Remember the decidedly uncivilized protests we had here in Australia last week, called the “March-in-March”?
Tim Blair, of The Daily Telegraph, laments that he made fun of the kind-hearted and caring people who wore shirts suggesting they’d like to have sex with our Prime Minister, or alternately, to kill him. In a brilliant move he suggests the right thing to do is a mass national counter protest called “Work on Wednesday”. I’m in! Will you join me?
Celebrate civilization & democracy, and help the GDP too — Work on Wednesday!
Let’s make it global. This crosses national boundaries and cultures, it’s about democracy. It’s about being civilized. It’s about not using free speech to metaphorically behead, kill, or abort people. It’s about having an argument instead of just an insult.
Let’s show them how a civilized protest is done.
Twitter: @WorkonWednesday. Retweet it to your friends.
Tim Blair explains:
I was also wrong to dismiss the March in March movement as inconsequential. This is because I hadn’t realised the rules had changed, and that last September’s election can now be overruled by some shouty people whose total number amounts to only around one-tenth of Brisbane council’s electorate.
The only proper response, obviously, is for the forces of civilisation to conduct an even larger demonstration – without the obscene signs, Socialist Alliance t-shirts and dopey chants. This will be a demonstration of solid Australian values, supporting democracy, order, good manners, application and ambition.
I propose that we hold just such a demonstration this very week. Despite minimal time for organisation, this could be the largest demonstration in Australian history. For that matter, it might turn out to be one of the largest demonstrations ever held on earth.
Forget March in March. This counter demonstration is called Work on Wednesday. Here’s how you can participate in the greatest display of collective Australian solidarity witnessed since settlement:
- This Wednesday, the 26th of March, proudly and defiantly take to the streets and go to your place of employment.
- Put in a hard day’s work, earning money for yourself and your family.
- When the demonstration is over, after perhaps eight hours or so, again take to the streets and return home.
It’s a lot to ask, I know, but your Work on Wednesday sacrifice will really send a powerful message to the ABC and others about community values, inclusiveness and diversity.
Tim Blair asked all those participating to send him emails on Wednesday of them protesting.
Social media is important these days, according to social media, so Work on Wednesday has its own Twitter feed where regular updates and progress reports will be posted throughout the big day. Everyone who joins in is invited to send photographs of their Work on Wednesday activities to my blog. Email me at blairt@dailytelegraph.com.au.
Let’s show those howling misfits at March in March how to conduct a real demonstration, with a positive message, a huge attendance and a brilliant outcome. Work on Wednesday! If it succeeds, we might have to do it all over again next week.
wonderful – I heard about this on the radio – I’m in. 🙂
140
Was there a protest for march in march?
I must have missed it, such was the profile….
I dont weatch a lot of tv news these days – its so heavily censored and stage managed, I dont see the point.
80
of course the acronym is WOW!
190
WOW !!! I’m in – I’ll take to the streets at 5.30am – put in a big day – and then take to the streets again and get home at 6.30pm.
120
I propose that everyone who doesn’t want to participate should stay at home.
That way we can get a really good count of the supporters.
Of course, those who work from home should contact Tim Blair or Jo Nova to register their support.
120
I’ll be at home on Wednesday, thanks MaxL.
PS: I’m also on holidays 🙂
20
I hope you enjoy them Greg. 🙂
10
WOW is a guaranteed success.
btw i think ABC enjoyed writing this one, tho i would add, no other MSM i’ve seen is even concerned about the feelings of Brock’s constituents:
24 March: ABC The World Today: Minority government angers electorate
CAROLINE WINTER: Mr Brock and his electorate office in the regional mid-north seat of Frome have received abusive emails and phone calls from angry constituents in the wake of the decision.
He represents a traditionally conservative seat. And that won’t be forgotten after the Liberals once again won the two-party preferred vote with 53 per cent but failed to win the majority of seats…
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2014/s3969941.htm
90
Maybe he can call in Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor for advice on how to pacify angry constituents who realise that they were conned?
60
But doesn’t that protest occur every workday everywhere in Australia by foot, car, bus, tram and train between about 7.00 and 9.30 am? (Not including the sizable shiftwork force.)
We work because:
1. It gets us out of the house
2. It’s noble
3. It builds our society and civilisation, which we are deeply grateful for
4. It gives us purpose and a sense of duty outside the immediate family
5. So we don’t bludge on the dole, because that’s not the kind we are
6. So we can afford to live the way we want and be thankful for that
7. So we can support the lazy buggers who can’t be bothered getting out of bed in the morning, take our money and spit at us, and despise us for our stupidity
Ok, Ok, not a particularly deep or well-argued analysis, but you get the drift…
190
No, no, you are missing the point.
It is definitely not like an everyday workday … this is a protest dammit!
Go to work, and be extremely nice to people, so they can see just how amiable you can be when you feel strongly about something. That’ll show them.
130
LevelGaze: Perhaps one could argue this happens every Wednesday, but it’s not tweeted and broadcast. It’s calling attention to how working people see the world. Also, how do you know the protestors don’t spend their time doing the same thing everyday–complaining about the fact that they lost the election, they don’t get enough free handouts and that everyone is destroying the planet by working? I’d bet at least some do.
80
I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.
80
With you, in Spirit as cannot be physically in Aussie on Wednesday (being a Brit, and in Minsk at the time 🙂 ).
90
Are you Working on Wednesday in Minsk? Go on…
80
I’m retired, but I shall go to Starbuck’s on Wednesday, open my browser and make myself available on web forums to any who need help with their web site development. Does that count? If so, register my protest from Dallas.
cheers,
gary
40
Hmmm, showing solidarity with with Starbucks employees and adding to their need to be productive. I’ll pass that!
00
I’m retired, too.
But it was so much fun, I’m going to work only Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday this week.
00
I’m in.
70
With regard to the international date line, should I be protesting on Tuesday?
40
How about a full dress rehearsal on Tuesday including calm preparation for the real thing on your Wednesday? Also during Wednesday, Thursday and Friday prepare all your recharchable battery devices for charging on Saturday night at 8:30.
40
No, its a rolling protest … especially if you are a pastry chef.
60
Odd you should mention… I spent yesterday on the final roll out, shaping, rising and baking croissants. (I need more practice.)
g
10
Tim Blair’sWOW will create problems for the march marchers,those that have a job anyway.Do they take a sicky or will they be seen to be supporting the other side.What about students and teachers and the poor child suckers used by their parents(morons).This could be enough to drive the fragile gangreen minds over the edge,we may have reached a tipping point here,thanks Tim.
110
Excellent point! Perhaps they can just slink into work and pretend they aren’t there. If they are lucky, no coworkers will snap a photo and tweet it.
40
The junior branch of the movement could be Go to School on Wednesday. Going to school is a worthwhile, civilised, future-building activity that should be honoured and respected.
There’s that line that lefties use about think of the children, or grandchildren or something. I can’t be bothered to google it. Anyway, it should be used here.
140
I shall proudly take to the office wearing a t-shirt with no logo on it, and quite possibly also not carrying a placard. I shall sit down and be counted.
250
Although I’m retired, I’ve found some work for Wednesday: renovating housing for the needy and homeless.
WOW!
170
This movement could be a real problem for the country. ABC, CSIRO, BOM, Fairfax, and many Uni’s will be without staff, in order for them to counter protest the counter protest.
120
Story of the day, too many people at work, air conditioners in overdrive, more vehicles on the road, and indicators show that global warming temperature jumped over that 24-hour period. Tim Flanery said that this event will lead to new beaches forming on the lower levels of the Great Dividing Range west of Sydney.
50
And here I am, now retired with no office to go to on Wednesday morning.
Do you think my wife can make a list of things for me to do?
100
If that list hasn’t been made already I wouldn’t encourage it, really I wouldn’t.
150
I’ve been a wife for 25 years. Speaking as a wife, I am sure that your wife would have no difficulty making a long, long list.
100
I’m afraid that long list has already happened. But I push back a little and she pushes a little and bit by bit things get done. That’s how you stay married. Otherwise you’re only going to end up making the divorce lawyers rich. 😉
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Roy,
We have a lot of remote workers, and you see you as a vaguely distant sort of guy, so I am quite happy for you to work for Whakaaro enterprises, pro bono, on as many Wednesdays as you like. You will need to sort out your own tax arrangements though.
70
I met a few of them in manufacturing operations, remote workers that is, far away somewhere but on the job.
20
Pro bono? No way! Make me a decent offer, at least a free lunch on Wednesdays. Even a trained seal gets a meal for the work it does. That’s a good arrangement and I’ll be gainfully employed on Wednesdays while I’m enjoying retirement.
The IRS can be distracted from my “income” by applying for 501 (C) status.
30
OK Roy, raw sardines it is for you on Wednesdays then (don’t want to upset the trained seals) 😉
10
Sardines make a good sandwich. I’ll be waiting for the delivery about noon on Wednesday. 😉
10
Roy
Bit of light reading from earlier
http://joannenova.com.au/2014/03/unthreaded-weekend-19/#comment-1410699
KK
10
Thanks KK!
I’m not sure I got to any better understanding though.
10
Saw this today on a post – had to share. 🙂 Seems appropriate to this thread.
https://scontent-b-sin.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1911642_279714802196426_203300972_n.png
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Janama,
That’s too true to be funny. But we sheep should be losing a lot more sleep than we are over the opinions of wolves.
00
I’ll be working Wednesday, I also worked Sunday morning prior to marching in the march in march, as that is what happens when you work in aged care… I’ll still be employed at the next march & I will be marching again…
73
Good on you Pamela but I hope I don’t get to meet you at work for a couple more decades if ever. lol
30
So what pray tell were you marching about, Pamela.
Did you carry a placard expressing a desire to sleep with the Prime Minister?
Or did you carry a sign expressing total vulgarity?
What do you think you accomplished, apart from making an ass of yourself?
42
Pamela: Do I sense a sour grapes attitude…you poor baby…life didn’t work out for you did it? If you don’t like where you are and what you get paid, then I suggest maybe you should apply yourself and get a trade, degree or some type of skill that may be more meaningful to you. Whining and marching will not make things better. Life is what you apply yourself to!!!
20
I work from home. Does that count? 😉 I shall do it with extra pride!
90
The scary thing about the protests of the Great Unwashed is that occasionally, very occasionally they win.
It is a sad fact of history that rarely do the good guys win in a revolution. For example, Russia in Hungary and Czechoslavakia, Castro in Cuba, Mao in China, Lenin in Russia, Franco in Spain and most recently – still not happened yet – Assad in Syria,
I shall work on Wednesday and the great unwashed, the anti-trackers and the anti-capitalists can carrying on doing whatever it is the unemployable do.
61
“Anti-frackers” of course, the most pig ignorant, anti-science group of all those involved in the climate debate.
50
The process needs to be better explained, I visit a barbers shop where anti-fracking signs hang in the window and tee shirts are sold, and when I listen to conversations about saving “our valley” I cannot get over the ignorance being displayed including how our nation became prosperous and how to continue forward into a prosperous future.
60
I don’t know, those climate change deniers seem pretty set in their ways.
10
Peter,
Yes the great unwashed do win a lot of the time. That’s because the straighter thinkers, those who bathe regularly, aren’t willing to adopt the lying, cheating and generally uncivilized methods of the squeaky wheel brigade. If we were as willing to use their methods as they are we might win more battles.
Unfortunately by doing that we become what we abhor. I don’t know the answer for sure but I think in the end the best way to win, at least as long as you’re free to speak, is what Jo and numerous others are doing by simply exposing the fraud. But I suspect that if things become too bad there will need to be a change in tactics. I hope I never see it. But I do remember how Martin Luther King and his followers succeeded. And I remember the price he paid for it too.
10
Would everyone please stop calling the March in March people “the great unwashed.” They are in fact the Elites: the trendies, the over educated job snobs, and overwhelmingly the lazy, comfy public sector employees who live in the inner suburbs.
00
What a great idea, I am retired but I will be thinking of all the workers who take pride in our nation and want to continue to build national prosperity despite the squandering that took place 2007-2013.
60
I’m sure British hospitals will join the protest.
“HOSPITALS in the UK have reportedly been incinerating the bodies of aborted or miscarried babies to generate power for heating.”
Renewable energy?
30
Does anyone know iof a good web site that explains fracking in proper scientific terms and the risks etc please? Its hard to cut through the noise…..
Jo – while I’m thinking of it, any chance of running an article about the silliness of earth hour?
50
Steve: You should check out the film called “FrackNation” directed by Phelim McAleer (A Journalists Search For The Fracking Truth). This film looks at the misconceptions about fracking and how it really is politics and the greenies driving the agenda. As with all of mankinds endevours, there is always a risk but with over (I forget how many) hundreds of thousands of fracked wells done in the last 60-odd years in North America, there is not one documented case of fracking that has caused ground water contamination (this fact was stated at some type of hearing – could be senate, by a government figure).
60
Try this one: http://www.energyfromshale.org/hydraulic-fracturing
Peter K’s suggestion is also a good one. I live in Wyoming and have been around fracking for many years. It’s not what people make it out to be.
30
Sheri – I note that John Fenton from Wyoming has been touring this country warning us of the dangers of fracking. He runs a cattle ranch and claims his water is contaminated due to fracking yet through deeper research I have discovered that his area was declared contaminated by the EPA years before fracking started due to pesticide and herbicide contamination from irrigation. He also didn’t disclose that he earns $2,000 for each of his 24 wells giving him an income of $48,000/year. I understand his neighbours are also upset with his public outcrys as it’s devalued their land holdings and destroyed tourism to his local town.
The Pilliga forest contamination which everyone hails as evidence of fracking damaging the water table was not due to fracking itself, it was due to allowing fracking water storage dams to leak as they were not lined correctly as the law requires. The vast amounts of salt produced and the huge quantities of water drawn from our aquifers is the real problem. In Queensland they are building desalination plants to allow the water to be returned to agriculture but it’s at great expense and no one has come up with a solution to get rid of the stockpiles of salt now littered across Queensland.
It should also be noted that our gas is Coal Seam Gas, NOT Shale gas in the US. Typically coal gas is close to the surface and the aquifers whereas Shale gas is considerably deeper with a greater buffer between it and the aquifer. They have recently discovered huge reserves of Shale Gas in the Woomera district of South Australia that could be a great source of Shale gas as it’s not farmland is not populated.
It’s become a very contentious subject here in Australia. I’m against fracking for an entirely different reason. We don’t need the gas. We have billions of cubic meters of conventional gas available (10th in the world) and the CSG available only adds less than 20% to it.
A simple pipeline from the Northern Territory to the Cooper Basin in western NSW, as proposed by the NT Government, would allow all the eastern states access to as much conventional gas as we need via existing pipelines that emanate from the Cooper Basin.
In other words it’s just not worth the risk, the cost, the time and the trouble. All our CSG is earmarked for export in an ever increasingly competitive gas market worldwide.
20
BTW – the whole of the UK Government Inquiry into shale gas extraction is here:
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=14330
You will need to have Microsoft Silverlight installed.
00
Janama: Yes, people often make claims without a basis. Most people have no understanding of geology or water wells. Unfortunately, people want to believe them. Doing research often yields a different view. Glad you posted this.
Your reasoning on the CSG makes sense. If Australia can provide employment and energy with your current easy-to-find resources, using them first is fine. By the time you need the CSG, there may be better and less expensive methods of removing the gas. With commodities, there is always the boom and bust cycles–we pull a lot of NG out of the ground and the price drops. We cut production, price goes up. It is indeed a guessing game.
00
How in the world does this
http://www.news.com.au/world/miscarried-and-aborted-babies-incinerated-to-heat-uk-hospitals/story-fndir2ev-1226863872027
generate comments on fracking?
Has life now become that cheap?
I could say what I’m really thinking but I’ll spare everyone that rant. I’d simply like to know how we’ve let human beings become fuel for heating. How can that attitude exist among people calling themselves civilized? And under that subject we somehow have comments on fracking as if to divert attention from the horror scaper provided a link for.
Someone please give me a clue about how this happens.
00
Probably we got a truly misleading headline like the one you just linked to. The fetuses are being being burned along with the rest of the medical waste–they are not being used to the “heat the hospital”. Yes, the waste is used to generate “waste to energy” but the headline clearly implies that the fetuses are providing heat or electricity for the hospital. As for telling the women the fetuses were “cremated”, they were. Now, the part where the hospitals won’t answer what was done with the fetuses (other than cremated), that’s a problem. In reality, it is more than likely because they do not want the mother to see how much like a “real” baby a fetus looks. That’s been a problem all along with the abortion movement–you can’t let women see what the fetus actually looks like. My guess with the doctors is they simply do not care–they work for money, not healing.
How did we get to this point: WOMEN and men too cowardly to stand up to them. Women have reeked havoc on society in the name of being as awful and evil as men. It wasn’t fair that men got their names in history as tyrants. Women are entitled to be tyrants too. Selfish, short-sighted behaviour rooted in hedonism. That’s how we got there.
10
Sheri,
I just repeated the link from #21 by scaper. I would never have made it a subject for this blog. But scaper did and it turned suddenly into fracking as if no one understood what the original link was talking about.
It’s obvious the headline was made as eye and emotion grabbing as possible. But there’s no damned excuse for what was done. Or for that matter, no damned excuse for followup comments to go on about fracking either. The whole problem is that life has become far too cheap and continues to be cheapened in the name of profit, political gain, personal gain, convenience… …endlessly.
10
I am not excusing what was done. I was just answering why I believe we have gotten to this point. Just as a side, life was much cheaper in the past. And it is in many places around the world even now. I’m saying that’s okay or good, just that we are not as bad as we think we are. History shows much, much worse behaviours.
00
Gee, Michael Mann might have to work on Wednesdays.
[Scaper thanks. I’ve taken the link out because I hear court proceedings were not settled. That post was premature. Jo]
30
Think of the carbon footprint if everyone works!
WOW = Environmental Vandalism
NOT IN MY NAME !!!
20
what if you don’t work away from home? How can farmers participate??
21
hey GA i responded to you in the cohen thread 🙂
10
I know I was thrilled to bits…
I was in the process of adding to my pithy comment above and ask about whether this event excluded the retired and disabled, but hey the next post deals with that.
05
And so you should be thrilled, when they say “work” they dont mean you have to be paid for it its just simply “work” implying the mad marchers in march would not work in an iron lung. Or if you like would rather sit on their asses and collect welfare.
31
I see your cynicism has not changed. I have no idea about their employment status but I know if I wanted to march on to a parliament sitting day, or get news coverage, I would not do it on a weekend. I’d also rather be working than hooning across the country in a convoy.
14
My cynicism fluctuates depending on the topic and who is doing the talking, for example you raise a very good point so my cynicism is dropping, i agree for your march to be a success you would need to March on Canberra during a weekday so if you did work you would need to take time off work and lets be honest GA who would take several days off work to simply walk through Canberra with a sign stating “lets get rid of the PM and while we are at it lets get rid of democracy” (did not give the exact wording for fear of moderation).
This is rebel without a clue status here GA, this was just a bunch of morons wandering around making noise. What exactly where they protesting about do you know?
Cheers
00
It does however make one wonder if it might have been a true rent-a-crowd.
Would love to hear Pamala’s experience (post #17).
00
I’m disabled but by God, I’ll find something to do, if only to make them look like the parasites they are.
Dave
Sacramento, CA
100
So you’re married too ha?
00
Sounds like April’s Fools to me. What the heck count me in.
31
Sarah in Tips on Bolt today:
“Liberal Minister Greg Hunt in question time yesterday reminded me that on the 1st July the carbon tax goes onto transport and rises by another 5%. I have not see this fact in the media to remind voters of this fact especially the voters in WA who have to vote again for Senate places. WA is the largest State and relies on transport for everything.”
14 March: AAP: ***Tim Clarke: WA Senate draw good news for Greens
The ballot draw for the re-run West Australian Senate election has delivered an immediate boost to Greens candidate Scott Ludlam, with a fewer-than-expected 77 nominees for the historic ballot…
And the random selection of the Wikileaks party in the ballot’s first column could prove a big advantage for the Greens, with the movement founded by Julian Assange immediately indicating their preference support would flow to Senator Ludlam…
ABC election analyst Antony Green said the ballot would be a tricky exercise for WA voters.
“They will need the eyesight of a hawk, the dexterity of a limbo artist, and the skill of an origami expert to fill in and fold this ballot paper,” Mr Green said.
“And this will have to be the last time this election system is used, because it has become an international joke.”…
Euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke is also standing, as are former ABC Perth personalities Russell Woolf and Verity James, who intend to run on a Save Our ABC ticket and scored a top three position on the ballot…
Dio Wang, who lost his place as a Palmer United Party senator after the bungled recount, said he felt he was in with an even better chance in 2014.
“We have had more time to get our message through, and people have seen … Clive Palmer’s performance in parliament,” Mr Wang said.
“We could potentially have the balance of power, and if WA votes for us, we can hold Tony Abbott to account.”
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/21981002/77-candidates-in-wa-senate-re-run/
***Tim Clarke: AAP – Senior Reporter
Employment History:
Sports Editor, WAtoday.com.au
Fairfax Digital
http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Tim-Clarke/1916562334
00
“Liberal Minister Greg Hunt in question time yesterday reminded me that on the 1st July the carbon tax goes onto transport and rises by another 5%.
Please, please, please let there be a double dissolution and new election fought on the Carbon Tax issue.
10
Yup,put me down for WOW too.
Meanwhile, it appears that Australian reject and Bristolian Brigand, Dr Lew is creating a bit of a stir and not least for himself but for the Ethicadversity of Western Australia.
None of his fault, obviously, but that of the most relentless Archvillain of the Wonderful World of Warmistadors, Steve McIntyre.
Forget Mikey Mann who had others ‘clear’ him of alleged impropriety.
Dear old Stephan went one better and cleared himself!
And, according to the CA ‘Gadfly’, there’s more, and worse, to come.
Forget the slurs about Steve’s mineralogy past by the consensualists, he’s really into popcorn futures.
For those who care about such things, here’s a repost I made elsewhere earlier.
(Warning- I reference some extreme climate conspiracy- please proceed at your own risk)
Repost from a comment I made at BishopHill:
Just checked Dana 97% Guardian blog thread where he,and his good buddies are pushing the line that Dr Lew was ethically sound, factually perfect but let down by cowardly journalists.
There’s two posts (PythMontagne -23rd March 23:51and UnripeWatermelon -21:51) pointing out the SMc post.
What’s the bet that these posts will fall foul of Community rules?
For posterity:PythMontagne
24 Mar 2014 23:51
1
2
Guardian Pick
McIntyre just dropped another bomb on Lewandowsky and it’s a beaut:
http://climateaudit.org/2014/03/24/lewandowsky-ghost-wrote-conclusions-of-uwa-ethics-investigation-into-hoax/
Report
UnripeWatermelon
24 Mar 2014 21:51
4
5
Guardian Pick
Here’s an update – Lewandowsky Ghost-wrote Conclusions of UWA Ethics Investigation into “Hoax”.
You’re never going to convince the general pulic by lying and fudging the data all the time. It’s no wonder why scepticism is constantly increasing and “global warming” is considered a non-issue
==========
Place your bets now, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Here’s the link for WUWT readers. Select Newest Replies first:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/mar/21/contrarians-bully-climate-change-journal-retraction#comments
30
Roy
I hope the West Australians are really outraged about this. Heads have to role at the University. We all know how thorough Steve McIntyre is, so I have no reason to doubt his analysis.
The people involved at UWA and Lewandowsky are a disgrace.
I hope this gets wide publicity in Australia.
30
total MSM coverage:
24 March: CTV: ‘Extreme’ weather events of 2013 points to human-induced climate change: UN
by John Heilprin, The Associated Press
GENEVA — The head of the U.N. weather agency blamed extreme weather on human-induced climate change Monday, citing key events that wreaked havoc in Asia, Europe, the U.S. and Pacific region last year.
Michel Jarraud, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, said his agency’s annual assessment of the global climate shows how dramatically people and lands everywhere felt the impacts of extreme weather such as droughts, heat waves, floods and tropical cyclones.
“Many of the extreme events of 2013 were consistent with what we would expect as a result of human-induced climate change,” he said…
Jarraud drew special attention to studies and climate modeling examining Australia’s recent heat waves, saying the high temperatures there would have been virtually impossible without the emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the burning of coal, oil and gas.
He cited other costly weather disasters such as $22 billion damage from central European flooding in June, $10 billion in damage from Typhoon Fitow in China and Japan, and a $10 billion drought in much of China.
Jarraud spoke as top climate scientists and representatives from about 100 governments with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change met in Japan to complete their latest report on global warming’s impact.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/extreme-weather-events-of-2013-points-to-human-induced-climate-change-un-1.1742875
10
at least the CTV AP headline includes the words “points to”, but most MSM have taken it a step further:
24 March: Fox News: AP: UN says 2013 ‘extreme’ weather events due to human-induced climate change
Much of the extreme weather that wreaked havoc in Asia, Europe and the Pacific region last year can be blamed on human-induced climate change, the U.N. weather agency says…
Only a few places — including the central U.S. –were cooler than normal last year, but 2013 had no El Nino, the warming of the central Pacific that happens once every few years and changes rain and temperature patterns around the world…
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/24/un-says-2013-extreme-events-due-to-warming-earth-from-human-factors/
00
I am always interesting in something that uses my name!
I wonder if the
gullible idiotschildren are able to see the irony in the lower photo – without democracy, they would not be allowed to carry that banner!Pity them; they are as lambs to the slaughter. Mind you, looking more closely at the pictures, there appear to be all of several dozen there… Perhaps the crop is not as bountiful as hoped for.
20
All they see are the handouts they want from the government and the getting even with the rich nasty people. They have no idea that the lovely, caring people they support will cut them off at the drop of a hat. They cannot conceive of a betrayal by the benevolent socialists who only care about the downtrodden. They do not understand that without “rich” people to tax, there are no handouts. In their minds, the leaders care and will take care of them. They are the children who believed in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, etc and refused to believe that these things were not real. Nothing will convince them until the leaders so mistreat them that it becomes impossible to ignore. Or they end up like North Korea, worshipping a homicidal maniac as a leader. No outcome is good for such people.
50
The trick is to take away the free ride and substitute some incentives to wake up and stand on their own feet. And as Bill Clinton’s welfare reform proved once and for all, nothing works better than the specter of fast approaching hunger along with the offer of some real employment in order to keep eating and paying the rent. Even if the jobs they get are nothing more than picking up trash along highways it will be useful to society which is more than they are now.
But we’re not serious about solving the problem so we don’t provide the right incentives.
North Korea is a bit more problematical, however.
20
When you rob Peter to pay Paul, you will always have the support of Paul. Politicians do not care about Peter, just Paul.
00
Which works until Peter decides he’s tired of paying for Paul and closes his business and starts applying for government benefits. (Or moves somewhere that Paul does not get such a generous share of Peter’s labor. At which time the politician will begin taxing Paul to pay for Paul.)
00
That is probably why emigration from the US is up over 240% in the past couple of years.
00
What do they want in place of democracy?
10
I think that question isn’t part of their calculus. They want their way and to Hades with anyone in the way, including democracy.
20
That fictional sugar daddy they see in their heads when they look at the government. Santa Claus. Utopia, as defined by them. And the annoying rich people to lose all their money and then life would be fair. And broke and dreadful. Which brings in the fictitious part. (Actually, they want a benevolent dictator who makes everyone else work and then divides everything “fairly”.)
20
i can hardly believe i’m seeing CAGW sceptic websites today that link to the 100% renewables’ dream of Mark Diesendorf (UNSW Institute of Environmental Studies) … and believing him!
these are the links people are being directed to:
Nov 2009: Scientific American: A Plan to Power 100 Percent of the Planet with Renewables
Wind, water and solar technologies can provide 100 percent of the world’s energy, eliminating all fossil fuels. Here’s how
By Mark Z. Jacobson and Mark A. Delucchi
Download the Full Paper from paper by Jacobson and Delucchi
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/WindWaterSun1009.pdf
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-path-to-sustainable-energy-by-2030/
April 2011: ABC Unleashed: Mark Diesendorf: The base-load myth
Until solar thermal power with thermal storage is ready to be rolled out rapidly, the cheapest renewable electricity option for replacing several coal-fired power stations is one of the so-called ‘intermittent’ sources, wind power, a fully commercial technology. Wind supplied the biggest contributions to new generating capacity in Europe in 2008 and 2009. It provides 24 per cent of Denmark’s electricity and over 14 per cent of Spain’s and Portugal’s. It has been undergoing enormous growth in China, which doubled its wind generating capacity each year over 2006- 2009.
So, what about intermittency? There is no doubt that the output from a single wind farm can fluctuate greatly. However, the fluctuations in the total output from a number of wind farms, which are geographically distributed in different wind regimes, are much smaller and partially predictable. Then it is relatively easy and inexpensive to lift the reliability of the whole wind output to a level equivalent to a coal-fired power station by adding a few peak-load plants that are operated infrequently…
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/97696.html
13 April 2013: TheGenerator: Renewables can do 24-hour base load anywhere, anytime
The University of NSW has exploded the myth that renewables can’t do 24-hour base load. Dr Mark Diesendorf reports…
In a previous article for The Conversation, I reported on the initial results of computer simulations by a research team at the University of New South Wales that busted the myth that renewable energy cannot supply base load demand. However at the time of the article, I was still under the misconception that some base load renewable energy supply may be needed to be part of the renewable energy mix.
Since then, Ben Elliston, Iain MacGill and I have performed thousands of computer simulations of 100% renewable electricity in the National Electricity Market (NEM), using actual hourly data on electricity demand, wind and solar power for 2010.
Our latest research, available here and reported here, finds that generating systems comprising a mix of different commercially available renewable energy technologies, located on geographically dispersed sites, do not need base load power stations to achieve the same reliability as fossil-fuelled systems…
http://thegenerator.com.au/renewables-can-do-24-hour-base-load-anywhere-anytime
00
Pat it is possible that they could power 100% of the planet with renewables,but what they don’t tell you is that they are only talking about a world population of between 500 mil and 1bil people which is the green goal for this planet.
00
See the image at this link, with the TOTAL supply from all Australian wind power shown in yellow.
University of NSW. Seems they’re still stuck in the ice!
Tony.
90
Tony,
Of course renewables includes Hydro, when it suits them. However under no circumstances can you build any more damns because freshwater dams are such an environmental catastrophe, apparently.
20
join Diesendorf for the launch of his new book ” Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change”:
UNSW: Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets
Coming events
Public Symposium on Renewable Energy: The Future for Australia
When: 9 am – 1 pm, Tues 15 April 2014
The Institute of Environmental Studies and the Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets will co-host the Renewable Energy symposium in Leighton Hall, Scientia Building, UNSW.
The symposium aims to:
Publicise existing renewable energy technologies and systems, ongoing research and the policies needed for rapid dissemination across Australia.
Bust incorrect myths about renewable energy.
Launch Dr Mark Diesendorf’s new book Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change
This is a FREE and PUBLIC event.
Chaired by Amanda McKenzie (CEO Climate Council) speakers will include:
Dr Keith Lovegrove (IT Power) on Solar thermal heat and electricity
Ketan Joshi (InfigenEnergy) on the alleged ‘wind turbine syndrome’
Dr Muriel Watt (SPREE) will discuss Solar PV
Dr Steve Schuck will speak about Bioenergy
A/Prof. Iain MacGill (CEEM) offers solutions with Grid integration, including smart grids
A/Prof. Mark Diesendorf (IES) will bust the incorrect myths about renewable energy
Please come along, and be informed by Australia’s leading authorities in renewable energy technologies and policies.
http://www.ceem.unsw.edu.au/
hardly surprising!
5 Feb: ABC Late NIght Live: Phillip Adams: Strategies for addressing climate change
If the issue of climate change is to be addressed, countries need to move away from fossil-fuelled polluting energy systems, to ones that use predominantly renewable energy technologies. Mark Diesendorf brings together the science, technology, economics and policy issues that he sees as important for a smooth transition…
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/strategies-for-addressing-climate-change/5239754
00
btw when i say CAGW sceptic websites are linkng to the Diesendorf stuff, i don’t mean sites like Jo’s or Anthony’s, etc. i’m talking about geopolitical & finance websites that have regularly expressed scepticism over CAGW.
sometimes websites try to cover too many topics. that can lead to silliness, such as david icke (a CAGW sceptic) linking to the March in March 40-plus-minute youtube video, without having a clue the people in the street were a) political partisans & b)they were demanding Govt action on CAGW.
10
Hmm after working diligently on Wednesday I shall also be attending a strata council AGM for the apartments in which I live (yes, I am also a councilor on the strata council). In between I may get ome me time and sneak a couple meals, chat to the missus etc. Hope I qualify for the protest.
30
another one bites the dust:
24 March: Reuters: Michael Szabo: Trading Emissions plc posts 19.2 mln pound H2 liquidation loss
Clean energy fund Trading Emissions plc (TEP) said asset disposals and writedowns related to the winding up of its business had helped push it into a 19.2 million pound ($31.7 million) loss for the second half of 2013.
Shares in London-listed TEP fell 8 percent to 14.62 pence on Monday after the firm said its net asset value had fallen by 26 percent to 22.38 pence per share in the six months ended Dec. 31, 2013…
“It will be no surprise to shareholders that the private equity and carbon investments are becoming progressively more difficult to sell,” the company said in its results on Monday.
TEP, a fund that invests in renewable energy projects and United Nations-backed carbon credits, has been badly hurt by tumbling carbon prices and ongoing issues at several of its facilities.
The struggling firm began selling assets and paying out investors after shareholders voted in December 2012 to wind up the fund.
Its shares have plunged by 83 percent from their 2006 peak, while carbon prices have collapsed by 99 percent since 2008…
The firm invested in low-carbon projects in developing countries through committing to buy CERs at fixed prices that were many times above the credits’ current market value…
The company also said Brazilian biodiesel plant Bionasa, in which it has a 25 percent stake, “remains troubled”.
“Operations have ceased, obligations to creditors including banks and employees are in default, legal actions have commenced against the company to recover overdue costs, (and) the commercial and finance directors have resigned,” TEP said.
***It added, citing local media, that 27 of Brazil’s 67 biodiesel plants had shut production due to a national supply glut…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/24/trading-emission-idUSL5N0ML2KG20140324
10
oh no…
24 March: Reuters: Robert Evans: Global warming not stopped, will go on for centuries: WMO
There has been no reverse in the trend of global warming and there is still consistent evidence for man-made climate change, the head of the U.N. World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Monday…
“Levels of these greenhouse gases are at a record, meaning that our atmosphere and oceans will continue to warm for centuries to come. The laws of physics are non-negotiable,” (U.N. weather agency chief Michel) Jarraud told a news conference…
http://news.yahoo.com/global-warming-not-stopped-centuries-wmo-204257559.html
00
Pat,do you think anybody who is paid(I was going to write works,but that seems not applicable)by the U.N. actually reads anything in their reports.Maybe they should slow their speed reading down,so they understand what they read.The sound bytes never change no matter what any reports say.
00
On Tim’s site I wrote:
Being a long way away I can’t be in OZ and being retired I can’t go to a job.
I’ll help in two ways. Early in the day (9 to Noon) I’m going to prune wine grape vines. Then I think I’ll take a nap. In the evening, I’ll drink a beer and toast the great OZ Work on Wednesday.
What a great idea. Quite so!
60
25 March: Guardian: Natasha Lamb/Danielle Fugere: Exxon Mobil’s commitment to carbon asset risk is just the beginning
As the company bows to pressure to report on its preparations for climate regulation, campaigners want investors to recognise that extractors may be forced to leave oil and gas in the ground
In a turnabout from Exxon’s long-standing reputation as a climate sceptic, Exxon is the first energy company to respond to investor concerns and, in exchange for withdrawal of the proposal, commit to publish a report on how it assesses carbon asset risk…
If, according to Goldman Sachs, companies need $120 per barrel of oil to reach full cost breakeven, the industry is more vulnerable to price shocks than ever…
As investors, we want to ensure capital discipline and we are not interested in investing in low-return projects…
If Big Oil can’t redirect capital to low carbon energy alternatives, investors will.
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/exxon-mobil-carbon-asset-risk-pressure-oil-gas-investors
not for the first time, “carbon bubble” is co-opted before they can get their CO2 trading “carbon bubble” off the ground. notice the details below, which would suggest no-one’s really committed to anything:
24 March: Globe & Mail, Canada: Shawn McCarthy: Exxon leads the charge on the ‘carbon bubble’
Exxon Mobil Corp. is leading a parade of energy companies that will confront the issue of the so-called “carbon bubble” – the idea that fossil-fuel assets such as Canada’s oil sands are overvalued and risky for investors in a world that must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions…
Companies such as Suncor Energy Corp., Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Total SA have pledged to release their own reports on how their valuations would hold up in a low-carbon world…
Exxon’s commitment – announced last week – marks a major victory for shareholder activists who are demanding better accountability on carbon risk, including some of the largest public pension funds in the United States, which have called for greater disclosure from oil sands companies as well as a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions…
There are a number of studies – including one last year by HSBC Group – warning that the market value of companies holding carbon-intensive coal and oil assets could tumble if the world uses less fossil energy in its quest to limit climate change.
Exxon made its commitment in a letter to Arjuna capital, a wealth management company in Massachusetts.
***The comment said it would not comment until it releases the report at the end of the month.
“We expect them to detail how at risk their investments are in a low-carbon scenario,” said Natasha Lamb, a portfolio manager with Arjuna. It was one of two co-sponsors to a shareholder’s resolution that is aimed to force Exxon to provide more disclosure of its climate risk, but they pulled the resolution when the company agreed to issue a public report…
***Shell and Total have indicated a willingness to co-operate. In an e-mailed statement Monday, Suncor said it already provides investors with information about its carbon risk but is willing to consider further measures. CNRL would not comment.//
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/exxon-leads-the-charge-on-the-carbon-bubble/article17652496/
00
Thank you Jo, I joined Tim yesterday, but I have since realised, they may label us as “reactionaries, spit, spit “. Or, perhaps “running dog lackeys, spit, spit”. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
20
Hear, hear…spit, spit!
00
LinkedIn: Natasha Lamb
Natasha is a thought leader through her work as a Guardian Professional, providing perspective on sustainable business and climate change issues to the Guardian’s online publication; as a Ceres Coalition member, advising corporate leadership on sustainability performance; through the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Climate Change Working Group; and as a founding organizer of Greater Boston Slow Money. Natasha teaches sustainable investing at Bainbridge Graduate Institute where she sits on the Board Finance Committee.
Experience:
UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) Member
October 2011 – Present (2 years 6 months)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/natashalamb
2012: As You Sow: Danielle Fugere joins As You Sow
Taking over for Larry Fahn as President, Danielle will be responsible for strategic management of the Energy, Environmental Health, and Waste programs…
Danielle served most recently as Executive Director of the Environmental Law Foundation. Prior, she was Legal Director and Regional Program Director for national nonprofit Friends of the Earth, where she spearheaded innovative legal strategies to reduce global warming pollution and directed campaigns to reduce pollution and promote sustainable alternative energies and fuels…
http://www.asyousow.org/news/2012Q2/danielle.shtml
Danielle’s predecessor at As You Sow, Larry Fahn:
LinkedIn: Larry Fahn
Current:
Advocate and Counselor at Law at Lawrence E. Fahn Counselor at Law
(Continuing my long history of environmental activism, I am consulting on solar projects, practicing law, writing and spending time on my service as a national Board member with the Sierra Club)
Member Board of Directors at Sierra Club
Past:
President at As You Sow
Executive Director at As You Sow
former Trustee at Sierra Club Foundation
President at Sierra Club
Appeared in hundreds of television and radio interviews on national networks such as CNN, FOX News, NPR, and CNBC, including such shows as All Things Considered; This American Life; Morning Edition; the Ed Shultz Show, the Thom Hartmann Show, Lou Dobbs Tonight, Nightline, Power Lunch and The Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo. Featured in news articles and op/eds in such publications as Time Magazine, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and San Francisco Chronicle. Served as Sierra Club delegate to the UN Climate talks (UNFPCC) in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban South Africa…
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/larry-fahn/8/529/a19
00
We get to do it next week to?
This is the best demonstration ever!
10
i tried to find any MSM coverage of Greg Hunt speaking in Parliament yesterday about the carbon tax on transportation. closest i got was this SMH piece, which doesn’t even report Hunt’s reply & may be referencing Marino responding to Hunt’s mention of the tax on transportation, for all i can tell:
SMH: Politics Live: March 24, 2014
2:24pm: From the GST we step lightly over to a carbon tax Dixer.
Nola Marino, another WA MP, asks Greg Hunt:
Are there any plans to further extend the reach of the carbon tax that will further impact on WA?
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/the-pulse-live/politics-live-march-24-2014-20140324-35cgw.html
why don’t all Australians get this – Marino in 2012. of course, it’s all Australians, not just “regional” ones who will pay and pay:
Aug 2012: Nola Marino: Carbon tax on transport will hurt regional Australians
The motion by the member for Gippsland covers many issues, but I will concentrate on the part that says:
… the carbon price will have a disproportionate impact on small businesses, regional industries, and regional communities …
There is no doubt that regional communities, regional businesses and regional families will bear the brunt of the government’s tax on energy, which basically is Australia’s historic competitive advantage, particularly in overseas markets.
It will be a major blight on rural and regional communities, and it is already.
Everything coming to or going from a regional community will cost more. It will cost more to move anything by truck from July 2014, when diesel is hit by the carbon tax.
There will be a reduction in the diesel fuel rebate of 6.858c a litre on all heavy vehicles delivering vital goods to and from regional communities.
That is expected to cost the industry and its customers $510 million in 2014 and 2015 alone, on top of this year’s 2.4c a litre rise in the diesel fuel excise, and that will mean higher costs and greater impact on regional areas.
People—particularly on the other side—forget what a big country this is. We live in regional areas. In 2007, Australian trucks transported 277 million tonnes of food and animals around the country, and the proposed tax will add cost to every single tonne…
We know that the ships and trains are already paying additional carbon costs on every litre of fuel, adding cost to every ounce of product they shift.
The House also needs to be aware that the carbon tax is already hitting road transport for perishable goods, including the food that every Australian family needs.
The trucks that need refrigerant gas are facing a massive increase in costs right now…
It is a compounding, cascading tax. It will be paid over and over, and I would like to see how many times, if you pick, package and send an apple off from one of the orchards in Donnybrook, the carbon tax is going to apply in that refrigerated supply chain…
http://nolamarino.com.au/carbon-tax-on-transport-will-hurt-region-australians/
10
Pat,Paul Murray gave this a mention on his show Paul Murray Live on foxnews this week.
00
Tim’s humorous article lamenting the Convoy of No Consequence was not so well covered here?
14
Of no consequence eh Matt? Funny how we now have a government hell bent on repealing the carbon DIOXIDE tax, hell bent on cutting green and red tape.
Then of course we had the ‘occupy’ bludgers, they seemed to have achieved a lot.
Now we’ve had the filthy vulgar marchers, we’ll see how consequential their actions will be.
Are you willing to put up a wager Matt?
51
All over the world, the Greens attract between 6 to 8 % of the vote, but unfortunately they are extremely vocal.
As a result, governments are some how intimidated by the extreme noise of such a dysfunctional minority, believing as the Greens do, that this collection of handwringing pessimists reflect the beliefs and opinions of the other 94%.
They don’t.
If I was king of the world, I would say to the Greens, jamb it up **** and then I would concentrate on the needs of the majority, and offer them a future.
Earl
00
Hey I’ll be participating in WOW tomorrow and it’s my birthday also for the double whammy of the great unwashed LOL.
WOW’s a good acronym but in the interest of modern slang the term “Hump Day” could be used, as in WOHD or I like a partial mix of WOHUMPD which is by chance what the Labor/greens will experience at future elections (fingers crossed).
WOHUMPD is also the sound one of these “ashtray on a motorbike” protesters make when you use the four letter word WORK and they pass out. 🙂
10
Here is a search on ABC News for Gary Kennedy for the past fortnight. He is the Newcastle Trades Hall Council secretary who told the March in March rally that Qantas chief Alan Joyce “should be shot somewhere in the back of the head”, and was applauded.
Now why does a self funded blog need to be balanced but a tax payer funded ABC doesn’t? Try to reply unbiasedly.
10
They obviously don’t realize that Quantas brings in all those tourists with money to spend, a lot of which ends up supporting ABC I would bet.
00
QANTAS rather than Quantas, and a reply to Mattb #44. Our local publicly funded station also forgot to mention anything about John Beale of CIA/EPA fame.
00
Sorry, all I can manage are two 4 hour shifts on Wednesday. Can’t do a full 8 hours straight (Wed & Thurs are split-shifts). Hope you accept 10:30-2:30, then 6:30-10:30. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Do I need sarc. (I’m in BTW).
10
The problem with such a protest is the leeches love it when others work for them. And the governments abet the leeches by declaring the workers rich and take more of their earnings.
00
Just heading off to WoW now.
00
I have been preparing for this since I read Tim Blair’s post the other day. I even caught the train into the city rather than my usual walk so that I could get here earlier and get more work done. What a great way to celebrate moving from a home office to our new offices in the middle of Sydney!
00
Just sent my work pic to Tim. Thanks for supporting WoW Jo.
“I love the sound of leftard heads exploding in the morning.
Smells like victory”
00
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00
I’m belittling their cause nor likening these Teachers to the crass March Marchers at all, but it is Wednesday.
Teachers strike across England and Wales
00
(That should read “… Not belittling … “. btw.)
00
W.O.W. very apt.
So how many WOWser’s attended.
00
Just found a spare minute to sign in for WOW (while my laptop goes for a tanty). Where do I sign ?
00
I’m not officially employed anymore, but I’m going out to finish rebuilding the duck pen that collapsed in the heavy “global warming” storm last fall (at foot of heavy, wet snow). So I’m working, just not getting paid from payroll!
00
You know, you can’t-get-a-date, hygiene-denier, eco-flake weirdos all say “f**k” like a bunch of whiny, squeaky-voiced, bothersome-pest, girlie-man creep-outs, that only a “mummy” could love. Best if you hive-bozo dorks, weenies, and geek-balls leave the trash-talk deal to your alpha-male, regular-guy, studly-dude betters who have the testosterone-charisma to credibly pull that sort of thing off. But go ahead and make an embarrassing, public spectacle of yourselves, if that’s what you nerd-puke parasites want.
00
What’s this work on Wednesday thing? Isn’t Wednesday a normal work day … also knows in America as Hump Day. ‘
Please ‘splain .. I don’t get the WOWednesday point.
Thanks.
00
For those that haven’t been following at the back there, it’s quite simply a foil to the idle, workshy, happy to live off and nothing better to do than moan about other people, that choose to express themselves in the manner of ‘March in March’.
00