Midweek Unthreaded

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236 comments to Midweek Unthreaded

  • #

    While global warming threatens the world, snow and ice is seemingly everywhere, and now we have the Ship of Fools V: https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/28/danother-green-expedition-trapped-in-arctic-ice/.

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    • #
      TedM

      As a friend said to me recently, “You can’t change stupid mate”.

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    • #
      PeterS

      Stupid is as stupid does. That should be the motto of both the LNP and the ALP+Greens.

      150

    • #
      angry

      DON’T RESCUE THEM !!

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        I agree.

        You have to let the kiddies learn the hard way sometimes….

        Snow in the Austrian alps…..anyone in for a good ski before lunch?

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      • #
        toorightmate

        And don’t rescue the person with the red thumb either.

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        • #
          Sceptical Sam

          If they’d just heed what they read here on Jo’s site they wouldn’t be in need of rescue.

          You just can’t help some people.

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      • #
        Ghibli

        Well may we say “Don’t Rescue Them” but nobody can rescue you.

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    • #
      TdeF

      They only made it to 71 North. Looks like record sea ice levels. How very disappointing. Since when does a ‘scientist’ not check the facts before heading out. I would love to see the qualifications of these ‘scientists’.

      It’s a fact now that ‘scientists’ like Dr. Flannery take the view that he is a ‘scientist’ and therefore expert in everything. I heard his opinion on nuclear power too, as if he actually knew something. A real scientist argues from the facts not from authority.

      After a basic degree in Physics and mathematics, Michael Mann failed to get a PhD in Physics, so he went into tree rings and climate and made his fame and fortune. What he did in creating the hockey stick not least by bolting on different and allegedly future data to real data would have had him fail a physics PhD, but you have to assume the peers in Climate Science are a different group. They seem to have a different and political view of science where the ends justify the means. It’s all about Gaia.

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      • #
        Another Ian

        TdeF

        Sadly the ability to do a search of previous literature seems to have become an art lost to most current scientists

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        • #
          toorightmate

          Another Ian,
          A literature search to these folks is reading the Sydney Morning HAMAS and listening/watching THEIR ABC.

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      • #
        Mal

        The whole climate scam has now become a tree ring circus since the climate clowns took over.

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      • #

        Since when does a ‘scientist’ not check the facts before heading out. I would love to see the qualifications of these ‘scientists’.

        They don’t need to check facts, all they need to do is ‘believe’ and global warming will be everywhere. It’s like those two deluded millennials that took off into the wilds of central Asia thinking that evil was just a construct and everyone was pure of heart, until they met evil.

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        • #
          yarpos

          Its important that they travel (at someone elses expense) to the human/interface to fully immerse themselves in the intersectionality of ice and unprecedented apocalyptic man induced climate change (sometimes called the weather)

          Only once they are attuned and melded with the ice can they return to mankind and impart the wisdom they have gained and even more importantly, their feelings.

          30

  • #
    john

    SMART METER FAIL: Landmark Seventh Circuit Decision Says Fourth Amendment Applies to Smart Meter Data

    http://www.windtaskforce.org/m/blogpost?id=4401701%3ABlogPost%3A144697

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    • #
      PeterS

      The West has caught the Orwellian disease. Everything is being turned up-side-down. When you see the word smart in front of something it actually means stupid.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        That applies to phones too…often the phones are smarter than the users.

        I often think that many people should be banned from social media – they dont add value and shouldnt say the stupid stuff they do.

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    • #
      Hanrahan

      I was thinking when such data would actually reveal something of value and one thought is if there was constant usage all night, that would be consistent with growing weed in the attic. That can also be detected in northern climes by having the only snow free roof in the neighbourhood. 🙂

      80

    • #
      toorightmate

      The last bloke to apply the 4th Amendment in the US was Clark Kent.

      10

  • #
    john

    Danske Bank money laundering at the world wind capitol Denmark.
    Huge case getting darker with every article I read.

    https://www.barrons.com/articles/hedge-fund-seeks-inquiry-into-russian-money-laundering-at-danish-bank-1531504562

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    • #
      yarpos

      Reads like an episode of the Scandi drama “Follow the Money” which rather shredded the wind industry image

      50

  • #
    C. Paul Barreira

    The corruption of science and the doubtfulness of peer-review deepens ever further. See this report on WUTT.

    It seems to me that only a revival of the humanities—and some notion of ethics rooted in moral philosophy—can help science recover. Careerism won’t do. But when moral philosophers repudiate a term such as “truthfulness” and substitute “truthlikeness” little hope seems warranted. Still, others keep trying (see here, for example). This might provide a deeper purpose for the Ramsay Centre (here); western civ does seem inordinately vague when the predicaments of the age are so severe.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    QUOTE
    Fresh analysis of government scientific records reveals the idea of ‘long-settled’ science in the greenhouse gas theory is a myth. The claim human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) act as a control knob on climate only appeared in consensus science since the 1980’s. Prior to that time, official records show the theory as “abandoned.”

    Famously, on June 24, 1988 the whole world first heard about the dreaded “greenhouse effect” (GHE) from NASA’s new champion of the theory, James Hansen. Hansen had breathed life into an old and “abandoned” theory drawing from new space research into Venus and Mars. Thanks to Hansen’s role, climate fear prevailed for a generation.

    Recently, Russian scientists have declared the GHE dead as global cooling sets in; while a team of Italian scientists called for a “deep re-examination” of the failing theory. Other new papers readily dismiss the CO2 climate hypothesis. Below we present the stark evidence and encourage readers to engage in their own research.

    SEE LINK FOR REST

    https://principia-scientific.org/r-i-p-greenhouse-gas-theory-1980-2018/

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  • #
    David Maddison

    A history of debunking the “greenhouse effect”.

    QUOTE
    Greenhouse Theory disproven in 1909, 1963, 1966, 1973…but still refuses to die

    Robert W. Wood, a professor of experimental physics at the Johns Hopkins University, was perhaps the first “skeptic” of the greenhouse gas “heat trapping” theory, and in 1909 performed a series of classic experiments which disproved its three major assumptions. This excerpt from Rescue from the Climate Saviors illustrates Woods experimental findings:

    SEE LINK FOR REST

    https://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com/2010/06/greenhouse-theory-disproven-in-1909.html?m=1

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    • #
      Kinky Keith

      David

      Thanks for that article. Very useful.

      Especially important that it shows conduction to be the primary heat transfer mechanism leaving radiative transfer from the ground as basically Impotent.

      KK

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Shouldn’t we science realists be pushing the point that greenhouse theory itself is invalid rather than explaining that there is no warming? Demonstrating that the basic hypothesis on which AGW is founded is invalid would invalidate all other claims.

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    • #
      PeterS

      That would work with normal, intelligent and open minded people. Hence that approach will fail with most people. Still it’s worth a try.

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        A general population will react to fear before facts or arguments from authority over the authorized.

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        • #
          OriginalSteve

          Correct. The irony is that human-compatible types wind up as CEOs, but then try to make technical decisions usually with disasterous consequences.

          A wise man knows his limits and acts accordingly.

          As for academics…..yeesh….forget it….the least qualified to work in the real world.

          In this case, academics write academic papers to promote global warming foolishness, then human-compatible types pick up the papers and implement them as fact. Where are the technical people in this process flow? Cut out – otherwise it wouldnt have got up.

          Lets sit back an watch it all crumble.

          A human-compatible relative mocked me for saying her communicate device ( which she cant live without ) uses complex maths to check her best mates new sun tan on farcebook…..I say pull the plug and let their own foolishness bite them in the rear end……

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          • #
            PeterS

            Stock up with lots of popcorn and watch the world crumble into chaos. It’s a given it will happen – the timing is the only unknown.

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            • #
              OriginalSteve

              I agree….as long as they dont drag us down with them, as they go flailing about when they realize its all too late…

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    • #
      Mark M

      The greenhouse analogy is another example of a poorly thought out comparison, consistent with the logic of failed of the 97% ‘science of doomsday global warming.

      Who can identify one greenhouse that has 71% of productive land covered by water in which to hide unpredicted missing heat?

      More non-greenhouse stuff:

      > Diving robots find Antarctic winter seas exhale surprising amounts of carbon dioxide

      https://phys.org/news/2018-08-robots-antarctic-winter-seas-exhale.html

      > Unmasking the negative greenhouse effect over the Antarctic Plateau

      A paradoxical negative greenhouse effect has been found over the Antarctic Plateau, indicating that greenhouse gases enhance energy loss to space.
      Using 13 years of NASA satellite observations, we verify the existence of the negative greenhouse effect and find that the magnitude and sign of the effect varies seasonally and spectrally.

      https://www.nature.com/articles/s41612-018-0031-y

      > Global warming debunked: NASA report verifies carbon dioxide actually cools atmosphere

      “Carbon dioxide and nitric oxide are natural thermostats,” explains James Russell of Hampton University, SABER’s principal investigator.  “When the upper atmosphere (or ‘thermosphere’) heats up, these molecules try as hard as they can to shed that heat back into space.”

      https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/22mar_saber/

      > ScienceCasts: The Surprising Power of a Solar Storm
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEFQHDSYP1I&feature=youtu.be

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    • #
      Kinky Keith

      That’s the one essential point that always seems to go missing in debates David.

      Trouble is that any genuine scientist is going to keep his mouth shut to avoid job termination or worse.

      Truth is: CO2 cannot heat the atmosphere.

      Politics says the opposite.

      KK

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    • #
      Analitik

      Al Gore has stated that “the science is settled” so trying to prove otherwise is futile to those who cannot (or will not) do the high school math that shows how wrong and unscientific Big Al was (is).

      It’s akin to getting Tesla fanbois to see that the company is structually bankrupt and kept solvent only through continual injections of Other People’s Money (via frawdulent proclamations from its CEO).

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  • #
    Mark M

    Academic Rigour- Journalistic Flair …

    Turnbull claimed in March this year that “you can’t attribute any particular event – whether it’s a flood or fire or a drought or a storm — to climate change”.

    Former prime minister Tony Abbott made an almost identical claim back in 2013, after an early season bushfire in the Blue Mountains destroyed 196 homes, during a succession of hot days in a warmer than average October.

    August 22, 2018: https://theconversation.com/australia-burns-while-politicians-fiddle-with-the-leadership-101905

    Factcheck.

    Arcing powerlines sparked fires that destroyed almost 200 homes in the Blue Mountains

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-23/falling-trees-caused-devastating-blue-mountains-fires/9790740

    Let’s remember how their ABC reported on this fire in 2013:

    ‘Climate Council links NSW bushfires to climate change’

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/climate-council-links-bushfires-to-climate-change/5046164

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  • #
    Sambar

    Just got my latest mobile phone bill and for the first time in years I read it in detail. It appears that not only do I have to pay $2.00 for recieving a paper bill, I also have to pay $1.20 for NOT paying this bill electronically. Can someone please exlain to me what the difference is between my computer being used to transfer funds, versus going into the post office and their computer transfering funds? I thought that when the lovely ladiy goes plink with the bar code scanner, and my money disappears over the counter, that this was an electronic transfer.

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    • #
      yarpos

      I am guessing that there is an extra fee extracted from the supplier by Australia Post for counter service on top of the EFT charges.

      You service provider doesnt sound like they deserve your loyalty. Even if you are in the bush, these days you have choice with many companies reselling Telstra mobile

      https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/Cheap-Telstra-network-MVNO-plans

      We switched to Aldi a while ago, same calls/SMS/data (at the time, more data now) for half the $, same network.

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      • #
        Sambar

        Thanks Yarpos, yes as you say, loyalty, started with Telstra when it was the only provider that covered my area. I do need to make the effort and change but I suffer from plan comparison confusion syndrome. I suspect I’m not the only one with this disorder. The other issues, like not being able to keep up with the enthusiastic young sales persons trying to sell me something I don’t want, being either slightly deaf or profoundly deaf depending on who you ask, and an absolute loathing of being in shopping centres all contribute to my just whingeing rather than doing something about it. The link you provided is most helpful and I will, with the assistance of a grand kiddie, sort out a new provider.

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      • #
        Peter C

        Thanks Yarpos,

        I went to ask about Telstra plans only 2 days ago. I came away confused, except that I think I am paying tooo much.

        Aldi looks like it might suit me. I need the coverage, but only for talk and a few texts. I need very little data.

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        • #
          Peter C

          Small print says that I might not get coverage in rural areas (where Telstra is available). That is a problem.

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          • #
            yarpos

            Could be I depending on what that means. So far so good for us living in regional VIC, and travelling around NSW and SA, not too far from mainstream routes though.

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          • #
            Greebo

            I’ve never had an issue with Aldi. Still, you could just get a $5 sim and see if you get coverage before switching permanently. Of course, it helps if you own your handset.

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    • #
      Yonniestone

      Try amaysim I’ve used them for 4 years without any hassle whatsoever, no locked in contracts I even downgraded my plan as I didn’t get near the Gigabytes on it and it was no problem, years ago two of the worst customer experiences I’ve ever had was with Telstra but I still use Bigpond as they up their game when the competition does, search and try out what suits you.

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      • #
        yarpos

        Mate of mine uses Amaysim as his main Internet access (in a black spot in suburban Melb). He speaks well of them also.

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        • #
          robert rosicka

          We just got back from 14 weeks up north and over west ,we changed our phones to Southern phone but one Optus and one Telstra through them .
          Cheap as chips it’s $10 for my Optus with unlimited calls texts etc to normal numbers and one gig of data ,the Telstra one is same price but half of the Optus plan and to our disgust found that second party deals only give you Telstra access in major regional centres and then only some .
          The Optus phone worked in more locations than the Telstra which surprised me .

          11

          • #
            Annie

            Interesting RR, (I wondered where you’d got to!). Our problem is finding a PAYG that allows international roaming. It used to be easy although gradually deteriorated when more and more severe time limits were set. The Southern Phone plans are cheap but don’t allow international roaming.

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            • #
              Chad

              International roaming is dangerously expensive and not really worth it.
              Only one provider Vodaphone,, on some of their plans ($40+ / month) have any realistic overseas access at $5 day add on (note that is $150/ month , $35/ week) ..if you must retain your number whilst overseas
              Much easier to just get a pre pay local sim in the country you visit for calling , and use wifi for other contacts ..email, WhatsApp, messages, etc etc.
              Make sure you switch off all roaming on your Au sim when Overseas whenever you are not actually using it.
              PS check to ensure the countries you visit have overseas roaming capability.
              We just got back from Mozambique where even the Vodphone roaming was not available.!

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              • #
                Annie

                I have been doing that Chad, local SIM, but it’s a new start every time as they run out so quickly if unused for a few months. I use wifi at family and friends but a. don’t trust and b. don’t find very successful such as ‘free’ airport wifi.
                Will remain ‘incognito’ now I guess! It’s not worth the hassle these days…I’m sure it was simpler ten years ago.

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              • #
      • #
        Greebo

        I had Amaysim for a couple of years, but the Optus network can’t compete with T in more remote areas. And Aldi is way cheaper.

        00

  • #
    Kinky Keith

    In Australia’s Public Interest.

    Now that PM Turnbull has vacated his Office there may be a need to investigate and illuminate several events associated with his government.

    First, the mystery of the $444 Million dollars allocated to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. By what authority?

    Next the stacking of several of our government associated institutions with people of US origin; the prime example being Mr. Andy Vessey.

    Third: the mysterious resignation of Mr. Vessey on the very same day that it became obvious that Mr. Turnbulls resignation was imminent.

    Next; the appalling French Sub standard Submarine contract. Was this a deliberate act to weaken Australia?

    And last for now, the extraordinary radio interview given by Mr. Turnbulls son, Alex in which he described making money through his Singapore company through activity linked to our Electricity system. In the same interview there was also the untrue statement that Renewables provided electricity that was far cheaper than coal fired power generators and then implying foul play by Coal interests.

    I would like to see some accountability for all this.

    KK

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    • #
      yarpos

      Not sure what you expect re Turnbull Jr. re accountability. I found his interview staggering also but he is free to say what he likes (libel aside)and use the legal tools at his disposals to play in the Oz energy casino. He is completely delusional on the topic but is able to play the market to extract some $ along the way.

      Re costs I think he talked about marginal costs, which you can argue are cheaper that coal if you suspend reality and pretend that they produce 24×7 and ignore the other related costs they trigger like transmisson, synch, back up. He also talked glibly about “firming up” intermittents with Hydro, as if that can be deployed everywhere (greenies & dams) and will be reliably available in one of the driest countries on the planet.

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      • #
        angry

        Born Lucky: Stars Align Perfectly for turnbull’s Son with Mammoth Bet on Wind Power Outfit Infigen

        https://stopthesethings.com/2017/03/13/born-lucky-stars-align-perfectly-for-pms-son-with-mammoth-bet-on-wind-power-outfit-infigen/

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      • #
        Kinky Keith

        Turnbull Senior was very quick to jump on the “conflict of interest” steamroller to damage someone in his way.
        Is it possible that Mr T talked to his son about pending government action?
        Why didn’t the moral Mr. T resign when he clearly had a conflict of interest now confirmed on their ABC radio by his son Alex?

        Serious questions.

        KK

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      • #
        Kinky Keith

        The whole point about young AT was that he was deliberately misleading Australian listeners and there is no justification in the context of his speech to say that Renewables are the cheapest option.

        KK

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        • #
          toorightmate

          I wonder if young AT is smart enough to realize that Singapore thrives on hydrocarbons – use and reefing!!!
          I doubt it. I suspect he has the same listless intellect as Mum and Dad.

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          • #
            yarpos

            A lot of Australias refined petroleum product comes out of Singapore these days.

            One of the bigger refineries in the world , 6 x Kwinana or Geelong which are the biggest of whats left in Oz.

            30

          • #
            Kinky Keith

            When you’re Born Rich you don’t need to be smart.

            10

      • #
        Kinky Keith

        I think we are all realists here.
        There won’t be any accountability.

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      • #
        Mal

        Has anyone seen the total energy budget for the construction of windmills, the additional transmission lines, and decommissioning and disposal or refurbishment over the expected life versus expected real energy generated. ( not nameplate. )
        I have seen figures that windmills generate bout 4 -5 times. Coal was about 35 times as much
        Can anyone clarify.

        20

        • #
          Bobl

          Those windmill energy budgets don’t take into account that the land needs to be cleared around them reducing sinking of CO2 and the energy consumption of the renewable industry which is around 30% of renewable generation

          30

        • #
          Kinky Keith

          Mal, can you explain what you are saying.

          It is obvious to any engineer that the cost per kWh in CO2 is going to be higher for Renewables.

          This is on top of the basic additional cost that Renewables incur because of economies of scale.

          KK

          00

          • #
            Mal

            I am not talking about cost. That is artificially set.
            I am talking about the nett amount of energy required to make the infrastructure, operate it and then dispose or refurbish.
            Then compare to the total energy that the windmill generates.
            I have seen a figure that it only generates about 4-5 times as much energy as it requires to make manage and dispose
            The comparative figure for coal fired power station is about 35 times as much generated as required to create manage and dispose of the infrastructure.
            It would be a much better comparison based on energy efficiency than trying to compare the artificial pricing regime which includes subsidies, penalties etc.

            10

            • #
              Kinky Keith

              Thanks, I wrongly assumed it was about the CO2 budget for the lifetime of the production unit.

              KK

              00

        • #
          Chad

          EROEI ..Is the data you need..
          Energy Returned On Energy Invested….or Energy Balance.
          https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_returned_on_energy_invested
          It varies from country to country depending on the technology but Wind is reported at a factor of 18.0 , Solar at 6.8. whilst coal is 80.0 and Nuclear at 100+. ,
          Note , future MSR Nuclear is as much as 2000 !

          10

    • #
      David Maddison

      Excellent points Keith.

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    • #
      PeterS

      I look forward to the day when all major leaders supporting climate change policies when we know there is nothing we can do about the climate even if we tried are brought to account, charged and put behind bars for life. It’s the biggest scam of all time by far.

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    • #
      beowulf

      I find it interesting how Young Alex Turnbull has now suddenly become visible after years in the shadows. I’ve seen a couple of interviews with him since MT got the bullet. He comes out hissing and spitting in every one.

      I thought his old man was bad, but Turnbull Jr takes it to a new level. A few years back when MT was Communications Minister, Jr was bitching because Goldman stopped him trading in communications stocks. No conflict of interest there Jr. Then he leaves Goldman after giving them a spray for cramping his style and buys Infigen just before Dad knifes Abbott and signs up to Paris. What a family! Dad is so proud.

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      • #
        PeterS

        It’s a reflection of how they (predominately the left) are becoming more and more desperate. If it continues, and I’m certain it will, they will turn to violence in a big way. Yes some already have but only in isolated and localised cases. Their desperation will escalate until they get their way completely or else die trying. Eitehr way we and the West are headed for a major turbulence. I just hope I’m not alive to see it but sadly my sons and grandson will be.

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    • #
      Dennis

      Former prime minister Tony Abbott believes the era of knifing sitting Prime Ministers is over, following last week’s leadership coup.

      The former PM was ousted from the nation’s top job in 2015 by Malcolm Turnbull, who has himself been overthrown amid messy internal division in the Liberal Party.

      Mr Abbott tells Ray Hadley the country is in better shape now because of the change of leader.

      “A lot’s happened, but I think our country is in better shape today than it was a fortnight ago.

      “The era of the political assassin is over, and thank god for that.

      “The former prime minister will be remembered mostly for the way he got into office and for the way he got out of office.”

      Radio 2GB Sydney

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  • #
    el gordo

    ‘The major parties are neck and neck in the Sydney seat of Wentworth, and voters in the electorate are concerned that the new prime minister, Scott Morrison, is not as committed to action on climate change as Malcolm Turnbull was, according to a new opinion poll.’

    Guardian

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    • #
      Dennis

      However, traditionally the major parties shared about 80 per cent of the primary vote including swinging voters.

      Last year former PM Howard commented that the support had dropped to about 60 per cent.

      More recently I read that support has dropped further to about 50 per cent.

      Watch for the 2019 hung parliament election result and possibly forming government will require many more deals and alliances than 2010.

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  • #

    ❶①❶①❶①❶①
    ①❶①❶①❶①❶

    Solving Global Warming is easy


    ❶①❶①❶①❶①
    ①❶①❶①❶①❶

    I have written a fictional story, which explains how we can solve the problem of global warming.

    The story is meant to be funny, and a bit silly (like Monty Python).

    Although it is written in a light-hearted way, there is a serious message hidden in the story. Is global warming really going to be as bad as the merchants of doom, claim?

    https://agree-to-disagree.com/solving-global-warming-is-easy

    Please tell me what you think.

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    • #
      Kinky Keith

      I’ll have a look at it when you post it here.

      02

    • #
      Yonniestone

      Just read it Sheldon, I’m currently experiencing the cognitive dissonance of amusement and mentally disturbed.

      However the creative reasoning and imagination is quite good, best wishes.

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    • #
      Ian Hill

      I like it.

      I’m surprised computer programmers are still called that!

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      • #

        Hi Ian,

        I am a REAL computer programmer.

        When I started, we used punched cards for programs and data.

        The only mice that were around, were furry, and had 4 legs.

        The first computer language that I learnt was IBM Assembler.

        Graphics hadn’t been invented yet. If you wanted a picture on your computer screen, you had to use coloured markers.

        If I want to sound posh, then I call myself a software developer.

        But if I call myself a software developer, then I charge a higher hourly rate.

        20

  • #
    angry

    Immigration: Scomo follows Turnbull

    The same experiment seeking a different outcome?

    http://morningmail.org/immigration-level-scomo-follows-turnbull/#comment-85879

    MORRISON IS A TURNCOAT CLONE.

    BYE BYE LIBERAL PARTY……….

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    • #
      PeterS

      We all know the definition of insanity. Looks like we will see it put into practice nation wide by the LNP. If so then goodbye LNP.

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      • #
        el gordo

        The good news is that Tony can do the ‘envoy’ job and isn’t gagged, so let the climate wars begin.

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        • #
          PeterS

          Abbott has a great advocate in cabinet. Taylor has reiterated his commitment to backing energy sources that would provide the most affordable power. “It is a simple truth that Australians should not pay high prices for their power when we have cheap energy sources in Australia compared to elsewhere in the world,” he said. “In this role, I will continue to advocate for the cheapest forms of power generation.”
          https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/angus-taylor-faces-power-struggle-as-energy-battlelines-are-drawn/news-story/ac6d6cd5b45f48bdb01941d7181d82cb

          OK then. When is he going to scrap the RET schemes and renewables subsides, or is he yet another typical politician who speaks with forked tongue? Time will tell, and it has to be very soon, say in the next few days or so.

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          • #
            el gordo

            ‘…yet another typical politician who speaks with forked tongue?’

            Dunno.

            Imagine a scene, Tony Abbott sitting around a campfire with the local clan when an intrepid ABC junior journalist strolls up.

            Jurno: Mr Abbott are you upset by the PM keeping the RET, staying in Paris and no new coal fired power stations?

            Tony: I cannot talk about that, but what I can say with some confidence, is that CO2 doesn’t cause global warming.

            20

            • #
              PeterS

              Tony: Also haven’t you heard? Several hundreds of coal fired power stations are being built all over the world and many of them will be using our coal so what are you want us to do? Close down our coal exports? Declare war with China, India, Russia and the US unless they close down their coal and nuclear power plants? Talk to the hand.

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                el gordo

                Tony: You have travelled a long way for a scoop, sorry to disappoint, you could tell them that Abbott said global warming doesn’t bleach corals.

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          Dennis

          For the information of people who might not know, Tony Abbott has been a volunteer lay teacher in remote area indigenous communities for a very long time, I understand he provides a week of his time every year.

          So he well understands the problems and issues. And said today that education of the children will be a priority for him.

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            PeterS

            Good on him. Those on the left (including those in the LNP but doing it so silently) who are deriding him are either complete idiots or hate aboriginal men, women and children. Instead they all should be praising him.

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            el gordo

            Thanks Dennis.

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            robert rosicka

            I’m sorry Dennis but for someone who spends so much time with them he has learned nothing from them or their culture .
            He once said that the more remote communities should be shutdown and oz taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for that lifestyle .
            This just shows the ignorance of him and proves that although he spends time with them he doesn’t listen to a word they say .
            We don’t have the right to tell them they can’t live in a certain place if they’ve been there for thousands of years or already been forced to move previously.

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            • #
              Hanrahan

              Sorry Robert, Tony is right. We may not ” have the right to tell them they can’t live in a certain place” but nor should we have an obligation to fund their booze and drug addled lifestyle especially when it fuels so much family violence and child/infant rape. Think of the young ones.

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                robert rosicka

                If you spend some time travelling you will find some great communities in far flung places and yes you will find the few where there are problems .
                Problems that were caused by moving different groups into one spot even though they may never have got on for thousands of years .
                Their thoughts ,beliefs,law and customs are complex and I won’t pretend to admit I know how they all work but have a good understanding thanks to living in Tennant creek for a while and having the good fortune to know a Ranger that has spent years with them .
                Yes some communities have problems but isn’t that sort of stuff happening in our communities as well ?

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              • #
                yarpos

                Short answer Robert, no it doesnt happen at anywhere near the intensity

                People can live whee they like but have no reason to expect top flight services to be on tap and for others to pick up the tab to make it so.

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      Chad

      Whilst the Indigenous issues certainly deserve much attention…
      Using Abbot is a disgraceful waste of ability and experience.
      It is little more than the modern day equivalent of sending a missionary off to the distant lands to convert the natives ! (No isult intended to either parties)
      Energy is the issue that has brought the country and Libs to this crisis situation , and should be given all the resources in terms of ability and experience to force a sensible solution for the immediate and future requirements of the country
      Abbot is one of the few who has shown any willingness to take that situation on board and should be part of the decision making group on energy.

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    angry

    The bright blue fishing boat that waltzed into Australia: How Vietnamese asylum seekers’ ramshackle vessel slipped through the net – as 14,000 more migrants prepare to set sail

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6104429/Peter-Dutton-says-14-000-Indonesian-migrants-desperate-set-sail.html

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      Peter C

      Horacek, in The Age today, implies that illegal immigrants are imprisoned on Manus Is.

      Is that the case? I thought that they were free to go anytime they choose (just not to Australia).

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        Dennis

        Yes, detainees are not prisoners and are free to request deportation at any time of they choose, and would be issued with a one-way travel document.

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    pat

    today’s MSM scary story:

    28 Aug: Rising carbon levels threaten diets of hundreds of millions of poor
    by Ellen Wulfhorst
    (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Rising carbon emissions could make vital food crops from wheat to rice less nutritious and endanger the health of hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest, scientists said on Monday.
    Certain staple crops grown in open fields with elevated carbon dioxide levels had up to 17 percent lower levels of protein, iron and zinc compared to those grown amid less of the gas, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change…

    The research found that by 2050, nearly 300 million people could lack enough zinc or protein and 1.4 billion women and children will be vulnerable to iron deficiency – all linked to carbon emissions – fuelling the risk of disease and early death…
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-climatechange-food/rising-carbon-levels-threaten-diets-of-hundreds-of-millions-of-poor-idUSKCN1LC1L8

    from Harvard:

    27 Aug: Nature Climate Change: Impact of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on global human nutrition
    by Matthew R. Smith & Samuel S. Myers
    Acknowledgements: This work was supported by Weston Foods US, Inc. (grant no. 207390 to M.R.S.) and by the Wellcome Trust ‘Our Planet, Our Health’ programme (grant no. 106924 to S.S.M.).
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0253-3

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  • #
    john

    Note to moderator.

    After many years of research, and direct experience in the industry, this is science related. Criminal Science, Investigative Journalism, political Science and Econonic.

    I stand my ground firmly on this and have much more which will not be posted here. Historical facts are also a science and I would hope that you would be kind enough to realize that.

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    Ian1946

    I posted this in the previous thread by mistake.

    It seems to me that the only way for sanity to return is to elect labor with a massive majority, have the LNP provide no opposition and watch the destruction of Australia from the resultant effects of a 46% renewable energy target. Maybe then when the ignorant socialist supporters have lost their jobs, homes and savings they will realise that labor is never the answer. However some will never change no matter how bad things become.

    I am in my 70’s and have lived through the prosperous years until Whitlam was elected.things went downhill after that but the election of Rudd was the killer blow. I worry about my grandchildren and what sort of country they will live in.

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      Chris in Hervey Bay

      Ian, seems like I maybe a little older, 1944.
      I have given up the fight. For years I commented on the blogs, I went to meetings and discussed the current state of the world, to no avail.
      My first introduction to this mess was in the 1950’s, hearing my Father talking to my Mother about a buddy he had flown with in New Guinea in WW2. Dad was a pilot. He, dad’s buddy and navigator, got tied up with the Fabians and Communists, thinking they could prevent another world war, and how the United Nations would be a wonderful thing. I remember my father talking about the Fabians “March through the institutions”, starting with the education system. My Father was dead against all this, and after a while his friend disappeared.
      Years past, I read 1984 and Animal Farm. The internet came along and I access to libraries of all sorts of stuff.
      With my son, I saw the corruption of the education system, so I partially home schooled him.
      I saw the infiltration of the Trade Unions by “Never made it” lawyers, and to hell with the guys on the workshop floor.
      I watched the political parties become dominated by children that went to school with my Son. Dummies, incapable of lateral, critical thinking, and no common sense.
      The corruption has now infiltrated to every part of our society, the educators, law enforcement, the judiciary, and our politicians, in every western country. (Victorian Police, anyone)
      The plan was hatched in 1948. The Bilderberg Group was formed in 1954. The planned that complete takeover would take 70 years. 1948 –> 2018.
      It wasn’t a “conspiracy theory”, they meant it. You only have to look at the past to see what has happened. But, if you talked about it, you were nuts !
      Well, the results are now in plain sight. They, the Globalists, New World Order, are so strong now, they don’t care who knows. I believe, whether you like him or not, Donald Trump seems to be our last glimmer of hope, and they are trying their hardest to cut him down.
      So again, I don’t care any more. I have no surviving offspring, just me, so I bought a big, auto start, diesel generator, and if everything goes down, I’ll have cold beer for a while and watch old movies on my VCR.

      [Not sure why this was in moderation. Welcome back Chris]. – MOD

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        Ian1946

        A very good post Chris, a very sad timeline how unthinking socialists have infiltrated everywhere. Let us hop the Donald Trump will prevail.

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        Annie

        Chris, an excellent post but so sad too.

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      • #

        sorry to hear ab out your son

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        Andrew McRae

        It’s a sign of the times that the least believable part of that whole story is that you still have an operational VCR.

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        PeterS

        Chris I know very well what you are talking about. Yes things are going pear shaped as we speak but I fear it’s going to get a lot worse before we hit rock bottom. I’m sure you know that so I won’t need to go through the details. We just need to keep our eyes wide open and be prepared for the coming storm that will shock the vast majority of people. Trump will not be able to stop it. He’s just one man against an army of evil people who are capable of doing anything to stop him, and will. Sorry to hear you are now alone but when the time comes perhaps we can meet and help each other out through what will be terrible times ahead.

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          OriginalSteve

          The thing is, if they do take over the world, what then? Mission accomplished, everyone go home…….

          They will turn on each other i think, they cant stop brawling, its in thier genes.

          Its like the story of Brer Rabbit and the tar baby. And eventually they will fall apart, as they have probably killed all the smart people so they feel superior…then all die from a disease caught from an unsanitized telephone….

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            PeterS

            Once they take over the world they will have a field day taking advantage of several billion slaves.

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          Peter C

          I still have hope that Trump can save America against the combined efforts of the swamp.

          Mid term elections are only 2 months away. Looking from far across the ocean, I think he may prevail.

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            PeterS

            I hope so too but let’s face reality. The swamp is global and it’s much bigger and more powerful than Trump. The bets we can hope for is he stalls them as long as possible; long enough for me and others to get prepared as best we can.

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            ivan

            there are others gathering Salvini,Orban etc …hope is not lost

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        Hanrahan

        I’m from 1942, two weeks from the Coral Sea battle. I still have my wife and adult children but fortunately no grand kids.

        Donald Trump seems to be our last glimmer of hope, and they are trying their hardest to cut him down.

        They are trying their hardest to murder him and to destroy his family, including Barron and the grand kids. He is the bravest man I know, he didn’t have to volunteer for this sheet. He could be playing the worlds best golf courses with some of the best players. He will never be able to go back to that. He will have to spend the rest of his life in witness protection if he survives the short term.

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        Chris in Hervey Bay

        I came back here tonight to see if I got out of moderation. Thanks Jo and moderators.
        And thanks too for the kind thoughts from our contributers.
        A thought to leave you with.

        “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.”

        .

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          PeterS

          Wise words. There’s certainly no shortage of such enemies from within. But it’s not all their fault. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” That’s the real problem we’ve been facing for so long now, which allowed things to get this far and will continue to get much worse. When it all crashes and burns a lot of people will finally wake up, scratch their heads and bums and wonder what the hell happened. Yet the evidence has been all there in plain sight for all to see.

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          Kinky Keith

          As a forty sixer this nation gave me a great education and left me with a wonderful feeling of hope.

          This continued despite many brushes with the ugliness of world and national politics until maybe twenty years back when I became aware of the self promoting uglies that infest the world.

          Man Made Global Warming is the peak of their achievements in ripping the cash out of us.

          Thanks to Trump and the extraordinary insight of the British who will almost certainly get Brexit, I still have some hope.

          KK

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            OriginalSteve

            If you really want to make an impact, eduicate as many young people as you can about communism and socialism and why it cant work, and explain to them communism is about to trash the planet, and why its so completely wrong.

            As my wife said, “the problem is many youngsters dont know any different”

            My own hyper intelligent neice said she thought communism was “cool” until I pointed out NK was communist.

            Because the “education” system ( I call it that very derogatorally ) teaches people how to bow to thier communist “educators” and not gve them a verbal hiding for teaching them rubbish, the youngsters are absolutely terrirfied to say the wrong thing lest the PC police lynch them, or they lose marks. And it starts in high school…..

            That said, I’d rather leave a place riddled with communists than appease their studpidty. By appeasing them, you validate thier lies and entrench the soul destroying cancer of PC.

            How is that benefitting anyone? How can teaching that we have 15 different “genders” help anyone? How is it even plausible?

            I saw a TED talk recently to what appeared to be garnering sympathy for paedophiles……..decide for yourself…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taQMU5K0ykA

            This is what we have let happen on our watch.

            Educating the youngsters so at least they have reference point agaisnt it is *crucial*.

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          Greebo

          Over 2000 years ago, and still apposite today. Thank you, Chris.

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    pat

    Gov Moonbeam’s cap and trade “high speed” rail:

    26 Aug: LA Times: Inflation and delays could add billions more to bullet train project costs
    By Ralph Vartabedian
    The California bullet train project has cost state taxpayers an average $3.1 million a day over the last year — a construction spending rate higher than that for the Bay Bridge, Boston’s Big Dig or any U.S. transportation project in recent history
    But still it’s not enough, planners say.

    In order to hit its 2033 deadline and $77-billion budget, the California High Speed Rail Authority will have to increase daily spending by up to nine times over the next four years or risk putting the already-delayed system further behind…
    Russell Fong, the authority’s chief financial officer, acknowledges the goals will be difficult to achieve…

    But outside infrastructure experts question whether the $27-million-a-day outlay necessary under the plan would even be possible…
    “That burn rate is ludicrous,” said civil engineer James Moore, director of USC’s transportation engineering program. “It is so far outside standard experience that it doesn’t make sense to assume it will occur.”…
    It was supposed to cost $33 billion and eventually reach from Sacramento to San Diego. Now, the route connects only San Francisco to Los Angeles, with the completion date pushed back 13 years…

    10 Aug: Daily Sentinel: Where’s the train?
    By THE GREG WALCHER
    (Greg Walcher is president of the Natural Resources Group and author of “Smoking Them Out: The Theft of the Environment and How to Take it Back.”)
    The project has dominated California politics, and national debates on transportation and climate change, for a decade. At the time, Congress was debating a national “cap-and-trade” scheme, but ultimately realized it was a bad idea. Not for California’s “Governor Moonbeam,” Jerry Brown, though. He and his legislature implemented it anyway at the state level, linking it to his other big dream, the high speed train. They committed a fourth of the money from cap-and-trade permits to the train project.

    That seemed semi-plausible to Californians at the time, but many are increasingly skeptical now. First, it has not generated the revenue promised, and second, cap-and-grade is still a bad idea. It is supposed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making it costly to pollute the air. It caps the amount of total pollution allowed, so companies whose business would increase emissions (new power plants, factories, gravel quarries, etc.) must purchase pollution credits from others who have reduced emissions. That does not stop pollution, of course; it creates a valuable market for it. Consider that if the right to pollute can be bought and sold, and the amount of pollution is capped, then that right has tremendous value. The trading of these “carbon offsets” also require state permits, so the state auctions those permits to the highest bidder, raising millions in revenue. That is the source of funds dedicated to the still-unbuilt high speed rail system.

    The cap-and-trade program is central to California’s morbid plan to reduce its emissions to 1950s levels, and Brown considers it vital to his legacy. He leaves office in January, so he convinced the legislature to extend the program through 2030. That deal required the votes of some Republican members, most of whom oppose the train project. So, a compromise was reached, giving the legislature the ability to veto expenditures of cap-and-trade funds, though not until 2024. Meanwhile, there is still no train…

    In fact, a new business plan from the CHSRA now projects a cost of $77 billion, a 20-percent increase from two years ago, and admits that cost could rise as high as $98 billion. It also pushed back the estimated completion by several years, to 2033. CHSRA blames funding shortages, naturally, and its CEO resigned. The cap-and-trade revenue to date totals about $958 million, less than 1 percent of the total projected cost…

    I have no involvement in California election campaigns, but if I were advising candidates, I might encourage constant repetition of the simple question, “Where’s the train?”
    https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/columns/where-s-the-train/article_58ad0a54-9c29-11e8-8f72-10604b9f1ff4.html

    10 Aug: Las Vegas Review-Journal: EDITORIAL: High-speed rail in California has become a slow-motion train wreck
    The cost of the bullet train has grown from $45 billion to $64 billion to $78 billion. The latest estimate puts the final price at $100 billion, with a completion date of 2033…

    To save money, the rail authority has resorted to reducing speeds. Instead of building 30 miles of elevated track south of San Francisco, it now wants to put track on land owned by Union-Pacific. For that section of track, train speed would drop to 110 mph. Overall, almost one-third of the route now faces speed restrictions. A train with only one or two stops would now travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 3.5 hours. Most trains would take more than 4 hours…

    As ride times have gotten slower, ticket prices have soared. The rail agency has projected prices at $83, $105 and now $186. Southwest currently has midweek September flights from L.A. to San Francisco for $48 a ticket. The flight is just one hour and 25 minutes. The train is on track to demand passengers pay higher prices for a slower trip…

    That’s assuming that the full line gets built, which is far from a sure thing. The rail authority has obtained less than $30 billion in funding, so it’s decided to complete a line between Fresno and Bakersfield. No really. That’s the plan. It wants to show the train is viable and then dare elected officials to reject their requests for more money — and tax hikes.

    California’s bullet-train boondoggle provides a concrete example of why taxpayers should dismiss the rosy projections of the Las Vegas monorail backers.
    Here’s a simple standard for future high-speed rail pipe dreams. If a private company isn’t willing to put up its own money to construct it, don’t force the beleaguered taxpayers to build it.
    https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-high-speed-rail-in-california-has-become-a-slow-motion-train-wreck/

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      angry

      California is a Failed Leftist State………

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      Roy Hogue

      This high speed train, when finally finished will be just a demonstration that will take you from nowhere to noplace. And of course, they will be happy to sell you round trip tickets if you want them.

      Jerry’s wet dream isn’t going to be stopped until we elect a Republican and there’s a long shot chance that we can do that.

      There has been rail passenger service between San Diego and San Francisco since the late 1880s and it’s going to waste for lack of riders. The airplane put railroads out of the passenger business in the late 1960s and I think Jerry is standing tall looking across the Atlantic at the tunnel under the channel and he wants one too.
      There are mountains surrounding Los Angeles on the north and the two rail lines going that way from downtown both get out through mile plus long tunnels, with no room for high speed. One other line get’s out in that general direction by going about 50 miles east and then struggles up over steep grades to get onto the desert.

      A tunnel from Los Angeles out to the desert from downtown, the only sensible place for the terminal, would be 20 to maybe 50 miles long by my estimation. Jerry’s legacy, his mark on California isn’t ever going to be completed.

      Santa Susana tunnel to the coast and then on to San Francisco

      Newhall Tunnel to Antelope Valley then north through Tehachape Pass to the central valley (more high mountains)

      Cajon pass about 50 miles east of Los Angeles

      Cajon is spanish and pronounced Ka-hone. Those links have more than you ever wanted to know about they Jerry’s train is a bad idea.

      That’s hardly territory for making high speed. Good luck Jerry. I’ll buy you a shovel if you’ll do the digging.

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        Graeme No.3

        Roy:

        High speed trains and public transport have an effect on left wing politicians somewhat like catnip on cats.

        One of our State Premiers facing re-election has just announced a grand underground railway (Sorry, Rail Link is Politically Correct) to connect stations around Melbourne in a giant arc. Initial cost $A50 billion, and would take years and years to build. This despite a decline in rail commuting from those stations. You might be surprised (or not) that his nickname is Dopey Dan.

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        Sambar

        Reminds me of a Stan Rogers song called the Guysborough Train (https://youtu.be/oJiLADHFZd4 ) don’t know if the link will work. The dift being Stan Rogers died in the 1970’s , the Guysborough line had been promised to be built for years even then. Don’t know if it was completed

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          Graeme No.3

          Link to youtube OK but no sound with video.

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            Sambar

            G’Day GN3, Try googling it up seperately. only if you like irony. A bit like our proposed new Melbourne subway loop. Estimated at $50 billion today, with a 30 year build time. How’s that going to work out for the next generation of tax payers.

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        yarpos

        High speed trains are very often not high speed all the way and can have significant slow stretches. We used to catch the TGV in Europe from Lausanne to Paris, the first half of the tripe is a pretty routine normal speed train trip, then when you get out on the plain in France it ramps up. It would reasonable to think that a LA > SFO train would be normal for an hour or two each end.

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    beowulf

    Minus 13.2C yesterday at Thredbo. Coldest day so far this year. So they have removed their convenient arbitrary -10C limit.

    I wonder what it would have been at Charlotte Pass weather station which set the Australian record of -23.0C on 29/6/94 had not the BOM strategically chosen to shut it down in March 2015 to ensure there were no more cold records set.

    Thredbo all time minimum is -13.5C, much warmer than Charlotte Pass, so we can hazard a guess what it might have been.

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    PeterS

    Pension crisis is about to hit Germany. Our turn will come soon, which means higher taxes. Shorten will come in just in time to make sure of that.
    https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/germany/the-german-pension-crisis-to-become-a-political-issue-as-in-italy/

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  • #

    I mentioned a couple of threads back the national security aspects of depending on feeble renewables and imported diesel, especially when the necessary and expensive gas infrastructure to support renewables is still far off. It’s amazing that this is seldom mentioned. 60 billion spent on oiler subs which may never exist is considered a national security measure (though probably not by the cynics who handled the deal). Yet nobody seems to think needless oil dependence and the deliberate underpowering of a modern economy is a security matter?

    We all know where the US, Russia, Iran and Oman are parked in regard to the Strait of Hormuz. Notice that China has now parked its first African military installation in Djibouti, at the other great choke point for sea transport. China’s new base is just six miles from an American base of 4000 troops. One day’s blockage of the Strait of Hormuz is all it takes, guys. And Red Sea tensions would also not take long to cause chaos in oil. Add to that a broken interconnector and a few more coal closures, maybe a drought in hydro regions. What do you get?

    Australia has to buy into the world’s problems and nastiness to some extent. Certainly, we need oil. But our Green Betters are talking about massively increased dependence on oil while the good coal lies right in our own yard. Shouldn’t this matter of national security be getting at least an airing?

    Okay, I call the national security aspect of coal the elephant in the room. But then there’s the brontosaurus in the phone booth, which is…
    https://www.dur.ac.uk/geography/nequa/what_is_the_quaternary/
    Notice how little time we actually spend being warm.

    There is nothing unusual about this interglacial. Its onset was inevitable, its decline is inevitable. And we are not even at its warmest point, which was eight thousand years back.

    These facts, the result of many years of scientific work by many disciplines, are so large and so critical that I’ve reached the conclusion that they are possibly being ignored on purpose.

    I reckon we have to consider the possibility that the goat-sacrificers and neo-trotskyists are just as sinister as we imagine but not quite so obtuse. Population reduction may have its unstated purpose, based in actual science which is studiously ignored.

    Gaia is not our mother, nor is the Earth, and nothing is for keeps. In fact, nothing is for very long. But do we want to leave the decisions about interglacial decline to the kakistocracy, to the very worst among us?

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      Another Ian

      But! BUt!! BUT!!!

      With the shale revolution we’ll now be able to bypass the Middle East and get our diesel supplies from USA

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      • #

        Gotta watch it, Ian. A lot of Russian oil makes its way to the US Pacific NW, under Portuguese etc flags. We might end up with a load of Novichok-laced Sakhalin blend.

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          Another Ian

          M

          Notice I didn’t say I thought it a good idea!

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          Another Ian

          “We might end up with a load of Novichok-laced Sakhalin blend.”

          Might still burn better than some biodiesel

          And if Canada were to finish the Transmountain pipeline could come from there

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      Annie

      Mosomoso, I came to much the same conclusion quite a while back. Scare the sheeple into accepting loss of reliable cheap energy and hope that there will be a natural huge reduction in the population when the colder climate comes upon us.
      There is an incredible evil cynicism behind the refusal of the World Bank, etc. to finance proper power generation in Africa. A fat lot of use is a solar panel for raising the living standards for so many in need of clean water, cooking and refidgeration, storing medicines and food safely. It all absolutely stinks.

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        Annie

        Refridgeration

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        Annie

        Not to mention heating/cooling as necessary and good lighting, not some mingy little low-wattage single bulb sort.

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        angry

        Hopefully it will be a long really hot Summer with numerous blackouts……….

        Might wake the sheeple up!

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        The warm spikes are frequent, almost regular, but they are brief. If we consider the glaciation-free period of our Cenozoic Era prior to the Quaternary, even then temps were mostly cooler than at these brief peaks, such as the one we are now experiencing. While none of this is exact, it is not new or controversial.

        Very recently, in the era of new life-forms (ie Cenozoic) we and the late-departed Neanderthals have shown an ability to get by in somewhat hotter and in much colder conditions than now. But that is people, not complex civilisations supported by heavy populations.

        It’s possible that humans were building fixed structures before the comfortable conditions of the last twelve thousand years. Gobekli Tepe may reveal more. But all of complex civilisation as we know it, with high populations staying in one place, is the effect of just a few thousand years of a particular climate which comes along every 120,000 years, give or take.

        It is not reasonable to think that climatic conditions will stay stable at these warm levels when they have not done so for millions of years. And it is not reasonable to think we can farm much is a world which is not just cold but dry.

        Here’s my thinking. Our potty elites do have a well-developed selfish instinct and a hyper-developed controlling urge. Would they miss these critical facts?

        Or would they be quick to grasp these facts and to run the mother of all distractions?

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          Graeme No.3

          mosomoso:

          I think that they’ve missed the point. We had ratbags such as Sir David King claiming that the Earth was warmer than at any time in the last 5,000 years, or 50,000 years or 500,000 which points him in either the accidental or deliberate error.

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            That is just a staggering claim, if he really said it. Warmer now than the peak of Eemian? The peak of the Holsteinian? Warmer than the Optimum prior to the start of desertification of N Africa? Warmer than the Minoan, Roman and Med warmings?

            Do knighthoods and doctorates just fall out of cornflake packets these days?

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Annie, over the years of observing the NWO crowd, they appear to harbour arayan supremacist views, as such, it could explain why africa seems to be always exploited, but never developed … or simply put, you need a ready supply of compliant, cheap labour/ lab rats at all times…

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  • #
    pat

    quite funny:

    29 Aug: ABC: How drought and a stellar snow season can happen at the same time
    ABC Weather By Kate Doyle
    The story of the season has been of widespread drought, but if you have spoken to anyone who has come back from the ski field, they are raving about how much snow there is.
    It may seem counter intuitive to have such diverse events in the same states, but this year is proving it is possible…

    While the New South Wales Government has announced the whole of the state is in drought, Bureau of Meteorology senior climatologist Agata Imielska said this year is “probably the best snow depth we’ve had since 2004. So the best in 14 years”.
    It is not just the NSW snowfields getting the white stuff either.
    The Victorian high country has been icing-topped, there has been snow on Bluff Knoll in Western Australia, and Tasmania got snow down to 300m over the weekend.

    Time to get to the bottom of this meteorological conundrum…
    The fronts that have made it to the snowfields have generated snow through a process known as orographic forcing…

    What about the rest of the season?
    Ms Imielska has not just been keeping an eye on the snow depths for purely academic reasons — she has been making the trip down to enjoy the good season.
    “I’ve had about 20 days on the snow this season so far and it’s been fantastic,” she said.
    “Just coming down and most weeks there being just a little bit of extra fresh snow or even bigger amounts of snow.
    “I’ve been camping down there. So coming down and actually setting up my tent with 20 centimetres of snow on the ground, and waking up and seeing snow on the tent, it’s pretty great.”
    Looking at the forecast it could get even better.
    “We’re expecting some snow on Friday and Saturday this week … generally during September you can still see some good snowfalls coming through,” Ms Imielska said.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-29/drought-and-bumper-ski-season-at-same-time-explained/10173470

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  • #
    • #
      PeterS

      Time the “broad church” stopped serving two masters and became a “narrow church” by telling all those who backed Turnbull to join the ALP where they belong.

      40

  • #
    angry

    julie bishop – News – THE STICK INSECT IS AT LEAST KEEPING HER POWDER DRY – The Pickering Post

    http://pickeringpost.com/glance/the-stick-insect-is-at-least-keeping-her-powder-dry/8511

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  • #
    OriginalSteve

    Unexpected blow-back on the worlds most pointless vehicles…..( electric cars )

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-28/changes-required-to-fuel-excise-funding-before-electric-car-boom/10175402

    “The drive to electric vehicles promises a better future — but there is a road rage battle brewing, pitting petrol guzzlers against their green successors on how we should be paying for our roads.

    It has been recognised for a while that the drive towards electric vehicles could see us run into a major budget black hole, but last month the Parliamentary Budget Office warned just how bad the problem was.

    Fuel excise, a primary source of income for the Government, has already fallen 30 per cent as a share of GDP between 2001-02 to 2016-17 (from 1.6 per cent to around 1 per cent).

    “Right now, there is a burning platform,” said Adrian Dwyer, chief of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, which has made a submission to the Senate committee on electric vehicles.

    He said he envisaged a system where drivers paid the Government for the kilometres they drove in a month, in much the same way people paid their phone bills. And he said he wanted to start with electric vehicles.

    Mr Dwyer said this should happen as soon as possible, while electric vehicle uptake was relatively low and while those buying them were relatively affluent. He said it was not fair that poorer drivers of old cars were effectively subsidising richer drivers of electric vehicles.

    “If you drive a 10-year-old car, a 10-year-old Commodore, you’re paying a lot more than someone who drives a Toyota hybrid, a Prius, and if you’re driving a Tesla you’re not currently making a contribution at the point of use,” he said.

    The current system

    Drivers of traditional petrol-powered cars contribute to the cost of the road network every time they fill up.

    For each litre of fuel you buy, you are contributing around 40.9 cents to the Federal Government’s coffers. It is a huge amount of cash. Total fuel excise revenue is about $18 billion a year, or 5 per cent of total revenue.”

    Dont forget the move to electric autonomous cars means no need for parking stations, no parking fines, no fuel tax, no need for car insurance etc etc.

    30

    • #
      Hanrahan

      Another case of the need to be careful what you wish for. It has always been bleedingly obvious that subsidising EVs by governments is a double whammy to their budget. How could they be so blind? Is virtue signalling such a big vote winner in their eyes?

      20

  • #
    pat

    behind paywall:

    Malcolm Turnbull may be compelled to face reef inquiry
    The Australian · 15 hours ago
    There is precedent for a Senate committee to compel a former prime minister to give evidence…

    29 Aug: SBS: AAP: Turnbull faces grilling over reef funding
    A Senate committee could compel Malcolm Turnbull to give evidence about the granting of more than $440 million to a small Great Barrier Reef charity.
    Committee chairman Peter Whish-Wilson said the former prime minister could be summoned when he resigns his seat on Friday. Senate committees can’t force lower house MPs to front hearings.
    Senator Whish-Wilson wants to question Mr Turnbull about an April 9 meeting with Great Barrier Reef Foundation chair John Schubert and former environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, when funding for the group was discussed.

    “I’ll be seeking to work with the committee to invite him as a witness and compel him if we have to,” the Greens senator told The Australian on Wednesday.
    “He is the one person who can answer our questions that haven’t been answered, and get to the bottom of this.”…
    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/turnbull-faces-grilling-over-reef-funding

    20

  • #
    pat

    full of it, as usual with Meyer:

    28 Aug: The Atlantic: Robinson Meyer: The Global Rightward Shift on Climate Change
    President Trump may be leading the rich, English-speaking world to scale back environmental policies.
    Last Thursday, Malcolm Turnbull was the prime minister of Australia. By the end of this week, he’ll be just another guy in Sydney…
    In Australia — where global warming has contributed to the die-off of half the coral in the Great Barrier Reef since 2016 (LINK) — even a mild climate bill could not pass under a conservative government…

    Every country except the United States supports the Paris Agreement on climate change. But no major developed country is on track to meet its Paris climate goals, according to the Climate Action Tracker, an independent analysis produced by three European research organizations. Even Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom—where right-wing governments have made combatting climate change a national priority—seem likely to miss their goals…

    Yet even as (Justin Trudeau) fights for his political life, Trudeau has found it easy to keep supporting new fossil-fuel infrastructure. In May, his government purchased the Trans Mountain pipeline project, which will likely assure its construction. The pipeline, which is opposed by environmental groups and several indigenous nations, will let Canada easily export hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day to Asia.

    If Trudeau loses next year, and conservatives repeal his carbon tax, then his government’s climate legacy will be a pipeline, not a reduction in emissions. And if Canada abandons its climate policy, then it will follow the path set by another Anglophone petit petrostate: Australia…READ ON
    https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/08/a-global-rightward-shift-on-climate-change/568684/

    30

    • #
      PeterS

      The mere fact that many hundreds of coal fired power stations are being built all over the word many of whom will be using our coal is proof enough that no one is really taking the lowering of emissions seriously; except Australia. We are now waiting to see if we join the rest of the world or we continue the path set by Turnbull and stand alone in reducing emissions by refusing to build more coal fired power stations and instead rely on more and more renewables at the expense of coal. It will be very revealing as to the mental status of the current government, and if they do the right thing but the people still elect ALP+Greens at the next federal election then that would be very telling of the mental status of the Australian voters. We’ll know for sure one way or another relatively soon.

      50

      • #
        el gordo

        Tony Abbott spoke with Peter Ridd and William Kininmonth at the Carter Lecture and I’m confident he will speak up all the way to the election, otherwise its crash and burn for the Coalition.

        30

  • #
    Mark M

    ICYMI … September 8 2018 Join A Day Of Global Action*

    Be part of the movement that’s ending the era of fossil fuels and building 100% renewable energy for all.

    https://riseforclimate.org

    *Brought to you by a fully fossil-fuelled lifestyle.

    10

    • #
      beowulf

      Why we rise:

      Kristine Jelstrup

      I #RiseForClimate bcuz I want my son to grow up in a world that is not on fire, underwater, in drought and covered by a thick layer of C02.

      Guess what Kristine — you’re in luck and so is your son. Some mothers do have ’em and Kristine’s mother certainly did.

      20

      • #
        Hanrahan

        Have you ever heard a “progressive” say: “I don’t want my son to grow up crippled by debt, in servitude to international bankers?”

        30

  • #
    Another Ian

    SH1T!

    “Vic Lib MP Julia Banks announces resignation – blames bullying by Labor and her own party”

    http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/vic-lib-mp-julia-banks-announces-resignation-blames-bullying-by-labor-and-her-own-party.html

    “Ms Banks was the only federal Liberal to win a seat from Labor at Turnbull’s 2016 union corruption-busting double dissolution election.”

    30

    • #
      PeterS

      Well if she is being bullied by both Labor and LNP then it means she must be far-right 🙂

      40

      • #
        Another Ian

        More info says less problem.

        She’s a Turnbullite and not contesting the next election so no by-election

        00

  • #
    angry

    New immigrants will be forced to settle in regional areas for FIVE YEARS under plans to stop all foreigners moving to Sydney and Melbourne

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6107761/Regional-settlement-plan-migrants.html

    DON’T BLOODY BRING THEM TO THE BEAUTIFUL MID NORTH COAST OF NSW!!

    WE DON’T WANT A CRIME WAVE FROM UNCIVILIZED SAVAGES @$@$!!!!!!

    KEEP THEM IN BLOODY CANBERRA!

    RIP LEFTIST LIBERAL PARTY.

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    angry

    Bono vows to wave the blue EU flag at his gig in a ‘provocative’ show of support for Europe as he rails against nationalism and praises Merkel for letting 1 million Syrians into Germany

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6105809/Bono-vows-wave-blue-EU-flag-gig-provocative-support-Europe.html

    Disgusting!

    Used to be a U2 fan, not after this!!!

    AHOLE!

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  • #
    pat

    crucial developments re Spygate:

    28 Aug: Sara Carter: Bruce Ohr: FBI Knew About Bias Before Getting a FISA On Carter Page
    Ohr told Congress that the FBI was aware that his wife worked for Fusion GPS, but failed to disclose that to FISC
    He also claims the FBI was aware of dossier author’s bias, but failed to disclose that to the secret court as well
    https://saraacarter.com/bruce-ohr-fbi-knew-about-bias-before-getting-a-fisa-on-carter-page/

    VIDEO: 29 Aug: The Hill: Russian oligarch, Justice Department and a clear case of collusion
    By John Solomon
    http://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/404061-russian-oligarch-justice-department-and-a-clear-case-of-collusion

    28 Aug: Fox News: Gregg Jarrett: The scheme from Bruce Ohr and Comey’s confederates to clear Clinton, damage Trump
    http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/08/28/gregg-jarrett-scheme-from-bruce-ohr-and-comeys-confederates-to-clear-clinton-damage-trump.html

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  • #
    PeterS

    Unusually large number of active and unrest volcanoes. I suppose we should blame it on climate change, not.
    https://earthquakes.volcanodiscovery.com/

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    pat

    surprised any ABC America station would report this so comprehensively:

    29 Aug: ABC 30 St Louis: CNN Credibility Takes Another Hit After Source On Major Scoop Says He “Misspoke”
    The cable news network CNN, already facing several problems with credibility in its reporting on the presidency of Donald Trump, is facing more criticism and could find itself struggling to maintain its credibility…

    The story is only the latest in a series of stories about President Trump since his election that CNN has released that were found to be incorrect or extremely misleading.
    The network ran with a “bombshell” report in late 2017 that claimed blah blah…
    CNN has never explained how it made the error…
    CNN also reported in June of last year that blah blah…
    During testimony, that did not happen…ETC

    Such coverage has many saying that the network is becoming increasingly more blatant in presenting bias as news coverage…
    There is also a question as to why CNN continues to push certain agendas while its struggles in the ratings increases. The network has been continually landing in third place, and has even fallen behind lower rated programming on other non-news networks…
    While it has been accused of having little to no objectivity for years, it now finds itself increasingly under more scrutiny over credibility…

    CNN’s story was “breaking news” the night of July 26 on Anchor Chris Cuomo’s primetime show. Cuomo is the brother of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and they are both the sons of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. The Cuomo family’s political leanings have been decidedly left of center for decades, and are clear political opponents of the Republican Party. Chris Cuomo has often fronted segments attacking Trump and the GOP.

    CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto, one of the main authors of the story, was hired by CNN from the Obama Administration, where he was a political appointee working on “foreign affairs”. CNN has never disclosed this to its viewers, and Sciutto’s bio on the network’s website has never disclosed this fact either…ETC
    https://abcstlouis.com/news/nation-world/cnn-credibility-takes-another-hit-after-source-on-major-scoop-says-he-misspoke

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      pat

      however, theirABC, which churns out anti-Trump pieces almost in real-time, still appears to be ignoring this huuuuge CNN/Lanny Davis story.
      of course, they were happy to go with the FakeNews version – a couple of examples, which got documented, below:

      6 Aug: ABC: Reuters: Donald Trump admits his son met with Russians in 2016 to gather information on Clinton
      CNN reported last month that Michael Cohen, the President’s longtime personal lawyer, was willing to tell Mr Mueller Mr Trump did know about the Trump Tower meeting in advance…

      2 Aug: ABC: Russia If You’re Listening with Matt Bevan: Trumpdate: Did Trump tweet the end of the Russia Investigation?
      And Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen is keen to tell prosecutors all about the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting…
      We’ve got John Barron from ABC News’ Planet America and Emma Shortis from RMIT University in Melbourne on the episode to make sense of it all…

      16 Jun: Bolt blog: HOW MUCH TRUMP-HATRED CAN THE ABC SPIT OUT?
      Another brilliant Media Watch Dog blog by Gerard Henderson, containing multiple examples of Trump Derangement Syndrome at the ABC – which you pay to deliver what by law is meant to be an impartial service…READ ON
      https://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/how-much-trumphatred-can-the-abc-spit-out/news-story/e285bd695aa0de5f6b6abc2bbfb62d6a

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      • #
        pat

        to answer Bolt’s HEADLINE question, try the following.

        altho this program only began in May, there are already about 29 episodes:

        ABC: Russia If You’re Listening Homepage: Matt Bevan
        It’s the most important news story of the decade – the investigation which could bring down US President Donald Trump. We’ll tell the whole story, character by character, before the FBI start kicking in doors.
        (Matt Bevan is newsreader and reporter for RN Breakfast with Fran Kelly, specialising in US and Asian politics. Prior to this he was a producer for ABC Radio Sydney. He has worked for the ABC since 2008, originally in his home town of Newcastle, NSW)
        http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/russia-if-youre-listening/

        Matt’s guests are great! lol:

        29 Aug: ABC: Russia If You’re Listening: Matt Bevan: Trumpdate: Russia is hacking elections. What does NYT’s David Sanger think is next?
        Matt spoke to David Sanger, the national security correspondent for the New York Times and host of Deep State Radio podcast.

        24 Aug: ABC: Russia If You’re Listening: Matt Bevan: Trumpdate: Does Trump know how much trouble he’s in?
        Gorana Grgic, lecturer in US politics and foreign policy at the US Studies Centre and the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney
        Emma Shortis, research officer at the RMIT University European Union Centre

        26 Jun 2018: ABC: Is Donald Trump above the law?
        Russia, If You’re Listening By Matt Bevan
        Presidents can only be prosecuted once they have left office, and apart from elections and term limits, there are only four methods of leaving: resignation, death, impeachment by a majority of the House and two-thirds majority of the Senate, or the Cabinet declaring they are unfit to fulfil the duties of the office…
        (Russia, If You’re Listening is an ABC podcast about the investigation into Russia’s interference in the US election. Find it in the Listen App, in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcasting app)

        MATT INTENDS TO CONTINUE WITH THIS STUFF:

        26 Jul: SMH: Peter Wells: The chaos of the Trump era could be a reality show, says podcaster Matt Bevan
        With nine episodes currently available, and so many characters yet to explore, I asked how long he saw the series running.
        “The plan at the moment is for somewhere between 15 and 20 episodes, ending around September or October, with each episode focused on a particular character or important event. That’s the point at which my understanding of the story so far will run out. But the chance of the entire story being known by then is close to zero, so my intention is to take a few months off for research, then come back with more episodes on whatever happens between now and the end of this year.”

        20

        • #
          pat

          another well-chosen guest writer for theirABC:

          20 May 2018: ABC: Donald Trump: Will he implode? We will know in November
          By Bruce Wolpe
          He (Mueller) may refer findings of high crimes and misdemeanours against Mr Trump to Congress, leaving it first to the House of Representatives to discharge its constitutional responsibilities to weigh ***impeachment charges…
          (Bruce Wolpe worked with the Democrats in Congress in Barack Obama’s first term. He is chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard)

          1 Nov 2017: ABC: Make no mistake, Donald Trump is at his zenith
          By Bruce Wolpe
          He is under withering fire in media coverage and op-ed columns from coast to coast. The “I” word — ***impeachment — is uttered weekly in the halls of Congress…
          (Bruce Wolpe worked with the Democrats in Congress in Barack Obama’s first term. He is chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard)

          ***IMPEACHMENT IMPEACHMENT IMPEACHMENT…

          5 Jun 2018: ABC: Donald Trump says he has ‘absolute right’ to pardon himself but he’s done nothing wrong
          Mr Giuliani said the President cannot be indicted or subpoenaed and has the power to pardon himself, leaving impeachment by the US Congress likely the remedy for presidential misconduct…

          4 May 2018: ABC: Democrats and the Trump impeachment dilemma
          ***Planet America explains why Trump impeachment talk carries more risk than reward for Democrats

          (***ABC TV: Planet America (32 forty-minute-plus episodes to date)
          Tirelessly seeking the truth on the state of the United States, Chas Licciardello and John Barron dig through a mountain of facts, graphs and expert opinions to separate the fake news from the reality of Trump’s White House)

          16 Apr 2018: ABC: Donald Trump will ‘stain everyone around him’, sacked FBI director James Comey says
          Asked whether he believed Mr Trump should be impeached, Mr Comey replied…

          13 Mar 2018: ABC: Impeach Trump
          A billboard in New York calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump in 2017.

          5 Dec 2017: ABC: Donald Trump: How does impeachment work?
          By Jessica Haynes
          Experts say US President Donald Trump could be heading towards impeachment if obstruction of justice accusations are proven…

          3 Dec 2017: ABC: Donald Trump’s tweet could prove to be a turning point for his administration
          By Washington correspondent Zoe Daniel
          Proven obstruction of justice could lead to impeachment…

          18 Jul 2017: ABC: RN Drive: Trump impeachment unlikely

          3 Jul 2017 ABC: Donald Trump: Marches across the United States call for President’s impeachment

          23 May 2017: ABC: The panel debates whether Donald Trump will be impeached
          The Q&A panel debates whether or not Donald Trump is likely to be impeached because of alleged links with Russia.

          17 May 2017: ABC: Donald Trump: Will the US President be impeached? One expert says it’s unlikely
          The World Today

          24 Jan 2017: ABC: Trump must conform with constitution or he will be removed, ex Bush adviser Richard Painter says
          7.30 By Stan Grant
          Unconstitutional? Yes, according to Mr Painter. He says other constitutional lawyers support his view. That means Mr Trump could face impeachment proceedings…

          22 May 2017: Twitter: ABC News: Donald Trump impeachment “would have nothing to do with Russia”, says a #qanda panellist

          REPLIES (NONE ANTI-TRUMP):
          This ABC plant should be impeached for being a total fool! How strange that the ABC would have an anti-Trump theme to its news!!!

          Its the ABC they truley follow the US line. Cant even watch planet america with them bashing Trump. Check what he has done then compare OZ.

          The ABCs war on Trump is getting a joke. How about we all start boycotting ABC sick of the fake news.

          Another brain dead nutter on this looney left show! He should be talking about Hillary, Lynch, Rice, Obama, Slick Willy Clinton, jail them

          I know when I want hard hitting political analysis I always call in a theoretical physicist.

          And yet you think your opinion matters. Funny that? Science is under attack from Trump etc so yes, a scientists world view is important.

          Sources reporting that Q & A will be renamed the “Labor Party Show”! Theme: Hard left, ALP loving, biased agenda, fake news, raving guests!!

          A mouthpiece for anti-POTUS leftie rags @nytimes @HuffPost Cut it out or cut out funding.

          Ridiculous. Hope me tax dollars aren’t contributing to any of this.
          https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/866669249787449345

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            pat

            management at theirABC should be asked to explain the relentless negative coverage of the US President! surely it is UNPRECEDENTED. management should be asked to produce documented examples of positive coverage, including programs/articles about all the good news on the US economy.

            finally, re another BIG anti-Trumper who will soon be gone. hallelujah!

            ABC Finally Apologises Over Tom Ballard’s “Cu*t” Skit
            B&T-22 Mar. 2018

            The ABC is CLEARED of wrongdoing despite calling a Conservative politician a ‘c***’ live on air
            Daily Mail 10 Aug 2018
            The comedy skit, which was aired on March 15 on Tonightly with Tom Ballard…
            The sketch was referred to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield…
            The ACMA cleared the segment and ABC of any wrong doing…

            After the announcement Australian Conservatives leader Senator Cory Bernardi released a statement.
            ‘It’s one thing if the commercial stations think there is a market for crassness and abuse of conservatives, but it is entirely inappropriate for this to be paid for by the Australian taxpayer,’ he said.
            ‘The ABC is out of control and needs to be dramatically trimmed back to its core business of providing news and current affairs particularly for rural and regional areas.’…

            Tonightly with Tom Ballard won’t be renewed, ABC announces
            NEWS.com.au – 13 Aug. 2018
            In a statement released today, the ABC said Tonightly With Tom Ballard won’t be renewed and will air for the last time on September 7…

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            • #
              Peter C

              A small concession.

              But another brick in the wall to disband the ABC. Sell the assets, not the institution. It has no future without taxpayer support.

              I ask people why we need a public funded broadcaster in Australia. Generally the response is that the question is unthinkable.

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    • #
      Hanrahan

      The wags are having fun listing programs that out-rate CNN. The latest Ive seen is Sponge Bob square pants.

      10

  • #
    Hanrahan

    I feel like a newly-wed. Not because I’m jumping in and out of the cot but because I’m not sure how the next meal is going to turn out.

    Mrs H’s health is failing so I with help from my son who can’t cook either, am learning to cook. Tonight I overdosed a stir fry with olive oil and overcooked it, but it tasted OK. 🙂

    60

  • #
    yarpos

    Funny article in The Age today using actual historical numbers to bring the proposed Melbourne circle train line mega project into stark relief (pity they cant transfer that ability to climate or power discussions)

    Crossrail, a 118 kilometre rail line through London – 21 kilometres of it in underground tunnels – is due to open in December, 11 years after work began.

    The Channel Tunnel, a 50 kilometre rail tunnel beneath the English Channel linking Britain with northern France was dug in six years.

    And the Gotthard Base Tunnel, a 60-kilometre rail tunnel carved through the Swiss Alps took 17 years to complete.

    So why will it take 28 years for a project of a similar scale to be bored beneath suburban Melbourne?

    Can I have go?

    1. Public Service involvement
    2. Its in Australia
    3. CFMEU

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    • #
      Hanrahan

      Read Pat’s post #17. You may get some consolation.

      But why is that with constant technological improvement we can’t bore tunnels cheaper? There is no way we could handle another venture like the Snowy today. If you check the cost and adjust for inflation, it was done cheep cheep.

      10

    • #
      toorightmate

      Yep. A good work ethic and project management abilities now belong to a bygone era in Australia.

      20

  • #
    pat

    29 Aug: MarketWatch: Second quarter even stronger than it first looked: GDP raised to 4.2% from 4.1%
    By Jeffry Bartash
    The numbers: The bustling U.S. economy was even stronger in the spring than initially reported thanks to higher government spending and business investment. And companies cashed in big time.
    Gross domestic product expanded at a 4.2% annual pace in the second quarter, up from a preliminary estimate of 4.1%, the government said…
    Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast GDP to be left unchanged at 4.1%.

    The strong growth, along with the biggest tax cuts in 31 years, helped fill corporate coffers.
    Adjusted corporate profits before taxes climb 3.3% in second quarter and they were up a sizzling 7.7% over past year. That’s the biggest 12-month gain in four years…
    Exports rose at a slightly revised 9.1% annual clip, though the government said imports fell at a 0.4% rate instead of increasingly slightly. The smaller trade deficit added to strong GDP, though it’s unlikely to last…

    Big picture: The economy hasn’t been this strong since the early 2000s as evidenced by key stock indexes such as the S&P 500 setting new record highs.
    The U.S. might top 3% growth in 2018 for the first time since 2005, buoyed by strong hiring, falling unemployment, higher incomes and rising business investment.
    Americans increasingly show their optimism in the economy. Consumer confidence rose in August to the highest level in 18 years and reached a peak it’s only matched a few other times in a half century…
    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/second-quarter-was-even-stronger-than-it-first-looked-gdp-raised-to-42-from-41-2018-08-29

    check out the pics!

    PICS: 8 Aug: Salisbury News: TRUMP 2020 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN FLAGS Flying Everywhere At The White Marlin Open (Maryland)
    No matter what Marina you were in or visited, TRUMP flags were proudly displayed as far as the eye could see, much unlike what your local media tried to downplay…
    http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2018/08/trump-2020-make-america-great-again.html

    00

  • #
    pat

    LOL LOL LOL:

    29 Aug: Guardian: Ukip MEP sparks outrage with report denying human role in climate change
    Report blames climate change on cosmic ray fluctuations and sunspot activity, drawing derision from climate scientists
    by Arthur Neslen
    A European parliament report that blames climate change on cosmic ray fluctuations, sunspots and planetary gravitational pulls, is so hackneyed and ill-informed it would “make the dinosaurs blush,” climate scientists say.
    The non-binding opinion written by Ukip MEP, John Stuart Agnew, has shocked EU lawmakers for its dismissal of climate science – and the support he received to write it from mainstream rightwing and liberal political blocs.

    Green MEP Molly Scott Cato said their choice of Agnew, a Norfolk farmer, as parliamentary rapporteur by the agriculture committee, was a “truly scandalous” fiasco that illustrated a growing populist threat. A rapporteur is elected to shepherd EU proposals through the European parliament and, after negotiations with the European commission and EU states, into law.

    The Agnew report calls for a €5.45bn green fund called Life to be used to prepare “for an impending Maunder Minimum” – or a period of low sunspot activity.
    It deletes the European commission’s proposals for funds to be spent on clean energy infrastructure, references to climate mitigation and obligations under the Paris agreement.

    Agnew claimed that his ideas represented scientific “fact”. He said: “I’m doing this to ensure that somewhere in the files and annals of the European parliament there was somebody who said: ‘The king isn’t wearing an invisible suit! The king is naked!’”…

    Agnew’s paper has no legal weight and will almost certainly be dismissed by the environment committee when the issue is debated on 30 August.
    In part, it reflects a turf war between the agriculture and environment panels over responsibility for separate proposals on greening obligations under the next CAP.
    But with fears of an influx of far-right MEPs in parliamentary elections next year growing, Agnew’s success has also set alarm bells ringing. Scott Cato told the Guardian it was “shocking” to think that someone with his climate views could influence funding disbursements…

    He told the Guardian that “I threw my hat in the ring to do this [report] fully expecting to be thrown out of court,” but that he then received wide support, “to my genuine astonishment”.
    A spokesman for the European People’s Party said their backing for Agnew was due to bidding procedures and not an endorsement of his climate politics…
    Agnew was also supported by the European Conservatives and Reformists bloc of mostly Conservative MEPs and far-right Europe of Nations and Freedom faction.

    The Socialists opposed Agnew and the Greens stood against him, but they were hampered by the abstention of the far left GUE group and support for Agnew from the ALDE bloc of Liberals. Two ALDE MEP’s contacted by the Guardian declined to comment.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/29/ukip-mep-sparks-outrage-with-report-denying-human-role-in-climate-change

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      pat

      but this is ok?

      29 Aug: Reuters: Alister Doyle: Sucking carbon from air, Swiss firm wins new funds for climate
      OSLO – A small Swiss company won $31 million in new investment on Tuesday to suck carbon dioxide from thin air as part of a fledgling, costly technology that may gain wider acceptance from governments in 2018 as a way to slow climate change.
      Climeworks AG, which uses high-tech filters and fans to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a cost of about $600 a tonne, raised the money from investors including Zurich Cantonal Bank…

      Extracting vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could help to limit global warming, blamed for causing more heatwaves, wildfires, floods and rising sea levels…

      The company says it has a long-term “vision” of capturing one percent of man-made carbon dioxide emissions by 2025.
      But that is a far off. Its capacity is just 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year while global emissions totaled 32.5 billion tonnes in 2017, according to the International Energy Agency.
      And costs are now too high…
      https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-climeworks-funding/sucking-carbon-from-air-swiss-firm-wins-new-funds-for-climate-fix-idUKKCN1LD26J

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        Kinky Keith

        Weird stuff.

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        yarpos

        has all the hallmarks of the classic green scheme, its coming/better in the future, currently ineffective in terms of the “problem” it seeks to fix, and is incredibly expensive. Clearly needs subsidies and creative financial arrangements.

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    angry

    Why your power bills are set to drop more than $400: New Energy Minister has ‘one goal’ for the job – and it’s good news for consumers

    If he actually abolishes the RET I might consider voting Liberal again!!!

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6112415/Why-energy-bills-set-drop-400.html

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