would now be progressively installed through to 2023 aboard the RAN’s two other Hobart-class AWDs, the two LHDs, and the two Supply-class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) vessels, the first of which will enter service later this year and the second in 2022, she added.

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      • #
        RickWill

        The tungsten rounds for a 20mm Phalanx cost something like USD95 per round. So reloading the 1550 magazine for 20 seconds of firing cost USD150k.

        Drones are an absolute game changer in warfare.

        The cardboard drones Australia is selling to Ukraine cost AUD3500 – say 25 phalanx rounds a 0.3 second burst. Only one round would need to hit the drone but the cardboard is essentially invisible to radar.. They have a payload capacity of 5kg. Just one of those loaded with high explosive getting to a commercial vessel would cripple global shipping for months.

        A single drone took Heathrow airport out of action and was not done with evil intention.

        Ukraine is now producing low cost drones with a range of 1000km and targeting Russian infrastructure. Drones are a serious threat mainly because they are low cost so can be built in the thousands very quickly.
        https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-produce-thousands-long-range-drones-2024-minister-says-2024-02-12/

        KYIV, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Ukraine will produce thousands of long-range drones capable of deep strikes into Russia in 2024 and already has up to 10 companies making drones that can reach Moscow and St Petersburg, Ukraine’s digital minister said.

        Imagine trying to stop a series of drones launched from numerous sites headed for Moscow.

        In time, every international commercial ship will need anti-drone capability. It is not possible to have enough naval vessels to counter drone attacks on commercial shipping.

        China has microwave pulse weapons that can take out drones and there may be laser weapons that can also do the job. But these need to be deployed onto commercial ships or in geographic nets.

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        • #
          Sceptical+Sam

          The tungsten rounds for a 20mm Phalanx cost something like USD95 per round. So reloading the 1550 magazine for 20 seconds of firing cost USD150k.

          You might like to check the arithmetic, Rick.

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          • #
            Sceptical+Sam

            I’ve given myself a red thumb for inattention. Since everybody else was for too polite.

            🙂

            Apologies Rick.

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      • #
        Yarpos

        Tha Phalanx is not exactly a cheap system system either and more of a last resort system when the threat has got close in. When faced with a dispersed swarm it would be challenged. The answer to these things is probably more a electronic warfare issue, and even then it will start the usual round of measures and counter measures.

        Moving away from ships, the modern battlefield is unimaginable with swarms of drones and precision munitions. The toll has been ghastly, yet the old war mongers who risk nothing (and some who profit) are ever eager to throw more young people into the cauldron.

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    • #
      CO2 Lover

      “Generals are always preparing for the last war”

      Same with Admirals – Australia’s defence brain trust is committing some $240 billion for manned submarines which are already obsolete and will not arrive for another decade.

      Meanwhile China is developing extra laarge submarine drones

      https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/09/chinas-secret-extra-large-submarine-drone-program-revealed/

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      • #
        John Connor II

        Manned submarines. How quaint.
        All scheduled for post 2032 delivery…LOL…

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      • #
        Graeme#4

        I believe the U.S. also has long-range sub drones.

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        • #
          Dennis

          The being designed in Sydney Australia by Andril Australia (US firm) for the RAN is the RAN version of the now flying Boeing Australia RAAF Ghost Bat drone jet fighter, both designed to be force multipliers to accompany crewed assets or remote controlled or solo or in numbers missions.

          Ghost Bat is next phase of Joint Strike Fighter programme that designed and built the F-35 Lightning stealth jet fighters now flying with many allied airforces, and Ghost Bat is intended to be offered to them once fully developed by RAAF and Boeing here.

          I did read that the “mother ship” concept is part of the tactical role for both air and sea large drones, and consider very long range attack nuclear submarines starting for RAN with operational Virginia Class US design and later the next generation nuclear submarine for all three AUKUS partners.

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    • #
      Ted1.

      May I change the topic.?

      A quarter of an hour ago the headline in The Oz said 400,000 out of power in Victoria.

      5 minutes ago it was 500.000.

      They are blaming Loy Yang.

      Have we hit the wall?

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      • #
        Dennis

        Ignorant people are blaming the power station, the fact was that transmission lines a considerable distance away caused destabilisation of the electricity grid and Loy Yang protection system shut it down.

        From comments I have read people do not understand that adding more transmission lines from wind and solar to a brand new electricity grid of transmission lines adds to to potential transmission line related problems.

        It makes much more sense to retain power stations and as needed replace them using the existing locations and existing electricity grid, the dedicated new grid is only for wind and solar transmission efficiency.

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      • #
        Ronin

        Huge storm took out power pylons, tens of thousands in the dark, get used to it, more is on the way.

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        • #
          Sceptical+Sam

          That’s why they love Climate Change.

          It’s the modern “Get Out of Gaol Free” card.

          Those CO2 generated winds are blowing like never before. Unprecedented.

          Similarly, I’m surprised Callide C crash hasn’t been blamed on Climate Change. Anything to cover up the sabotage.

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  • #
    • #
      David Maddison

      Watch that piece of land turn revert to a crine-ridden garbage dump now.

      Residents who have used the land for decades are likely to be barred from entering, despite clearing mowing and maintaining the property which was once a rubbish dump for car parts, and infested with rats and snakes. 

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    • #
      Dennis

      This land grab is of State legislation following the Federal Labor Native Title (Mabo decision based requiring continuous occupancy) of late 1980s and since over 55 per cent of Australia is now controlled by Aboriginal Land Councils.

      During 2023 the Federal Government cancelled funding for defence of claims for public lands by Aboriginal groups.

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      • #
        CO2 Lover

        55 per cent of Australia is now controlled by Aboriginal Land Councils.

        Add in pending claims and this goes up to around 80%

        White Australians are having land stolen from under their feet. This should be front page news but the treasonous MSM are silent.

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        • #
          John Connor II

          It’ll be like S. Africa – a totally crime-ridden, mismanaged, economic basketcase, white-hating sh#thole.

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      • #
        KP

        …down the same path as New Zealand with the maoris.. In a decade or two you won’t own the beaches in Australia, the National Parks, the forests, or the lakes, and you can look forward to co-governance on all Councils and State Govts. Next will be the set of separate laws for people of different ‘races’, even if they often look the same.

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      • #
        CO2 Lover

        Aboriginal Land Councils.

        Many of these so called land councils in urban areas have been set up by opportunistic “white” people who just claim Aboriginal ancestory without having to provide any supporting evidence.

        This is a huge scandal but you would be called a “racist” if you complained about these unelected bodies now on track to control 80% of land which should be owned by ALL Australians and not by fraudsters.

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        • #
          Dennis

          Labor have been behind the Aboriginal activists since at least 1960s when the activists were first advised by the Communist Party of Australia and through them introduced to the US Black Panther Organisation that gave Australian Aboriginal activists political agenda material and guidance support.

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  • #
    tonyb

    The title says it all but what is shocking is the current state of Mark Steyn, obviously in poor health and pictured in a wheel chair

    https://dailysceptic.org/2024/02/11/the-travesty-of-mark-steyns-libel-loss-to-hockey-stick-climate-chart-creator-michael-mann/

    I haven’t heard of any go fund me type of activity by any of the sceptical blogs or should they wait until any appeal?

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    • #
      David Maddison

      The ruthless way Mark Steyn and others have been treated by the Left is a warning to anyone else who dares to question the Official Narrative.

      They won’t stop until you are sick or dead, and/or bankrupt.

      Note also (as someone wrote here the other day), that Mann has stated to court that he is not paying any legal fees, they are covered by other parties.

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      • #
        Bruce

        The ENTIRE Steyn / Mann Caper is another heavily-funded exercise in provocation and humiliation, “pour encourager les aotres”, as they say in the classics.

        The BIG questions are:

        What is the ‘timetable’ for all of this intense and co-ordinated suppression of real people?

        What are the usual suspects planning / initiating that makes them certain it will not be popular with the peasants?

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      • #
        TdeF

        It’s not the left. Or not directly. Man made CO2 driven climate change is supported by vast numbers of climate baggers. And even larger numbers in the public service, many departments totally dependent on the truth of man made Co2 driven Climate Change. It’s very big business.

        I cannot see the 1 million $ punitive damages can stand. Mann lost. But he could care less about his reputation and the truth. It’s all about the money and always has been. My reading of it is that he dropped out of his Physics PhD and found a path to fame and cash with tree rings and global warming. It’s pretty blatant.

        In all this my real surprise is that despite the idea that big coal or big nuclear or big oil or big gas is funding disinformation and activists to destroy the truth of man made CO2 driven Armageddon, that no one is actually funded at all. Apart from Chocolate, Jo has invested years into the battle for truth, as have others. And not a cent of support from the companies most directly and savagely affected. Which is very puzzling.

        And in Australia as I pointed out last time, there are at least 250 big companies who are facing 35% punitive tax on their entire business and are not fighting back at all? They are negotiating behind closed doors, trying to get a private deal. Why aren’t there millions on the table to fight the illegal laws in the High Court? Or do the company directors lack what it takes to risk their mega salaries in a fight for the truth? But after all, it’s not their money.

        We saw this in the Post Office Horizon software in the UK where a thousand postmasters were convicted, ruined, some jailed over a software error in Fujitsu software? Meanwhile everyone collected their giant salaries for doing nothing and supported the prosecutions. And no one said sorry to Cardinal George Pell.

        So what is it about this UN driven psuedo science turning over $1,500,000,000,000 a year plus all the insane taxes and costs of public service which has company directors running for cover? The same in the social sciences as with the persecution of Prof Jordan Petersen. And the demolition of Prof Peter Ridd who said the reef was in fine health was appalling. As was the public execution of Cardinal Geoge Pell without any evidence whatsoever in a crime which the High Court of Australia said was impossible?

        No, Steyn was pretty much on his own apart from individual supporters. And the truckers of Canada and the farmers of the Nederlands and the ordinary people of Melbourne, Australia around the world have tasted the full wrath of the public servants who command the police, the banks and the courts. And the truckers were punished by Trudeau, illegally closing their bank accounts for a $10 donation. Trudeau should be in jail for crimes against his own people.

        Still Mark Steyn did very well. Anyone else but Michael Mann would have been utterly humiliated to receive a penny in damages. The punitive damages are so illogical they will be struck off, but as Mark says, the process is the punishment and it is deadly.

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        • #
          David Maddison

          As much as it’s not possible to “judge a book by its cover”, I find the appearance of Michael E. Mann such as the one on his Wikipedia entry, presumably largely or wholly written by him, rather unsettling. I find it creepy.

          (From my phone I can’t copy the Wikipedia link for some reason.)

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          • #
            TdeF

            When you have no pride in your work, you often have no pride in your appearance. It’s not accidental. He went to the dark side long ago. He says his hockey stick data is his private property and never to be seen. That tells you all you need to know.

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        • #
          TdeF

          In fact as we saw in the Voice Referendum, it was the left plus the inner city moneyed classes, big business including big education and organizations. At the top of big businesses are often grifters, opportunists, social climbers and government sycophants. They are not going to stick their necks out and annoy the government, especially the Humphrey Applebees of the world. Of course Allan Joyce was going to paint his aircraft to secure government support. Malcolm Turnbull saw himself as the new Lorenzo Medici, handing out billions. And hundreds of millions to his wife and friends with explanation or even application.

          The very idea that Shell or BP or Mobil would actually fund research to allow fossil fuels to be sold without punitive taxes is silly. They are all doing very well. No one has any trouble selling their product. In Australia our biggest exports are coal and iron ore and the government has a surplus from this. These people are all doing very well. Why make trouble with proving CO2 driven man made Global Warming is absurd?

          So why support Mark Steyn and get pilloried and lose government support? People might not invite you to parties.

          And almost all the major objectors to the insanity of global warming are white haired retired people. Even Dr. Peter Ridd was at the end of his academic career when he spoke out.

          No one speaks up. Which is why I write, to put the facts in front of people so they are there in black and white if people are looking for the truth. Politicians have to care about votes to have any chance of changing things and that means running with the dogs. Meloni, Orban, Le Pen and more are getting traction, but they are vilified.

          Even Boris Johnson in the end was a terrible disappointment. Anti Brexit David Cameron is back in power and already doing damage.

          The forces against the reelection of Donald Trump are incredible. If he is elected, it will be the poor vs the rich, the workers against the billionaires. Which is why the Democrats are flooding the country with even poorer people who will vote Democrat, legally or illegally.

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    • #
      pcourtney

      tonyb: Steyn refused to set up a legal defense fund because he didn’t want to do anything the IRS could “investigate”. He started the Mark Steyn club and declares the income the old fashioned way. I encourage all here to go to Steynonline and join up.

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    • #
      RickWill

      There is a Mark Steyn Club that was set up to help fund his defence:
      https://www.steynonline.com/14091/how-things-stand

      I am not a member nor I have I purchased any merchandise. I am considering donating as I believe he has given a lot for the cause of sanity. There will definitely be a challenge. $1M punitive damages is unparalleled in terms of the $1 in damages assessed.

      I am reasonably certain the jury is punishing Steyn for his arrogance in defending himself and ridiculing the court system in DC. He was playing to an audience rather than the 6 people who mattered. And he would have known they were all climate botherers. In his closing, he used the phrase “no case to answer” numerous times basically in contempt of the jury. Throughout the hearing he mentioned the legal system in other English speaking countries; comparing how poorly the DC system rated against them. He would have done better for himself if he had empathised with the Jury rather than makes jokes about the DC legal system.

      Mann came across as bumbling fool with a poor memory and bad mouth but was courteous to the court. Steyn cam across as an exceptional orator poking fun at a bumbling fool and a silly court system. If, like me, the jury may have even drawn parallels between Steyn and Raymond Burr in his roles as Perry Mason and Ironside.

      Mark was on a stage pandering to his audience. His entire focus should have been on the 6 people who mattered if he wanted a decision in his favour. So the case has emboldened consensus science to this point.

      Ultimately reality must prevail but breaking the grip that the Government Class has in heading for one world government is no simple matter. It is noteworthy that a senile career politician got 95% of the Presidential vote in 2020. DC is a couple of steps above Canberra and a flight or two above London as infestation of the Government Class are concerned.

      In hindsight, Steyn was silly to defend himself. Thwas not my original opinion. I have been in four juries for criminal trials, twice as foreman. I now have lifetime exemption from jury service in Queensland. As a member of any jury, I would be taken aback by a “lawyer” demeaning the court system. Although the cases I deliberated on decades ago, I still recall the nuanced description that the persecutor used in defining “beyond a reasonable doubt”. There is no way that the defence or prosecution would presume that the jury had no role to play because there was “no case to answer”. It is presumptive and contemptuous of the jury role.

      I listened to the re-enactment of his closing and thought that was not good. It starts 34 minutes in here:
      https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ep-14-mann-fly-me-to-the-moon/id1713827256?i=1000644661288

      That was the first time I thought he had made a mistake in defending himself. Place yourself on the jury in your part of the world and then think how you will react to what is said. For most people, jury service is a solemn duty that is not experienced very often. If there was “no case to answer” Justice Irving would not let it go to the jury. There clearly was a case to answer. And I have been told that it is uncommon in civil cases for a Judge to accept a defendant plea to dismiss midway through proceedings.

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      • #
        Robert Swan

        RickWill,

        Mark was on a stage pandering to his audience. His entire focus should have been on the 6 people who mattered if he wanted a decision in his favour.

        I think Steyn had a different opinion of “who mattered”.

        A lawyer would have looked at what Steyn had written and (I suspect) argued Steyn’s right as a journalist to quote Simberg’s colourful metaphor and explore its implications. That probably would have been the most likely path for Steyn to be cleared (though still not all that likely if DC’s reputation for biased juries is to be believed).

        The thing is, Steyn is a very public climate sceptic, and trying to wriggle out on a legal fine point (and leaving Simberg to swing for it) is not what his followers would have expected of him — He who rides the tiger dare not dismount — Steyn had no feasible choice but to argue truth. I suspect he’d have been hard pressed to find a lawyer to do that for him, and would they have argued it as well as he did?

        And look at the result. We now have it as a matter of public record what a nasty piece of work is Mann, how he bullied, did things with data that respectable scientists wouldn’t. Never mind Mann’s post-decision bluster, how do you think he really feels? I was picturing him looking like Tom Hanks watching Ricky Gervais giving the actors a reality check — do I really have to sit here listening to this? — Mann is well bruised from this, even if it didn’t cost him a cent.

        And, while there’s much talk of Steyn’s ridiculous $1m punitive damages being overturned, even if it stands, there has been more than a million dollars of damage done to the cause. So chipping in for Steyn’s expenses will be value for money for us.

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  • #
    Tricky Dicky

    And just for our little friend Simon,

    A study published in Science Direct https://lnkd.in/gmVGRUdU

    We present evidence that vaccination induces a profound impairment in type I interferon signaling, which has diverse adverse consequences to human health.

    We identify potential profound disturbances in control of protein synthesis and cancer surveillance. These disturbances potentially have a causal link to neurodegenerative disease, myocarditis, immune thrombocytopenia, Bell’s palsy, liver disease, impaired adaptive immunity, impaired DNA damage response and tumorigenesis.

    We show evidence from the VAERS database supporting our hypothesis. We believe a comprehensive risk/benefit assessment of the mRNA vaccines questions them as positive contributors to public health.

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eci.13998. Batch-dependent safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

    https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/coronavirus-vaccine-blood-clots. The Link Between J&J’s COVID Vaccine and Blood Clots: What You Need to Know

    https://www.cpn.or.kr/journal/view.html?uid=1484&vmd=Full. Neurological Adverse Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027869152200206X. Innate immune suppression by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccinations: The role of G-quadruplexes, exosomes, and MicroRNAs

    Just a few musing on the RNA vaccines. They are so good and so effective – NOT

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  • #
    David Maddison

    The Liberal faction of the Uniparty must have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit (more likely) in remaining silent when the Government voted to adopt draconian European emissions standards which effectively eliminate the ownership of large vehicles such as the Toyota Landcruiser from 2028.

    This will affect both recreational buyers and farmers and others.

    The Government says they’ll have to buy EVs instead which demonstrates the staggering disconnect from reality of the typical politician and typical senior public serpent who tells them what to think. (Or malice.)

    https://cairnsnews.org/2024/02/11/landcruisers-and-nissan-patrols-will-be-off-the-market-by-2028-leaving-farmers-and-tradies-to-rely-on-electric-vehicles/

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    • #
      Dennis

      I have listened to various Liberal and National MPs speaking against this legislation, however the Coalition does not have the numbers to block Labor-Greens-Teals in Parliament.

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      • #
        David Maddison

        They should be shouting it from the rooftops.

        Most people are not aware of it and a lot of people will be very angry when they find out.

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        • #
          Dennis

          I agree with you David

          Of course Labor are again being deceptive claiming there are no emissions controls here but Australian Standard and requirements for new vehicle registration demands emissions controls be fitted, remember the pandemic period when diesel AdBlue additive was in short supply threatening the industry and supplies deliveries.

          My 2017 purchased new Isuzu diesel conforms to Euro Standard 5.

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          • #
            Sceptical+Sam

            requirements for new vehicle registration demands emissions controls be fitted

            What’s fitted can be easily unfitted. How would they ever know?

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    • #
      CO2 Lover

      Great opportunity for diesel powered recharging stations through outback Australia to recharge all these off-road EVs!

      Another great opportunity for battery pack replacement garages that will replace battery packs for off-roaders who have bottomed out on large pot holes or rugged terrain damaging the battery pack which cannot be repaired.

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      • #
        KP

        Electric utes should have batteries behind the cab to keep the ground clearance, so they will be longer. You can’t make them lower, you can’t have a delicate battery underneath, and if you put them on top of the chassis under the tray they be too high to load.

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        • #
          Graeme No.3

          And preferably a diesel generator towed behind.
          EVs aren’t going to work (properly) until battery power capacity has reached about 3 times current technology, which rules out lithium.

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          • #
            yarpos

            Some people recently completed the Oz lap in a Tesla towing a modified caravan. The caravan had a battery added to extend range where needed. A diesel generator would probably have been better, but you know, the vibe.

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  • #
    Penguinite

    Watch out property owners and would-be landlords this could happen in Australia too! Seemingly with unofficial legal backing!

    https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/squatters-are-taking-over-homes-all-over-nation-industrial-scale-and-turning-them

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    • #
      David Maddison

      In Vicdanistan I know many landlords who are getting out of the rental market because of new higher land taxes and laws which among other things, makes it very difficult to get rid of a bad tenant (and bad tenants know it).

      And of course, there is a threat to so-called “negative gearing”. The Green Labor commies make a big deal about it but for overseas readers it just means interest payments on investment properties can be deducted as a business expense. A perfectly reasonable thing to do. It was Hawke or Keating that last banned negative gearing and rents went through the roof so they had to be rescinded six months later.

      And I think that Australian Governments are allowing increased levels of lawlessness (including from Government officials!) following in the manner of the Democrat-run cities in the USA. They will increasingly turn a blind eye to squatters.

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      • #
        CO2 Lover

        Problem solved!

        Victoria’s Housing Statement – The Decade Ahead 2024-2034 also sets a bold target to build 800,000 new homes — 80,000 a year — across the state over the next 10 years, delivered through an Affordability Partnership with the housing industry.19 Sept 2023

        https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/affordability-partnership-build-800000-victorian-homes

        Following the lead of Kiwiland’s Red Princess

        KiwiBuild, a $NZ2 billion scheme, was meant to deliver 100,000 affordable homes within a decade.

        Five years in and only 1365 have been built.

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        • #
          CO2 Lover

          What housing Crisis?

          April 2023: Victoria’s typical new house cost has surged more than $133,000 since 2021 — and the average new home could cost $500,000 to build by the end of the year.

          The massive increase lays bare the supply and trade shortage-driven cost hikes that have gutted construction firms like Porter Davis, which collapsed on Friday last week with 1500 homes on the go around the state.

          https://www.realestate.com.au/news/cost-of-building-a-new-home-in-victoria-skyrockets-130000-in-two-years/

          My local Lefty Council has lauched a “Tiny Homes” program so adult children will be able to live in caravans on their parents property.

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        • #
          John Connor II

          Then look at the USA, especially the commercial sector, and it’s a GFC style collapse. The domestic markets are melting down too but people still want to pile in, not understanding anything …

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          • #
            another ian

            Re USA

            “Commercial real estate is hitting the wall”

            “A 262k sq ft building in Ohio has just sold for $2.4 million, or $9 per sq ft

            Yes that’s not a typo – it literally sold for $9 per sq ft
            It was the former site of FedEx Custom Critical in Green, Ohio [near Akron and Cleveland]

            The commercial real estate ‘correction’ has gone from concerning to an outright apocalypse, primarily impacting office properties in most cities across the US”

            “$9 per square foot isn’t so much a sale as a steal!”

            “Considering the elements of design, architecture, construction, furniture, fixtures, IT implementation, and more, the average cost to build out an office is $196.49 per square foot.”

            https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2024/02/commercial-real-estate-is-hitting-wall.html

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      • #
        Dennis

        The critics ignore that most Australians buying real estate using negative gearing are middle income earners trying to make provision for future retirement and/or to buy and sell to purchase their dream home.

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    • #
      mareeS

      Penguinite, Our son works with people who know how to sort this out.

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    • #
      CO2 Lover

      If an advanced civilisation like the Krell did visit planet Earth in UFOs I believe that this would be their finding.

      “There seems to be no signs of intelligent life anywhere.”

      Buzz Lightyear

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    • #
      David Maddison

      I think the renewed interest in UFOs in the sense of them being alien spacecraft is just scary stories to prime the masses for some sort of globalist totalitarian action to solve the non-existent problem of “alien invasion”.

      Biden should concentrate on aliens coming across his southern border, not ones from outer space.

      It’s just like “climate change” or covid in the sense of expensive and totalitarian measures to solve a non-problem.

      UFOs are great topics for science fiction TV series, however.

      This is my favourite: https://youtu.be/j2PoXfZdYVU

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      • #
        Graeme No.3

        Or possibly “The longer I live, the more convinced am I that this planet is used by other planets as a lunatic asylum”. George Bernard Shaw
        Might have started Douglas Adams writing.

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      • #
        John Connor II

        Alien disclosure is on the cards this year, but then it has been promised for many years.
        Disclosure would mean a 50 year coverup, global panic, destruction of all religions. Won’t happen any time soon because the pollies want an easy life.
        I did however see a video the other day by real scientists with hard proof about something that is very very interesting. I’m looking into it more…

        You’d be better off watching the AI evolution.
        We’re at level 3 on the 10 level scale, with AGI being level 4, and AI super intelligence level 5 (IQ of 1,000+ in human terms)

        https://youtu.be/hZsIXAA9W2g?si=Zr9sIJg1EPvpJzma

        No humans with remote controllers at all…

        Meanwhile the fightback against AI has begun:
        https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/crowd-sets-waymo-driverless-car-ablaze-lawless-san-francisco

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        • #
          el+gordo

          Disclosure will be hard on the Christians, but not the Hindu.

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          • #
            el+gordo

            ‘The vimāna – the flying chariots of the gods – also appear in ancient Indian epics, including the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana. In Hindu myths, the gods were portrayed as riding these chariots to every corner of the universe.’ (University of Southern Queensland)

            00

        • #
          KP

          No JC, you are missing the point.. A revelation of aliens visiting Earth would be the final block in the edifice of a One World Govt, something vital as this threat is too large for any one nation, and look! We have the UN all set to step up and sort this problem out.

          Just wait and see…

          00

        • #
          TedM

          Disclosure would mean a 50 year coverup, global panic, destruction of all religions.

          Why would that mean destruction of all religions?

          10

          • #
            yarpos

            mmm, bit of a stretch aint it? you have to conjure up a very specific alternate reality to make that even a remote possibility

            00

      • #
        el+gordo

        The mainstream viewpoint across the western world is that we are not alone.

        This issue is of universal significance and has nothing to do with a doddering old man in a white house.

        11

  • #
    another ian

    More “Alberta excels ”

    “How long can 45 wind farms produce 1 megawatt?”

    “It turns out, quite a long time.

    “Brian Zinchuk: One (megawatt) is the loneliest number, but hundreds of batteries are absurd”

    https://pipelineonline.ca/brian-zinchuk-one-megawatt-is-the-loneliest-number/#/?playlistId=0&videoId=0

    https://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2024/02/12/how-long-can-45-wind-farms-produce-1-megawatt/

    40

    • #
      TdeF

      And Alberta is one of the richest oil regions on the continent.
      “Using currently available technology and under the current economic conditions, there are 165 billion barrels of remaining established reserves in the oil sands deposits of Northern Alberta.”

      60

    • #
      CO2 Lover

      Not to worry – batteries will solve the problem

      As our esteemed Energy Minister Chrissy Bowen has said:

      “If we can store water, then we can store electricity”

      Today we’re announcing $176 million of investment which will in turn unleash and open up almost $3 billion of investment across the country with seven new large-scale batteries, which will represent two gigawatts of storage capacity.

      We know in the last decade Australia lost four gigawatts of dispatchable electricity capacity and only one gigawatt came on. This will represent two gigawatts of dispatchable electricity, dispatchable renewable electricity. This is a major step forward for Australia’s energy grid.

      https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/bowen/transcripts/press-conference-sydney-nsw-0

      Electrical energy is measured in kWh and not KW or gigawatts

      1 kwh = 1000 watts and 3600 seconds = 3.6 × 106. So,1 kwh contains = 3.6 ×106 joules . so there are 36,00,000 joules in a kilowatt-hour. Kwh and joules both unit are used to measure energy.

      Bowen does not know the difference between energy and capacity and so confuses battery capacity {which might have only a few hours or minutes of energy storage} with the capacity of a continous generator such as a coal fired power station that can operate 24/7 and most of the year with minimal down down for maintenance.

      This is why Australia is now of the road to financial ruin.

      Reporters in the MSM are just as dumb as Bowen and they do not know the difference between energy and capacity either.

      The cost of back-up batteries to replace coal and natural gas in Australia is around A$10 TRILLION.

      90

      • #
        David Maddison

        Simpleton Chrissy Bowen doesn’t even understand the correct units of battery capacity and yet is making multibillion dollar engineering decisions which are destroying Australia.

        I wouldn’t mind betting he could not even identify the positive or negative terminals of a battery, or even know they have terminals…

        And I’d also be willing to bet that he couldn’t tell you off the top of his head the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, or even know what CO2 is because he calls it “carbon” (sic).

        This is why politicians and those who tell them what to think – senior public serpents – shouldn’t be allowed to make engineering decisions.

        40

        • #
          CO2 Lover

          Will Chrissy Bowen tell the truth about where the jobs are being created for his great “energy transition”?

          Mainly a result of its electronic and electric vehicle manufacturing industries. China is also responsible for the production of around 75% of all lithium-ion batteries used worldwide.

          10

          • #

            Umm, don’t solar panels need cleaning?
            Especially in a dry dusty part of the world?
            Lots of jobs there, and they’ll be permanent jobs – not temporary like building a coal – or nuclear – power station!
            Oh.
            Ohh? No water to clean them!
            Ummm . . .

            Auto

            00

        • #
          John Connor II

          Remember this one?

          https://youtu.be/EbtgULCY5zk?si=Er4gCbXo2PCyNTIr

          What is metadata? 😆

          00

        • #
          TedM

          Agreed David. Definition of DRONGO = Chris Bowen.

          00

      • #
        Yarpos

        His idea of what is “dispatchable” is a bit loosey goosey as well. Its only wothin a small window ,with limted capcity. Its not dispatcable as and when needed, for as long as needed.

        And of course it then becomes an addition to nett load to charge again, as its storage not an increase in real generation.

        They will of course say this all works as in their lala land demand, generation, weather and state of charge are always perfectly aligned and synchronized.

        10

      • #
        RickWill

        3.6 ×106 joules

        Add an E to make it meaningful without going to superscript. As in:
        3.6E6

        Also confusing is the placement of the comma:

        36,00,000 joules

        20

  • #
    Steve of Cornubia

    Their ABC is usually diligent in its reporting of gun violence in America, especially if there appears to be a political angle. For some reason however, I am unable to find mention of the recent attempt by Genesse Moreno to shoot up a church, even though when she herself was shot, a small child with her was also shot. This is a big story, surely?

    She is described elsewhere as gender fluid and was in possession of anti-semitic writings.

    70

  • #
    TdeF

    It’s interesting on Quora. No one challenges the fact that you can measure how much radioactive C14 there is in the air and give a date. That is the simple basis of radio(active) carbon dating. And the dilution by non radioactive fossil fuel CO2 is only 3%.

    So there is no science basis at all for the entire man made CO2 driven rapid tipping point Global Warming story. It’s wrong in the very first statement.

    No need for windmills. Carbon capture and sequestration is useless. As is Green Steel, Green Energy, Green finance, carbon taxes, carbon farming, carbon credits and electric cars are heavy, costly and ultimately silly toys. Previous generations built solid power stations and we are building toys.

    But the public on Quora want to argue about the temperature in Greenland, the drought in Chile, the polar vortex and the loss of species like penguins and polar bears, which is not true. But question the very basis of their Science and no one has an answer. Then you get called a liar.

    The world wide tragedy to come is not windmills and mega batteries but that we are not spending on technology more advanced than windmills. Basically free coal, gas, oil will run out soon enough. And then how will we even make windmills or mine or transport or grow food? It seems everything is made by fairies in China, where all CO2 will be output. Using Australian coal and Australian iron ore. The underlying hypocrisy is amazing.

    And so we are trying to buy non existent American nuclear submarines to fight China on whose spending we depend. The Labor/Green/Teal world is a fantasy world and fundamentally idiotic and hypocritical. The aircraft carriers which were stopped in the Battle of the Coral Sea were made with Australian pig iron. But our Foreign Minister wants to give millions to reward slaughter in Israel? What about Australia when the windmills stop?

    70

  • #
    David Maddison

    Last night a friend told me that he had to go to a public hospital for some sort of treatment. He could see lots of people in the waiting area and he didn’t want to wait so on his entry form he ticked to box saying he was “Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander”. He was given immediate treatment.

    He was later questioned by the “Aboriginal liaison officer” who asked him personal questions like who his “mob” (tribe) were etc.. He looks as Aboriginal as Bruce Pascoe (Anglo-felt looking) and they would never have dared question his background. As a result of this unreasonable interrogation he has lodged a formal complaint. He should not have had his personal identification as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander questioned. That’s how he identified on the day and that should be the end of it.

    91

    • #
      TdeF

      How could you be a “Torres Strait Islander”? Even today the many little islands have only 4,500 people.
      Is that really a nation?

      A single street in Melbourne can have more houses and more people than the entire of the Torres Strait.

      Eddie Mabo’s island is about 1km across with a population of 450 people.

      “Today there are many more Torres Strait Islander people living in mainland Australia (nearly 28,000) than on the Islands (about 4,500).” Assuming that 28,000 is the truth. There are probably more Tongans and Fijians in Australia.

      And by the way, Terra Nullius as applied to aborigines was not defeated in the High Court. Eddie Mabo simply won his point that he was a farmer. But Eddie was never an aboriginal. The only connection is colour.

      But the honorable Paul Keating decided in a fit of righteousness to pass a new law ending Terra Nullius for aboriginals. And over time gifted them title to 53% of Australia. So at most 3% of the country own half the country. And that’s utterly unfair but should be the end of it. Besides, why not sell it back?

      I really object to Torres Strait Islander flags flying everywhere, the foyer of every hospital for example. What about Welsh, Scottish, Isle of Mann and every other flag?

      This racist self flagellation has to stop. We are all Australians. And some need more help than others. Plus many come from overseas. For example the Torres Strait islanders.

      71

      • #
        Adellad

        It’s got nought to do with TSI’s, aborigines or any other such quaint notions. In the same way that “climate policy” has nothing to do with the weather, race in modern western nations is just another battering ram to weaken and eventually destroy current social structures.

        50

        • #
          TdeF

          I find that having to pay for an aboriginal flag ourselves galling. You would think that in $42Bn in direct subsidies for aboriginals they could have bought their own flag? This is a people without woven cloth let alone flags. And a symbol of the very colonialization they allegedly deplore.

          And who on earth came up with the Torres Strait Islander flag? It looks appalling, like a Kick Me Here sign.

          The money spent on making the long term residents of Australia into multiple classes at war with each other is itself appalling. As they have done in New Zealand where many Maori descendants can name the boat on which they came, much like the Italians, British and Greeks.

          Yes, I put it down to people trying to tear Western democracies apart on class, sex(2), gender(1000), race, income, colour, language, religion. And it’s working. The awful thing is that the bodies doing this are the Labor/Green governments.

          30

          • #
            KP

            ” The awful thing is that the bodies doing this are the Labor/Green governments.”

            A perfectly acceptable account of ‘the Uniparty’ that runs Western nations.. It doesn’t matter which party is in power, they are Tweedledum and Tweedledumber and the results are always the same.

            If One Nation or some third party became a threat you would REALLY see the propaganda ramp up!

            00

  • #
    CO2 Lover

    The aircraft carriers which were stopped in the Battle of the Coral Sea were made with Australian pig iron.

    However, 80% of the steel used in the Sydney Harbour Bridge a decade earlier had been imported from England

    The bridge was designed and built by British firm Dorman Long of Middlesbrough, and opened in 1932.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-34389873

    The bridge did however assist in expanding the Australian steel industry, which is now economically unviable in Australia without taxpayer subsidies – the same as in the UK.

    https://awu.net.au/nsw/news/2021/02/13898/how-the-sydney-harbour-bridge-was-built/

    20

    • #
      Gary S

      Have a look at the Tyne bridge in Newcastle, England. Also built by Dorman Long – it may look familiar.

      10

    • #
      TdeF

      That’s steel. I was talking about pig iron. Menzies was known as pig iron Bob.

      And as for pig iron, we were sold vast quantities of pig iron in the Victorian era and now have easily the most lacework clad buildings in the world.

      The iron was used for ballast for the empty boats coming for the wool and wheat. There were 72 foundries in Melbourne alone for making lacework. I live in such a terrace, covered in lacework.

      At present the Chinese and the Australian government are doing their best to shut down steel making outside China, using Climate Change. All they want from us is raw iron or and metallurgical coal. In the UK they are moving to using only windmill powered electric melting furnaces and will stop making steel from ore, which is the end of the industrial revolution for the UK.

      As even the Guardian article says, the UK will be the only G20 country which cannot make steel from ore.

      (Pig iron: The pig iron is converted to steel using the Bessemer process and basic oxygen furnace. The process involves removing of carbon from the iron. Then it produces a lighter, more flexible and rust-resistant metal called steel. Iron is the main component of steel.)

      40

  • #
    Steve of Cornubia

    I needed full blood tests done for my cardiologist so went to my (new) GP. My old GP refused to test my vit. D in late 2022, saying I’d had a test within the past year so wasn’t eligible. My new GP also tried to refuse so I got him to check the dates of my last test, which he confirmed was more than two years ago, therefore I was eligible.

    The blood test referral is written in medical gibberish so I had him confirm vit. D was included before I left the surgery. He said it was.

    When I got home I deciphered the referral only to find that he HADN’T included it. I will now seek GP number four in three years and hopefully find one who actually wants me to be healthy.

    60

    • #
      RickWill

      I cannot recall if I asked my GP to include the Vitamin D test or I discussed it with the lab and they said they would include it. That was a couple of years ago now. But probably worth discussing with the lab when the blood is taken. You could ask the question if the GP remembered to include vit D levels. I remember getting into a discussion on the vit D test cost with the pathology nurse and she said she believed the cost was around $10 whereas I had read $36. I have some recollection of her including the test due to my interest. Pathology get paid by the tests they do. I am not certain if the GP requests and service provided are all audited. It might be an indication of my sad life but I always have a good discussion with regard business with the various nurses at the pathology lab I prefer.

      The GPs are encouraged not to include vitamin D by their college because it is a high cost test. And the majority of people in southern Australia are deficient unless they are taking supplements or work/play outdoors regularly particularly in winter. They are supposed to discuss this aspect rather than just getting the test done.

      20

    • #
      Hanrahan

      There are real advantages to getting God’s vit D. Among other things you also synthesise NO.

      I’m retired, living in the dry tropics and with a big yard so it is easy to get plenty of sun. I find that after an hour or so doing easy gardening/watering my BP drops to 110/60. Is this actually good for my age?

      An article I watched examined the amount of near IR and UV that penetrated clothing and it was surprisingly high, so if you are afraid of getting burned still spend the time in the sun but with thin cotton clothing.

      I believe in a virtuous circle: The less you go to your Doc, the less nasty chemicals he prescribes for you, the less you need to go to the Doc. Naturally you must go if you are genuinely ill, my comment is only 50% serious.

      50

    • #
      Hanrahan

      I usually give my little dog which almost never goes out in the sun some baby Vit D drops but have forgotten to order more.

      Could this be why he is licking his paws?

      Birds and animals with hair or feathers can’t synthesise vit D directly in the skin so I assume that preening/licking is a way to get D from the fur into the gut where it can be absorbed. This is my own theory I have never read this anywhere but it makes sense, to me at least. 🙂

      00

    • #
      Ross

      Steve of C – you can do your own Vitamin D test and a range of other tests as well. You just have to pay for it, it’s not bulk billed or eligible for a refund from a private health insurer. Look up iMedical web site (Australia). Not only do you get the results sent straight to you, they are extremely fast turnaround. There is even some basic interpretation of the results and you can get further interpretation with an additional fee.

      10

      • #
        Steve of Cornubia

        Yes, I saw some DIY tests available online but it looked like it didn’t give a value, just a ‘Low/OK/High’ indication. They looked a little like a RAT or pregnancy test.

        The obvious problem with this type of test is there is growing belief that most/many of us need far more than the old guidelines require.

        00

        • #
          Ross

          No, full blood sampling tests, not RAT self testing. Same process as going to the doctors recommended lab. Sometimes the sampling is actually done at a GP’s. I did the Sports Man Health panel for $236 and it was much better than my usual GP’s blood testing.

          10

    • #
      John Connor II

      I will now seek GP number four in three years and hopefully find one who actually wants me to be healthy.

      Well, that takes care of the Tuesday funny!

      10

  • #
    Greg in NZ

    I hope everyone in the state of VIC is OK, though the ‘info’ is rather confusing:

    RNZ: “devastating… catastrophic conditions”
    BoM: “mid to high 30s” temperature
    ABC: “catastrophic fire rating is unprecedented in Victoria” since it was rolled out Sept 2022 (17 months ago)
    BoM: “Low intensity heatwave” followed by a cool change Tuesday night. What?

    KiwiRail shut down numerous commuter trains yesterday when the temp hit 25C … claiming the [Chinese?] steel tracks were 48C and warping. What?

    Slow-motion, self-inflicted demolition jobs, all too reminiscent of 9/11, preparing the ground for an all new, albeit antipodean, PATRIOT ACT Part 2 (?).

    50

    • #
      RickWill

      I hope everyone in the state of VIC is OK

      My wife could get home early if they declare a heat-out in the midweek ladies tennis comp. Temperature has to get to 32C before it is automatic. But the opposing team captains can call it by agreement. At midday it is 30C here so not automatic yet but it is windy and that could mean a bit uncomfortable for outdoor tennis.

      So far I have avoided using air-conditioner this year. Just open the house when the temp is below 20C outside and pull out a few degrees. Hottest inside so far has been 26C. Currently 24C.

      I believe our three days of summer ends tonight.

      There is too much water across the top end of Australia for it to get blisteringly warm. No part of Australia is currently above 40C. That is quite rare for this time of year at midday. The Pilbara coast got above 40C by 1400 yesterday. When I lived there, I used to walk outside in 50+C to unfreeze from what most people preferred for the air-conditioning.

      30

      • #
        Adellad

        Renmark (SA Riverland) was 40 exactly (in a 1-second waft no doubt) at 11:56am local time. The SW change is very close, but at the minute the NNW wind is still blowing there. I am not disputing your core argument.

        20

      • #
        RickWill

        Further to my Noon weather report from SE Melbourne. The water arrived, pissed down then left. Temperature dropped 14C in 10 minutes. Wind gusts probably over 100kph and my rough and ready rain gauge shows about 30mm in not much over 10 minutes.

        No trees down here. jUst the trampoline waked as far as it could. Power flickered a few times and some nearby neighbourhoods are now without power.

        Someone has pointed out that there may be a problem in The Valley because Victorian and Tassie power up at $16.600/MWh. Other mainland states have negative pricing. The price was high before the front passed.

        10

    • #
      Ross

      In the past Greg, we’d all say “yep, it’s a bit hot and blowy out there”. Also, better watch out because it’s high fire danger. Now- we need hourly updates off an emergency app and the use of ever overt phrases like “catastrophic” etc. The use of those ridiculous terms then gives the perception that these conditions have never been encountered before, or that they are novel. The thing is, it’s not even hot- only a max of 34˚C. Hot used to be > 38˚C. ( end or rant)

      30

    • #
      el+gordo

      Tofu Dreg rail lines can’t handle a little warmth. Why am I not surprised.

      20

  • #
    John Connor II

    Tens of Thousands of Elderly Secretly Euthanized to Boost ‘Covid Deaths’

    A bombshell new report has sent shockwaves around the world after an investigation into the high numbers of “Covid deaths” during the pandemic uncovered evidence that tens of thousands of elderly people were actually murdered to boost the mortality rates.

    The data produced for the report indicated that people were being euthanized using a fatal injection of Midazolam.

    The cause of their deaths was then listed as “Covid,” indicating that the virus was killing far more elderly people than it was.

    The explosive data from the report was made public by Australian politician Craig Kelly, the national director of the United Australia Party.

    The report obtained official UK government data on death rates and causes.

    The data appears to show that vast numbers of elderly were murdered with an injection of the end-of-life drug Midazolam.

    According to Kelly, the patients were euthanized in order to boost “Covid deaths” and ramp up public fear to garner support for lockdowns and vaccines.

    While alerting the public about the data, Kelly declared that it exposes “the crime of the century.”

    https://slaynews.com/news/tens-thousands-elderly-secretly-euthanized-boost-covid-deaths/

    https://twitter.com/CKellyUAP/status/1756437290287812993

    Mandatory life imprisonment for these doctors and everyone complicit. Or better still, the full range of shots & boosters. That’ll save some money. 😉

    50

  • #
    John Connor II

    Tuesday entertainment: tug of war between a cat and 3 wrestlers

    https://va.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_padmekhQ7t1vrgbu5.mp4

    For starters, your foot positioning is all wrong…

    00

  • #
    Kevin A

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m14vK22EZxQ
    China’s Economy Can’t Survive THIS
    China Uncensored
    Very good channel

    20

    • #
      RickWill

      My take on China is quite different.

      China is not deliberately hobbling its economy. The country continues to run a massive current account surplus.

      China burnt more coal in 2023 than it did in 2022. That indicates its economy is literally powering along.

      Financial markets can be isolated from the real economy and China’s real economy shows no signs of slowing down. In you want a battery, go to China. If you want a solar panel, go to China. If you want wind turbine, go to China. If you want anything manufactured, go to China.

      They have probably over invested in so-called green technologies with the expectation that the west will try to meet its promises on decarbonising but most people know that is fantasy. China may think the west politicians are more stupid and influential than they actually are. But the Chinese economy has proving quite agile despite its size. There is much less green tape than in the west.

      20

      • #
        el+gordo

        The Chinese economy is crumbling into a great depression and the CCP will fall.

        00

      • #
        KP

        “China may think the west politicians are more stupid… than they actually are.”

        Nope! There is no bottom to the stupidity of our politicians! When we ruin our farmland with ruinables we will buy food from China.

        10

  • #
    CO2 Lover

    The Great Green Elephant

    13 Dec 2023 — A 143-metre-long tunnel boring machine working on the massive Snowy Hydro 2.0 project is moving again, a year after getting stuck.

    However, it has only move 250 metres and a 4th tunnel boring machine may be required to meet the 2028 completion date

    The original estimate for Snowy 2.0 was $2 Billion and it is now $12 Billion without the cost of additional transmission lines.

    Expect the estimate to increase again.

    30

    • #
      Dennis

      Former Snowy Hydro chief executive Paul Broad says the changes going on in Australia’s energy sector need “massive investments”.

      Mr Broad said the investments will have “lots of risk about them”.

      The former Snowy Hydro Chief executive’s comments come as Australia pursues the path to renewable energy.

      “To meet the government’s own targets by 2030 … the concept of this massive change going on in our energy sector – needs these massive investments which will have lots of risk about them.

      “We cannot have renewables – have a hundred per cent of the system, with 100 per cent of the reliability at a price point we are today.

      “To say that is just completely wrong.”

      10

      • #
        CO2 Lover

        100 % renewables?

        Yes we can with $10 TRILLION spent on back-up batteries sourced from China!

        Do not be so negative!

        10

    • #
      Dennis

      I suspect that the costing includes $6 billion paid to the States to buy their shareholdings in Snowy Hydro assets.

      00

  • #
    John Connor II

    Canadian bill would prescribe jail terms for speaking well of fossil fuels

    An NDP bill is seeking to criminalize the “promotion” of fossil fuels, and prescribe jail time even for Canadians who say scientifically true things such as how burning natural gas is cleaner than burning coal.

    C-372, also known as the Fossil Fuel Advertising Act, was tabled Monday as a private member’s bill by Charlie Angus, the MP for Timmins-James Bay and a longtime member of the NDP caucus.

    “Today, I am proud to rise and introduce a bill that would make illegal false advertising by the oil and gas industry,” Angus announced in the House of Commons.

    He added that the oil and gas sector was trafficking in “disinformation” and “killing people.” Angus also twice framed his bill as the dawn of the industry’s “big tobacco moment” — an apparent reference to Canada’s blanket federal ban on tobacco advertising.

    But C-372 goes well beyond merely banning advertising by oil and gas companies.

    As a private member’s bill introduced by the member of a party with only 25 seats in the House of Commons, Bill C-372 has almost zero chance of passing. But as written, the act would technically apply to any Canadian who is found to be speaking well of the oil industry, or of oil generally.

    “It is prohibited for a person to promote a fossil fuel, a fossil fuel-related brand element or the production of a fossil fuel,” reads the act.

    Violate this as a regular citizen, and the act prescribes summary conviction and a fine of up to $500,000. Violate it as an oil company, and the punishment could be as strict as two years in jail or a fine of $1,000,000.

    https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ndp-bill-jail-terms-fossil-fuels

    30

    • #
      CO2 Lover

      “History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”

      – Mark Twain.

      The Spanish Inquisition again for “Climate Deniers”

      10

  • #
    yarpos

    Generator practical test running this afternoon. Some info for those considering a purchase.

    We have been blacked out for a couple of hours now due to a storm. We have a 3.4kVA generator plugged into the house via a changeover switch.

    This is currently supporting:

    1 x large lounge room sized AC split system
    1 x two door fridge
    1 x small (metre high) fridge
    1 x ceiling fan
    1 x NBN connection
    1 x house water pump (the start up on this makes the engine work hard for a few seconds)
    also 1 x small upright freezer via an extension lead to the garage.

    your mileage may vary of course, this is just a real word example that some may find useful.

    50

    • #
      MP

      Did you start with a known volume of fuel, so you know $ per hour?

      00

      • #
        yarpos

        It was full, but I havent tracked usage and really couldnt care less in terms of paying for the (up till now) infrequent capacity to maintain power. The brochure says 1.3 ltrs per hour (petrol) @ 80% load.

        10

    • #
      Scott

      Yarpos We have the same switch and isolator so we can still use solar during a blackout, but waiting for it to be installed here.

      We have a 5.5kva petrol and a 15Kva (house build) diesel. I would love to have one of those duel fuel generators that run on a gas bottle or petrol, seem to be common in the US.

      00

    • #
      yarpos

      Other activities:

      Turned off the AC after the second storm went through and temp dropped back to 20C or so.
      Mrs Y turned on two hot plates to cook us dinner. The generator was less enamored with the hot plate elements (ceramic cook top) switching on and off, but still rode it out.
      Now watching T20 cricket on the box from Perth.
      With the generator on low load the impact of the water pump is much more noticeable. I guess its the governor having to react and catch up. When the engine already has some load its already a ways up the power curve and the water pump start up is less noticeable.

      It would be nice in this scenario to have a “solar generator” (battery invertor) to keep the fridges running normally overnight without noise. As it is we will probably power off about 9:30-10PM and take pot luck on the power coming back

      10

    • #
      Yarpos

      And just to finish off we are back on grid power again. So 5 hours all up, a pretty healthy run time.

      Usually Ausnet sends a message when power is restored but that seems to have fallen in a hole with so much going on. Their outage tracking website was also unreachable.

      I prefer to keep running of generator for a little while when the power comes back to avoid all the start up noise and variations. Waiting for the SMS usually achieves that.

      Might research Bluetti and similar for some extra capacity. I suspect this sort of thing will become more frequent as the grid gets more fragile.

      10

  • #
  • #
    Lestonio

    Some early notes re power outage today…….
    https://wattclarity.com.au/?na=v&nk=3070-0605b64ce9&id=790

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      Here’s the link to the video.

      Pretty much electrical engineering 101.

      Still working my way through it, maybe too technical for the average person.

      21.30 long.

      Link to video – Callide Failure Animation

      Tony.

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        CO2 Lover

        Interesting that Qld and NSW have sufficient black coal fired capacity of 25% each to meet national demand with Victoria at 15% even though brown coal is the cheapest form of reliable electricity that does not require super expensive battery back up.

        An intelligent non-woke Victorian Goverment could make a killing by providing the cheapest and most reliable electricity to the Eastern Coast power grid.

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        Bushkid

        Technical enough, although as a non-engineering person I didn’t feel too bamboozled.

        What I did take from the animation was that following the initial matter of the battery in the AC unit (? I’m going from memory now, I watched it last night) not holding sufficient charge at the time of switching, all redundancy failed for different reasons, including the last line of defence in the switching mechanism that had been activated in a previous situation, and was not currently functional. The question I take from that is Why wasn’t it functional prior to the unit going back on line? Shouldn’t all redundancy have been checked or tested first?

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      robert rosicka

      Lestonio we are in Northeast Victoriastan and although all our power comes from the snowy hydro we just then had a brown out . Better get the torches ready .

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        CO2 Lover

        All that Green Energy has been sent to the ACT since the contract with suppliers mandates that only “green” electricty can be sent to Canberra!

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          There’s one of your ‘Green’ jobs, not involving cleaning sunbeam collectors. . . .

          Sitting by the line to Canberra, assessing which electrons are ‘green’ [so worthy of the Capital], and which are not – so go for the use of ‘deplorables’.
          And I guess a mighty, index-linked pension after 20 years separating sheep from goats.

          Auto

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    robert rosicka

    My neck of the woods , seems those who voted Green , Labor and independent plus voted in the current council especially Rees are suddenly feeling some buyers remorse .

    Massive renewable hub on prime agricultural land !

    https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/victoria-locals-fear-farming-community-in-jeopardy-over-industrial-scale-solar-farm-plan/44240613-8d6a-4f0c-ad50-4662080aa0fa?ocid=Social-ACA&fbclid=IwAR1zYPqjnb4ymvqOYaSgGCctgod908hFCaoS5BRqUaWWNPMkeraOv85lbWI

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      Yarpos

      That sea of panels beside the Hume near Glenrowan is truly an abomination. We drive by it twice a week these days.

      How anyone can use the “farm” word for such an installation is ridiculous. Its a sterile, artificial , dystopian horror.

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        robert rosicka

        It goes back over the hill and much bigger than it looks , still like to know how they got approval for some of it because it was a pathway for aboriginals who must have followed a creek line from the Winton wetlands to the hills . Many scar trees along the route and possibly a few removed .

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    KP

    “Bill Gates’ Microsoft is now threatening to disable the computers of users who share so-called “misinformation” online as Bill Gates and the WEF continue gearing up for the 2024 election season in the only way they know how – by working on an authoritarian plan to censor all opposition, criminalize so-called “misinformation”, steal the US election, and install puppet governments in penetrated liberal democracies around the world.

    The elite know the people are rising up against them and like cornered rats they are now desperate to silence the opposition and crush any dissent against their totalitarian vision of a New World Order.”

    Sounds like fun, I’ll get the popcorn out!

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      For whatever its worth. I’ve heard that rumor and also heard there is a Snopes response to it.

      https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/microsoft-ceo-disable-computers/

      People can watch the interview there for themselves (and is it the whole interv8iew? Was it edited?). I have not dug down this rabbit hole.

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        KP

        Damm! I was looking forward to all the politicians and most Govt computers being shut down!

        I suppose they will have, or already have, some kill-switch hard-wired in, like they are doing for cars about now. There will be work-arounds released soon after they start using them, the public as a whole has more intelligence and cunning than any small group of people.

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      ozfred

      Apparently the “Mann article” has been pulled from zerohedge as I am getting a 404 error.
      We couldn’t find the content you’re looking for.
      It mentioned a new book by Mann as well as a number of sources commenting on his research history and publications

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    Dennis

    Fact Check Please

    I was suspicious on the late news tonight seeing the collapsed transmission lines pylons and how small they are compared to main grid pylons, and then that the transmission line was between Moorabool and Sydenham Victoria, so I checked …

    See Moorabool Wind Farm.

    Remember the SA scandal when it was revealed after a similar storm related collapse that installation owners had been granted government permission to cut costs and erect pylons not up to standard?

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      Graeme#4

      The failed pylons look very similar to the ones brought down by a storm in WA recently..
      Mechanical engineer friend said he evaluated similar towers for a govt dept and found that they had a stress weakness about one third up.

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    John Hultquist

    Covid + bacterial infection

    I read a post from Eric Topol (a substack transcript of a podcast) called Ground Truths. The current one is with Jim Collins: Discovery of the First New Structural Class of Antibiotics in Decades, Using A.I.

    @ 17:03 Jim Collins says the following: {all a copy from the transcript}
    It’s an interesting challenge. So I’ve thought about it. I really haven’t come up with a great solution yet, but I think you’ve got multiple factors at play. One is that I think all of us, every one of your listeners has lost someone to a bacterial infection, but in most cases you don’t realize you lost them to a bacterial infection. It might be that your elderly relative went into the hospital with a condition but acquired hospital-based infection and died subsequently from that and happened quite quickly. Another cases, again, it’s secondary. Notably, during the pandemic, one out of seven individuals hospitalized for Covid had a bacterial infection and 50% of those who died had a bacterial co-infection. And noted by going back to the Spanish flu of over a hundred years ago. It was as deadly as it was because we didn’t have antibiotics and most of the folks that died had a bacterial co-infection.

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    Reader

    Expectant parents plead guilty over gender-reveal pyro stunt that sparked deadly wildfire
    https://nypost.com/2024/02/13/news/couple-plead-guilty-over-gender-reveal-sparking-deadly-wildfire/

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