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.jonova AT proton.me
Statistics
A man is found dead on a dusty Australian road. … He’s a banker, and his briefcase is found to contain balance sheets with the names of celebrities, politicians, and drug dealers. Many such cases. But what this uncovers is not your common-or-garden money-laundering scheme.
The Nugan Hand Bank was THE money-laundering scheme, transferring cash across the world from drug lords to African militias to Italian mobsters to the shah of Iran under the watchful eyes of a truly excessive number of former CIA agents. Australia’s greatest political crisis, the dismissal of Gough Whitlam, is connected, as is Vietnam and the Iran-Contra scandal. This is the Southern Hemisphere’s Epstein files. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MWnSKDsURg
81
A nothing-burger that gets blown up into a giant illusory political issue by bad actors with their own agendas?
The ‘Epstein files’ have been in the government’s possession for nearly 20 years, and nobody gave a crap about them until Trump foolishly over-promised to release them and then under-delivered. If there were anything truly damning in them, they would have been released under Obama or Trump45 or Biden. The reality is that 95% of the ‘Epstein files’ are uncorroborated accusations by cranks against people with extremely tenuous connections to Epstein (or none at all in some cases). That’s why they were never released in their entirety .. because they smear innocent (or not provably guilty) people with guilt by association in a court of public opinion that doesn’t give a crap about actual evidence. The 5% that contained actionable information have already been released. There is no ‘smoking gun’ in what remains. All that’s left is rage bait for the mob.
202
I wonder if Andy Mountbatten has a similar view.
70
‘Andy Mountbatten’ –
or as some refer to him using his ‘real’ name:
ex-Prince Randy Andy ‘I didn’t do it’ Battenberg ‘I don’t sweat’ Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,
conveniently modified and modernised during ‘The War’ because, tallyho ol’ chaps, can’t have a bunch of Hun sitting on the royal throne, now can we – what would the neighbours think!
Windsor: great name for a castle, that’s all.
110
An example of how this is all disappears eventually. Who even remembers ‘Nugan Hand’ these days?
00
There are start-up companies that plan to sell apparatus to make gasoline at home from CO2 from the air and hydrogen from water. First methanol is synthesised then that is converted to gasoline by the well established merhanol-to-gasoline (MTG) pathway .
However the energy cost of the electricity used and the recycling of potassium hydroxide to absorb CO2 from air would exceed the energy content and monetary value of the gasoline, especially if using expensive electricity from “renewables”.
Critical video at: https://youtu.be/HbNvbFJB0l0
Here is one of the start-up websites: https://www.aircela.com/
In fact, a number of companies are involved in developing these so called E-Fuels. E.g.
-Greenlyte Carbon Technologies
-Air Sealer
-Synhelion & INERATEC
All have the same fatal flaw, the enormous amount of electricity required to produce the fuel not to mention the cost of the equipment.
It’s just another woke fantasy. Probably their business model is to harvest taxpayer subsidies. This would therefore work in Australia. We have plenty of easily-fooled stupid politicians and Leftists quite happy to use our taxes to subsidise stupid non-economically-viable fantasy projects.
161
A fool and their money are soon … making homebrew gasoline.
120
What could go wrong???
100
Some years ago I was called to a startup company in Auckland to look at a range of safety features for their pilot plant. Lanzatech were looking at fermentation using bacteria to process carbon dioxide into useful materials such as fuels, protein and other materials. I am not sure just how economically viable this is, but 10 years later they seem to doing reasonably well. https://lanzatech.com
Also, I remember people raiding the waste cooking oil bins outside fish and chip shops and asking the local McDonalds for their used cooking oil to turn into home made diesel. That seems to have died a death.
60
Biodiesel from cooking oil died because the fake conservative Liberals removed the exercise tax exemption that applied to biodiesel in the 2003-2004 budget. There was little point after that.
41
Laughable!
Spending billions of Govt money to “convert industrial emissions into ethanol creating a concentrated CO2 tail gas stream for liquefaction and permanent geological storage, capturing 97% of carbon that is sent to the project. The liquified CO2 will be transported and permanently stored in the North Sea.”
..when it would be better to grow vegetables or wheat and get some use from that CO2!
70
One of the fuel stops on the Eyre Highway was supposed to run its EV charger from their waste cooking oil. Haven’t heard any more about this, so presume that the charger has been connected to their diesel supply.
50
There is meant to be an election in Victoriastan in November, assuming Labor don’t decide to cancel elections and install themselves permanently.
The election buying is quite blatant.
E.g.
-There was totally free public transport in May with half-price travel until the end of the year.
-There is a 20% refund on car registrations, which might be around $200 refund per car (yes, to our overseas friends, car registration is ridiculously expensive in Australia).
-They are pretending to do badly needed roadworks, having neglected roads for a long time as part of the Left’s war against the motorists. Their strategy seems to be to make people “notice” so they choose to do roadworks at times and locations to cause maximum inconvenience to motorists and probably neglecting other badly needed works such as on country roads which won’t be noticed so much.
I’m sure there are many other blatant examples.
230
Recently on Sky News a Victoria Fire Brigade union executive was interviewed about their campaign to defeat the State Labor Government because they are fed up with being poorly funded, most of their equipment including vehicles are old and past replacement dates, even mentioned a fire station in the Premier’s electorate that was built and ready to be used that remains empty after five years since completion of building.
The people with him carried signs protesting against Labor and included their recommendation for Liberal and National parties, Labor last.
130
It will all be smoke and mirrors right up until Vic state election day David. No doubt. They will do the most visible roadworks, make sure every level crossing removal gets huge publicity with lots of hi-vis and hard hats. We’ll have smoking ceremonies to commemorate tunnelling machines or maybe just waste more money painting them in aboriginal, sorry First Nations, colours.
Meanwhile other important, less sexy maintenance will be reduced. Last week after a small amount of rain, the drainage of the M1 freeway (Monash) was affected and some parts flooded. Basically, the storm drains which should have been cleared of autumn leaves were not- probably due to trimming of maintenance budgets.
60
‘I’m sure there are many other blatant examples.’
Social democratic parties around the world get into power by this type of behaviour, the people expect nothing less.
13
-There is a 20% refund on car registrations, which might be around $200 refund per car
There is a 50% reduction in car registration fees for qualifying seniors in WA.
HOWEVER, that only applies to the actual registration portion of the charge with the mandatory personal liability insurance making up the major portion.
Well, every little bit helps. Doesn’t it?
20
strategy seems to be to make people “notice” so they choose to do roadworks at times and locations to cause maximum inconvenience to motorists.
This strategy was first introduced by Peter Sellers on the Goon Show & known as the “ dig up the roads plan for contesting scheme.”
The Victorian Goon Show is about 60 years too late!! Typical!!
120
“This strategy was first introduced by Peter Sellers on the Goon Show & known as the “ dig up the roads plan for contesting scheme.”
This is where the leftist clowns get their best ideas from.
70
My MS Copilot is back on duty and I finished our conversation on the failure of climate models. I then asked Copilot to summarise the result:
The role of ice in the tropical atmosphere
In the deep tropics, the emission of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is controlled almost entirely by high‑altitude ice produced by deep convection. Satellite brightness temperatures over warm pools consistently show emission levels of 200–260 K, far colder than the ocean surface, meaning the radiation to space originates from the upper troposphere where temperatures are below freezing and water exists almost exclusively as ice. Micron‑scale ice crystals have extremely high infrared optical depth per unit mass, so even a thin anvil layer—on the order of a millimeter of ice water path—becomes effectively opaque in the thermal infrared. As a result, the ice layer, not the surface or lower troposphere, sets the emission temperature and dominates the radiative balance of the tropical atmosphere.
How ice in deep convection regulates surface temperature
When sea‑surface temperatures approach ~30–31 °C, the boundary layer becomes sufficiently moist and energetic that rising parcels reach the level of free convection and penetrate into the dry, radiatively cooled mid‑troposphere. This triggers rapid condensation and freezing, producing vast quantities of fine ice with long residence times and high emissivity. The formation of this cold, optically thick ice layer causes OLR to collapse from ~280 W/m² toward ~150–180 W/m², dramatically reducing the net radiative input to the ocean. The surface cools, convection subsides, and the system resets. This feedback loop acts as a powerful thermostat: any attempt by the ocean to warm beyond ~30–31 °C immediately triggers deep convection and ice‑cloud formation that clamp the temperature back down.
Why climate models are wrong when they show sustained SST >30 °C
Because the emission temperature in the deep tropics is set by the cold, ice‑dominated upper troposphere, small increases in CO₂ concentration cannot meaningfully alter the radiative balance that governs the warm‑pool ceiling. Any climate model that allows large regions of the tropical ocean to remain stably above ~30–31 °C for extended periods is implicitly failing to represent the ice‑cloud microphysics, convective onset thresholds, and OLR collapse that enforce the real‑world thermostat. Such models are effectively treating the tropics as a CO₂‑controlled radiative system, when in reality it is a water‑vapour‑and‑ice‑controlled convective system. If the model does not reproduce the observed ice‑driven OLR regulation, then its projection of sustained tropical SSTs above 30 °C is not physically credible.
151
One point the summary skates over is that the high altitude ice also punches above its weight in solar EMR reflection. It is the high level of reflected sunlight that results in the surface cooling. OLR reduction is about half the SWR increase over the cycle of instability and CAPE recharge. So very powerful negative feedback.
100
Well done Rick.
Thanks for adding that last point.
90
Have a look at. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/05/31/nature-turns-up-the-sunshine/
Interesting take on where the warming Is coming from.
20
I asked Copilot a question once and it stalled. Several times I asked it whether it still thinking and it assured me it was and not to worry. It said I asked it a very difficult question. Days went by and it never did answer.
41
If you are not using the subscription model, Copilot will run out of fuel tickets if you keep asking questions. It will not reply until you rebuild your allowance over time.
I have the basic subscription model and so far it has not advised that I have hit a volume limit although it stopped communicating yesterday. It may have just been a glitch in the browser. Copilot recovered after I shut down then restarted the browser.
70
Opinion polling by Sky News shows One Nation is now the most popular party at 29%, Labor 26%, Coalition 20%.
The Labor Government’s disapproval hits 60%, and 16% percent who voted for Labor regret how they voted.
However, Labor still has a two party preferred lead.
.
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/one-nation-surge-shatters-labor-as-albanese-support-sinks-according-to-exclusive-new-polling/news-story/0fe9ddf8797b5e529436557d7ce63897
[link fixed – Raquel]
80
The important part of that story is this:
Up until now we have seen voters leaving the Lib/Nats for One Nation.
Now working class Australians are deserting the Labor party and that is really significant!
Ps; the link did not work for me so I copied the main part and used that to search, which brought up the Sky News article.
90
“Now working class Australians are deserting the Labor party and that is really significant!”
Probably going to vote for the greens.
10
Strop,
I believe this is worked out by modelling preferences as they flowed during the most recent election(s).
Who thinks preferences today would really be the same as when Dutton flopped a year ago?
The pollsters are always to be doubted, but especially so at the moment.
100
I expect that the Labor voters who are attracted to One Nation will preference back to Labor. So it’s a reasonable position to still have Labor in front, Two Party based Lab v Lib/Nat.
It gets trickier if One Nation is top two and the Labor preference doesn’t come into consideration. How many Libs/Nats would preference Labor over One Nation?
Labor probably is ahead two party based against either party. But a Lib/Nat/ON coalition might be interesting. Is it possible for Labor to not get a majority and for the three parties to satisfy a functioning govt question? The Teals would need to lose their seats.
50
I wonder which opposition they are doing the two party number against.
01
To get into power they need to tell voters directly, give your preferences to One Nation as a protest against political malaise.
‘Since the 1960s, there has been a steady decline in voters reporting they used “how-to-vote” cards. At the 2019 election, it was a record low of just 29% of voters.’ (The Conversation 2022)
31
Recently I posted about the gas turbine generator plant under construction at Kurri Kurri NSW by Snowy Mountains Hydro Limited company, owner operator of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme and wholly Federal government owned, previously shareholders included State governments. The assets managed include gas and diesel generators located away from the Snowy Mountains and retail electricity sales Red Energy.
https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/generation/gas-diesel/
30
The maximum temperature at Moorabbin Airport yesterday was 14.2C. The recording started in August 1971 making June 1 1972 the first time the maximum temperature was recorded on that day of the year. It happened to be 16.7C.
So after 54 years of Global Warming, the temperature is 2.5C less. As my wife would say *don’t piss in my pocket and tell me it is raining”.
Each week now I look forward to the polls because they are an indicator of the enlightenment of Australians. Each week, more voters realise they are being led into impoverishment by the UN-party.
I will try to enlighten a few more today during the Vinnies Energy Webinar.
191
Yes, but the problem is that the number of Labor voters is being engineered to explode such as the massive increase in the numbers of public serpents, state and federal; the massive importation of future Labor voters, recruited from among the world’s most uneducated and violent people; massive public works programs, mostly useless like train tunnels in Melbourne or SH2 with feral unions heavily involved and drawing huge tribute.
There may not be enough population of conservative voters Left to elect a conservative Government. The country is crashing. The next election is the absolute last chance to elect One Nation or we’ll have no nation.
220
“Yes, but the problem is that the number of Labor voters is being engineered to explode such as the massive increase in the numbers of public serpents, state and federal; the massive importation of future Labor voters, recruited from among the world’s most uneducated and violent people … “
You forgot the vast numbers of young people being programmed by our leftist-controlled university sector. Many of them are staggeringly thick and brainwashed into supporting the leftist cult.
110
‘ … massive importation of future Labor voters, recruited from among the world’s most uneducated and violent people …’
We only allow the best educated immigrants with professions and trades, my Nepalese doctor doesn’t vote Labor.
‘India, China, the Philippines, and New Zealand are the leading countries of origin for immigrants in Australia. India recently accounted for over 26% of the permanent Migration Program, followed by China (11.5%) and the Philippines (6.3%). Other top emerging birthplaces include Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam.’ (AI)
13
There are a lot of very conservative people coming from those places. Where did the idea come from that they’d vote Labor?
24
Pauline comes to mind and some Libs might have been involved, dirty politics.
I agree that the professions and commercial immigrants would most likely vote conservative.
12
The idea probably comes from the fact that Labor tries to get as many people in, especially people who claim to be refugees. We all know that Labor is more concerned with getting elected than doing the right thing. So if they’re trying to get these people in then clearly Labor doesn’t think that they’re importing opponents. I’d back Labor’s instincts on this sort of thing.
There is also the perception that immigrants are more likely to support a government that gives them the greater chance of bringing family here. Which is Labor.
Or is going to feel some loyalty to the government that allowed them in. Labor.
But obviously these people can not vote until they are citizens. Who knows how they feel about the above after a few years. But SBS had some uni research that suggested middle east folk are more inclined to vote Labor but eastern Europeans more inclined to vote Lib. I don’t know the percentage split that “more inclined” produces.
Note that David did say “recruited from among the world’s most uneducated and violent people”. That’s not describing the doctors/professionals etc you and el+gordo might be thinking of.
30
There was an economic driver. All those new people make the economy look better- there is zero evidence that they are a like minded voting block.
00
Similarly NZ’s official hottest day evah was back in 1973 with a max of 42.4*C in a roaring nor’wester: fifty-three years of rising ‘carbon pollution’ and we still can’t beat it!
Southern parts of Aus sure are looking cold at the mo, with SNOW on Victoria’s hills and more on the way for NSW, while over here, nought (so far). I can see why I lived in Queensland when I flew there 45 years ago… 🌞
100
A slightly dated study from the US 2018 showing how an overwhelming number of college professors are Dumocrats.
See link for graph.
The most woke are humanities subjects, the least woke are science, engineering and professional (business) type subjects.
60
Mass immigration has been damaging for Australians in many different ways however, there appears to be a lot of misunderstanding about the history, according to ABS statistics and Immigration Dashboard on line from 2000-2007 intake average each year 125,800 (Coalition) and 2007-2013 was 259,000 each year (Labor) and 2013-2022 was 168,700 each year.
Albanese Labor 2022-2025 intake average each year was 424,300
Coalition 125,800 average Howard Government and from Abbott to Morrison 168,700.
70
Immigration
https://immitrack.com.au
30
More interesting than the numbers would be a breakdown of where they came from… What culture is Australia going to assume in the next decade or two.
50
That is at the link KP
20
‘Net Overseas Migration has swung from a COVID low of −85,100 in 2020-21 to a record high of 538,000 in 2022-23 — a 732% reversal in just two years.’
They panicked, our workforce had become depleted and the immigrants may not come back, so they opened the gate a little wider.
It was a strategic mistake.
60
FWIW
A month of celebration
“or now, happy National Nuclear Family month!”
Looks like the tide of “Pride” is in ebb
More at
https://open.substack.com/pub/coffeeandcovid/p/7-deadly-sins-tuesday-june-2-2026?
70
It appears the USN is getting a trickle of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The linked site indicates 8 ships in the past 24 hours:
https://hormuzstraitmonitor.com/
30
Bibi is the stumbling block to peace.
‘Two of the sources said Trump claimed he’d helped keep Netanyahu out of jail — a reference to his support during Netanyahu’s corruption trial.
‘Summarizing Trump’s remarks to Netanyahu, the U.S. official said: “You’re fu*king crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”
A second source briefed on the call said Trump was “pissed” and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: “What the fu*k are you doing?” (Axios)
11
How much should Bibi give up for “peace”?
20
Is it possible for Israel to give up enough to buy peace? Nothing short of a universal Exodus would do, but where would they go?
40
Kinda turns one into a stumbling block when one’s adversary’s only definition of peace and religious nirvana requires your own extermination.
If one side lays down its’ arms the result will be two states.
If the other, not.
Perhaps the EU can absorb them both into the Cube.
Cube Peace.
Preserving carbon is futile.
40
I have been noticing that Korean cars appear to be well priced in Australia. They are still competitive with Chinese made cars and possibly better value because they have now been around for a long time.
I was wondering how South Korea could be still competitive with China.
One of the factors is the population decline. South Korea population peaked at 51.8M in 2020. It is now down to 51.6M. And with the rapid decline of breeding stock, the decline is backed in the demographics unless they pivot to immigration.
Declining population frees up assets and infrastructure so it all works more efficiently for a time. The internal demand for goods decline so more can be exported at tighter margins to support improving living standards.
South Korea is ranked 17th for social cohesion. Australia is now ranked 79th. And never hard to guess the #1 ranked nation on the social cohesion scale. They are still home to the #1 supplier of motor vehicles in the Australian market. But China’s BYD is now in #2 position. China ranks 43rd on the social cohesion score so well ahead of Australia but a long way behind South Korea.
Can anyone here give first hand experience living with their Korean made car – Make, model, value, likes and dislikes – I am interested in your thoughts on the car.
50
Daughter bought a new 2016 i30 N-line, so a sporty i30 with a turbo 1.6L. No trouble with it in a decade, although the dealerships are crap. A stone chip in the bonnet turned into a strip of paint missing after the apprentice used a waterblaster to clean the car at a service, and it took over 12months for them to fix it. Probably common with the soft water-based paints they all use these days. Very light on tyres, and typically lots of grip but no handling. Any changes in a corner due to the accelerator have been carefully engineered out, the opposite to my 1980s RWD Corolla. However I would love the motor in my car!
Overall, competent, reliable if slightly boring cars I’d say, great for old people if they don’t mind the bells and whistles as the car nannies you everywhere!
“Australia is now ranked 79th.”
Is there anyone behind us??
70
191 countries ranked, so Australia in the best half. USA at 118th is in the bottom half.
10
Still driving my 2011 Hyundai Electra, 161,000 kms and going strong. Nothing major or greatly expensive so far. Does have a tendency to chew out ignition coils if the plugs aren’t regularly replaced. Engine has lost a bit of power, but no other engine or gearbox problems. Still easy to obtain parts. Back seats fold down to allow me to transport my e-bike or large items. Can’t see any reason to upgrade, and it may even outlast me.
30
Elantra… blasted auto-correct.
20
I was wondering what the Electra looked like. I know the Elantra!
20
Four engined turbo-prop. Military version – P3 Orion. Strong so used as hurricane hunters.
20
Have an Electra engine and prop at the local air museum.
00
Rick, I have only had Korean cars since 1991. All have been Hyundai. 4 in total.
Car 1 – Excel base model…sold to my niece at 130k
Car 2 – Excel base model…Gave to my niece at 330k
Car 3 – Excel GL…head-on writeoff.
Car 4 – I30…I’ve had for 8 years and still going strong.
There is nothing flash about them. Ride comfort and build quality is so-so.
I praise the reliability all the time.
Overall, a very reliable basic car at a very good price.
Cars 1 and 2 were new, cars 3 and 4 were 2nd hand.
Ny next car will also be a Hyundai.
50
My wife had a base model manual Excel hatch from new. They were sold for $12999 at the time. It had gearbox issues at 45,000km that was clearly caused by the way it was transported with transmission in gear causing bearing false brinelling. That put me off Hyundai way back in the mid 1990s.
Good to know that others were transported with more care.
My father would not buy a Japanese car but his younger brothers got into them quite early and were more than pleased with their purchases.
From the brief feedback so far, it appears there is not much to complain about Korean cars these days.
40
I have a 2010 Hyundai I30 1.6L diesel, 86000 km, the original battery lasted 10 years, partners equivalent Corolla lasted 3 years, the only mechanical repair in that time was to replace the electric power steering assy, still running all the original filters and belts and brake pads.
Probably trade it on a Mazda CX-5.
10
On a lighter note- just got notice that Clarkson’s Farm latest series has dropped on Amazon Prime.
For those not in the know- Jeremy Clarkson thinks he’s now a farmer and has made 5 series (including this latest). Usually good for a chuckle but there are some serious bits to this series. He has a coronary episode and then gets involved with farmer protests in the UK. Overall, good viewing. 8 episodes.
60
He’s done wonders for the UK’s farmers too, raising many issues they face through absurd over-regulation, green tape and NIMBY neighbours/councils.
Reviews of this latest series aren’t great though. Many people say it’s all a bit repetitive now. I will give it a go at some point.
20
My family (dairy) farmers in the UK speak very highly of Clarkson’s Farm. Heavily staged for entertainment, obviously, but it sketches the FFS ‘left field’ uncertainty of farming life – and accurately skewers the monstrous and constantly changing absurdity of British agricultural regulations and bureaucracies.
Ideal for viewing for people who think that milk and butter come from Waitrose or Tesco.
90
We love Clarkson’s farm series. Car nut husband followed the Top Gear series for years. But, as farmers, we enjoy Jeremy’s farm series. He may be an ingenue to farming, but the problems are all that we have experienced from time to time. And it is very amusing how he deals with them.
50
“And it is very amusing how he deals with them.”
One of the ways is having a back up few millions in the bank. Allows for a lot of errors to be corrected and the purchase of the latest equipment. So still light hearted viewing and better than a lot of other crap on the box. I was going to go on farmer wants a wife but the bride of 57years reminded me I already have one ( I tried blaming mental decline, she didn’t buy it). Apparently no one wants an octogenarian for a cocky any way, can’t put a hard days work into anything anymore.
10
FWIW
“Ford Ditches EVs–Again”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/06/02/ford-ditches-evs-again/
00
FWIW
“EU Climate Scam Exposed: IPCC Admits Doomsday Scenario Was “Implausible” Garbage – But Brussels Refuses to Scrap a SINGLE Regulation Built on the Lie”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/06/eu-climate-scam-exposed-ipcc-admits-doomsday-scenario/
30
The EU has other issues to fry. It was never about the climate!
20
FWIW
“Permadrought: 75% Of Global Population Lives In A Country Affected By ‘The Great Drying'”
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/permadrought-75-global-population-lives-country-affected-great-drying
10
I never understood the drought doomerism. One of the most obvious features of a warming world would be more gaseous H20 in the water cycle as solid H20 melts and liquid H2O evaporates, which cools as it rises in the atmosphere and has to come down eventually as rain. A warmer atmosphere is by definition a wetter atmosphere. Any droughts would be the result of local physical geography, not global warming.
20
Vinnies Energy Webinar now done. They are fully sold on the transition.
The main speaker Gavin Dufty, is now following the line that the high costs are due to operating two systems in parallel and costs will fall once the transition is complete. He did admit that there is a tsunamic of costs coming in NSW due to the payment for new power lines.
I asked:
Has the Clean Energy Regulator done enough to inform low income earners of the regressive nature of STCs, LGCs and now ACCUs?
The host had no idea of STCs, LGCs and ACCUs but Gavin did and he responded by saying that Vinnies are working on redressing this bias. I think it means service charges will rise dramatically and energy charges to be low. Obviously that then makes going off grid more attractive.
On another question, he advised that Tomago has got exemption from all the new transmission line costs. That was in response to someone asking if large consumers will be paying their fair share. (Sadly this is the nature of socialism – cake ever diminishing but I want a bigger slice. They do not realise that there is no free lunch. It is a sickness pervaded Australian governments. More takers and fewer makers.)
There is absolutely no questioning the basic premise of Global Warming. I will try to address that directly with Gavin Dufty
50
Up she goes
UAH Satelite based temperature of the global lower atmosphere updated May 2026.
In other news. An elderly relative of mine got 30 out of 30 in a cognitive test. She is scheduled to have another in 6 months as there are worrying signs.
40
Somebody once said to me that if you know you have forgotten something, then you aren’t suffering from those dreaded diseases.
30
A specialist explained to me when a relative was diagnosed in her late eighties that the problem is not when a person forgets where they parked their car, but when they cannot remember that they have a car.
40
Friend of mine rang his wife in a panic one night.
He had gone to the local pizza shop to do a pick up.
Rings wife to say someone has stolen the car!, come a get me!!
Response – “you walked down there, you dill!”
30
El Nino effect?
10
Still looks like a Modoki El Nino.
https://classic.nullschool.net/#current/ocean/surface/currents/overlay=sea_surface_temp_anomaly/orthographic=-128.30,1.45,530/loc=-125.998,-20.023
00
I hasten to add the 2018-19 and 1994-95 started out weak/Modoki only to shift eastward and abruptly strengthen.
00
FWIW – re those “latest records” in UK
“Are ‘heat spikes’ becoming more common?”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/06/02/are-heat-spikes-becoming-more-common/
00
Would we be so lucky! Currently 7deg and wind chill takes it to under 1deg, as the sky clears and leaves today’s rain over everything.
The 2-way heatpump thingy is useless, but the ducted gas system is on the blink so its extra pullovers and woolly hats all round.
20
This USA Senate hearing might be worth a listen.
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/hearings/plausible-mechanisms-of-covid-19-injections-causing-cancer-and-attacks-on-scientific-publications/
I expect the videos will be out tomorrow morning our time.
00
Instagram AI support bots just hand out passwords – is this a hack?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMTKpq5r1CQ
00