JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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I wonder if Oz and the UK will rein back on the assaults of free speech now that Trump is back?
https://reclaimthenet.org/australia-hate-speech-laws-tightening-nsw-free-speech-debate
Regrettably they are likely to double down.
Personally I think the word “Hate’ as in hate speech is much overused.
I don’t hate anyone. I may dislike them, disapprove of them, disagree with their way of life but that is an awful long way from “Hate” yet governments seem unable to see this difference in scale.
wanting to criminalise people just for their not approving of another person or group of people seems an alarming state of affairs
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Starmer seems to be doubling down on the ‘young men in their bedrooms’ rhetoric. Frustrating how much political capital this all consumes. All these people with no idea how the internet works trying to control it.
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>wanting to criminalise people just for their not approving of another person or group of people seems an alarming state of affairs
Akin to wanting to criminalise people for holding or expressing a non-approved opinion.
>the word “Hate’ as in hate speech is much overused.
It is actually those who use the expression, ‘hate speech’ who hate. They hate free speech.
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Correct!!!
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In Australia no factions of the Uniparty support free speech.
In fact, some of our worst assaults on free speech have come from the fake conservative Liberal Party.
The Libs were responsible for:
1) The e Safety Kommisar.
2) The censorship bill which fortunately failed to be passed (just).
3) They approved a social media ban for under 16’s in conjunction with other Uniparty factions. This was just an excuse to get universal ID registration for all social media users.
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To this day Paul Fletcher proudly supports his censorship laws:
https://www.paulfletcher.com.au/media-releases/new-disinformation-laws
The then Communications Minister announced the Kommissar job:
https://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/issues/government-to-appoint-childrens-e-safety-commissioner
The fake conservative Liberals welcome the under-16 ban on social media:
https://www.liberal.org.au/2024/11/29/social-media-age-limit-laws-pass-parliament
Liberals just don’t have a clue and are only slightly less bad than Green Labor.
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These people seem to think they can diminish ‘hate’ by suppressing it.
They are fools.
Just kidding.
They are liars.
Because what they really want is power.
They are simply disguising their true intentions with virtue.
Fortunately, they are so obvious as to be pitiful.
And their efforts have earned them Trump.
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” I wonder if Oz and the UK will rein back on the assaults of free speech now that Trump is back? ”
The NSW “premier”, Chris Minns, is doubling down, behaving like DDD and further trying to kill
our basic human right to FREE SPEECH with another act of parliament.
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I would pay good money to see a debate between Donald Trump and pipsqueak Ed Miliband on the subject of net zero
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2025/01/23/net-zero-is-unstoppable-says-ed-miliband/
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And in Australia, between Trump and Blackout Bowen (Chris Bowen).
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Bowen now has an ace up his sleeve,
Australia is first in Asia
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2025/01/no-wonder.html
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I would love to see any debate between two real scientists. I have never seen such a thing. Governments collectively or individually do not control Climates.
The whole political climate fantasy is based on the incredibly simple and wrong idea that CO2 builds up in the air because of fossil fuel. Who proved that?
In fact the exchange of highly soluble CO2 in and out of the ocean on this 74% water planet is immense and fast. The oceans breathe on a massive scale, dwarfing human activity.
CO2 is 98% in the water and lasts about 10 years in the air in a massive world wide exchange old as time. But it is remarkably constant so it is in equilibrium.
Despite this massive activity CO2 levels are changing a tiny 0.4% a year, increasing only 50% in 250 years. CO2 is quite constant within 1% from pole to pole despite human activity being in a very narrow band. But within 1% CO2 over Australia is the same as the North Pole and China.
Total world fossil fuel CO2 production each year just reached 1% of atmospheric CO2 despite, an increase in fossil fuels use of 3500% since 1900.
Humans do not and cannot control CO2 levels. This was proven by NASA that tree cover of the planet has gone up dramatically. Which alone busts tree farms and carbon credits. So sequestering trillions of tons of CO2 has not changed CO2 or stopped or slowed the steady growth in CO2. Likewise,burning old trees or fossil fuels has no effect. CO2 is in massive equilibrium and any deviation in consumption or production of CO2 has zero effect.
Net Zero is Political Science, not science. Currently costing $1,800,000,000,000 a year and having no impact on CO2.
Yes, I would love a science debate. From first principles. First prove that humans can change CO2 levels. Tiny fossil fuel CO2 emissions are irrelevant to total CO2.
Then and only then move onto additional CO2 causes warming, then warming is bad and why.
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All living things are made from CO2 and H2O almost entirely. All living things burn. All breathe in oxygen and breathe out CO2. Hydrated CO2 from photosynthesis, known as carbohydrate, powers all life.
And now politicians have decided to tax breathing. No surprise there.
Just don’t call it science.
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The Carbon Dioxide disaster was invented by Al Gore and James Hansen in 1988. The US funded UN/WMO formed the IPCC immediately.
Now the US, the world’s biggest economy, has cancelled it. China, Russia, India ignore CO2. Most countries do.
Why is Australia continuing in true Don Quixote windmills style? Even Peter Dutton says he will declare a CO2 target. Why? It’s over.
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TedF, I understand that a lot of the climate scare was started with The Club of Rome when they published a 1972 book titled ‘The Limits to Growth’
https://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/rome/
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Tony, what is Ed Millibands idea of “net zero”.?
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Its the classic theory as evoked by such as Wef. All major UK parties support it, but Miliband wants to achieve it by 2030/35 whereas previously the suggested figure was 2040/50
I posted a link yesterday as to how this can supposedly be achieved
Here is the definition of net zero
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/11/net-zero-emissions-cop26-climate-change/
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Meanwhile in Qld: https://au.headtopics.com/news/queensland-man-fined-for-cooking-steak-while-driving-65034084
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https://michaelwest.com.au/ageing-coal-clunkers-posing-power-outage-risk/ – “Baringa Partners’ Peter Sherry said his firm’s analysis of the coal power fleet suggests most of the nation’s generation will be replaced by renewables and firming technologies like storage within the next 10 years, given the advanced age of the fleet.”
That would be this Baringa I guess: https://www.baringa.com/en/ – Tier 2 consultants
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At the first link it says:
How can an “energy expert” use non-technical language like that? That is emotive language, devoid of any actual analysis.
Only a politician or Lamestream Media “journalist” would be moved by such emotive language, not anyone who had a clue about science or engineering.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the sort of “analysis” that Australian decision makers follow and is responsible for the destruction of Australia’s energy supply and economy.
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For those of us mature enough to remember Ted Nugent’s song, White Line Fever, the phrase ‘Clapped-out Clunkers’ fits well as an alternative chant, though in this case it refers to the tribe called Politicians who are well-past their use by date. Besides, Dutton rhymes with Mutton.
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Greg, are you sure Ted Nugent wrote that? I can find no reference for it.
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Baringa Partners analysis, drawing our attention to the fact that Australia’s power station fleet is aging, is spot on, except that the reason for this is that we have not built a new power station since who knows when (Callide C in 2001, Tarong North in 2002?), and have failed to competently maintain some of the existing ones (eg Callide B).
A quick visit to the Baringa website suggests that this may be one of the more woke outfits around, with little information as to the management structure and ownership, but overflowing with allusions to their ‘people first’ policies. There is no useful background information on Adrian Bettridge, who is slated as Baringa’s ‘Managing Partner’.
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The Peter mentioned balances his love of sport with family commitments – around all the climate change of course!
Outside of work, Peter’s first love is golf. He plays as much as he can (despite the occasional la niña flooding in Sydney), balancing with family life.
A browse of the site has me thinking more woke-adjacent greed than pure demented woke.
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https://michaelwest.com.au/dutton-shuts-down-nationals-call-for-gender-debate/
More information is expected to be published by the US government in coming months, according to University of Sydney health ethics associate professor Morgan Carpenter.
“It’s plausible,” he told AAP.
“There’s still quite a bit that we don’t know.”
Australian passports can contain the “X” gender marker for those who are non-binary, intersex, gender-fluid or otherwise non-conforming.
In some countries such as the United Arab Emirates, those travelling with an “X” marker are barred from entry or transit.
It is not clear whether the US will implement similar rules.
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Anyone else wonder how in their lifetime the water into the house became metered while telecommunications became unmetered?
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Was was water ever unmmetered in Australia?
There is usually a “service to property” charge and a usage charge. Both charges have varied to either encourage or discourage consumption.
But I think it was a stroke of genius taking an almost-free item like water, putting it in a bottle, giving it a fancy name like “Acqua Minerale San Benedetto” or “Adelholzener Alpenquellen” and then charging a lot of money for it as “bottled water”.
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Australia’s “renewable energy superpower” South Australia is transitioning to grid scale diesel, just like in Third World countries.
Can someone please tell me what effect the self-destruction of the Australian economy is having on CO2 level, especially as the world’s largest producer China does nothing and the second largest producer is now out of Paris?
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David, slow down. 🤠
China dies nothing and the second largest producer in now put of Paris?
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NSW should have a gander at what’s going on next door sometime… (eg #4 above)
I often wonder how many South Australian’s know that they are marked as the ‘Defence State’ (or target)…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_SA
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This is what irks me, especially when people say “Australia must do it’s part”. We have already gone beyond that, made no difference to global CO2 and our grid is collapsing. Yet people will still go along with this fantasy, it’s brainwashing of the highest order.
I wonder which engineers were the architects of the idea to make the electricity grid which must be stable, depend on the weather, which is inherently unstable.
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https://www.themandarin.com.au/285025-more-driverless-trains-prepped-for-nsw-amid-ongoing-union-disputes/ Industrial disputes, maintenance backlogs and Sydney’s reliably unpredictable and disruptive seasonal weather shocks for millions returning to work might ordinarily be a reason for a state minister for transport to feel a little anxious. Unless there is something very good around the corner.
….
a pop-up carboard train, now that makes up for it all.
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As was reported on this pages a couple of days ago the “leader” of Australia’s fake conservative Liberal Party, reaffirmed his fanatical commitment to the Paris Accords even after President TRUMP abandoned them.
What is the point in continuing with this insanity?
Here Dutton emphatically affirms his commitment to Paris insanity.
The guy just doesn’t have a clue! Leaders lead and don’t care what others think.
https://youtu.be/CpHihBWwlaw
Here is an excellent commentary by Andrew Bolt plus interview with Matt Canavan about TRUMP exiting the Paris Accords and its implications for Australia.
I can’t find a link on YouTube.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Co6qmozHX/
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It likely runs deeper than this during “normal science” too. Undoubtedly, “normal science” and supporting orthodoxy regarding pandemic policies was financially rewarding for many. Conversely, the brave few who expressed heteredox views or simply raised questions have had their careers and livelihoods dismantled by the State and its propaganda arm through the legacy media.
What breaks this cycle of “normal science” and the censorship of heterodoxy is the emergence of “anomalies” and the inability of the Paradigm to explain them. Anomalies like “vaccine” injuries, “breakthrough infections”, continued “COVID-19 deaths”, worse outcomes for the “fully vaccinated”, better outcomes for the “unvaccinated”, pharmacovigilance safety signals and unabated national and global excess mortality in highly COVID-19 “vaccinated” countries. The emerging DNA contamination scandal and the risks it poses to human health is yet another anomaly challenging the Paradigm even today. If these anomalies continue to accumulate and they will drive a shift in thinking about the “vaccines” and the pandemic response in Australia (and globally).
https://unbekoming.substack.com/p/unmasking-the-paradigm-reflections
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TRUMP rules that only the Stars and Stripes and certain official military flags to be flown, no rainbow or BLM flags on State Department facilities.
https://nypost.com/2025/01/22/us-news/trump-admin-outlaws-pride-blm-flags-at-state-department-stars-and-stripes-only-report/
Contrast that with Australia where you have two native flags, plus frequently rainbow flags on local, state and federal government buildings. You might even find a national flag but the communist leader of the Greens won’t stand in front of it.
At least “leader” of the fake conservative Libs only wants the Australian national and presumably state flags.
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Elon Musk posted a joke or X.
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Is anyone interested in a Melbournistan Jo Novian meet up?
The last one was 6th December 2019.
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Yes, that would be good.
Not next week.
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In energy debacle, our biggest power failure is Chris Bowen he has ceded far too much to the green fringe. Prices are higher, renewables growth has collapsed and energy security risks are rising. He must resign. Chris Bowen says he remains hopeful that global warming can be limited to close to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels despite the world’s largest economy pulling out of the Paris agreement.
The problem is, however, the Alternative Government are Nett Zero better than Labor. Don’t expect to see or feel any beneficial improvements under Peter Dutton
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The Australian Classification Board wants to litigate the worthiness of books, films and television in the light of evolving community standards. It may not be outright censorship, but it’s certainly bastardisation of a kind and very “1984ish”
Don’t censor the past if you want a robust culture
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Perhaps if they have the resources to repeat past work it is time to consider downsizing the organisation
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Do you have a link for that Penguinite?
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https://www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/8856733/australian-defence-force-to-recruit-five-eyes-personnel/ – Just wondering which of the five eyes is not struggling with recruitment?
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The ADF is struggling with recruitment partly due to DEI policies which make it close to impossible for white heterosexual pro-Australian males to be promoted.
TRUMP is reverting to a merit-based military (and other government agecies) and recruitment should pick up dramatically.
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Those who think a Dutton Liberal Party (fake conservative) is the answer to Australia’s energy crisis, just how long do you think his six nuclear reactors will take to build in massively over-regulated Australia + lawfare and by how much will they reduce electricity prices and when?
Note that Dutton still believes in building more “laughables” which will still requite subsidies.
Australia doesn’t have much time left. Further economic collapse is inevitable.
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There is a slight possibility that when the Liberal Party gets power in Canberra that they will “suddenly find” that Labor has been lying, and the new Government will have to do something else instead of its election promises. You will hear about it from the screams on the ABC etc.
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I hope so but I have next to zero confidence that common sense will reign.
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Google has ordered five SMRs that will be installed and running next week*. Australia should be able to get some up and running within a decade. Price is not an issue after supply collapses.
*Maybe a bit longer.
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Hope all is well Jo, enjoy a hard earned break! 🙂
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Who, if anyone, do you predict will be next to leave the Paris Accords?
I predict Milei of Argentina.
I predict that Australia will never leave. Both the PM and Dutton are True Believers.
The Stupid Country will hang on until it’s the last member and economic destruction is complete.
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