Comments count sitting at 499,955
Sometime today the comment ticker will hit 500,000 and sometime last Sunday we reached the blog’s tenth birthday.
Thanks
For the curious, see that first post on Sept 30th, 2008
I didn’t really know what a blog was then. I had no history of commenting, no experience moderating, and somehow didn’t even have a list of blogs I read daily. For the first year my posts were often two weeks apart and I remember wading into the trenches in comments consuming hours to research and defend arguments. As with many new blogs, there were heated battles. It was a bit of a Grad Dip on steroids in the climate debate. Fortunately the sparks attracted a great class of respondents, and soon I had help to answer questions and help to moderate. Sometime I must write about the processes that seemed to work best with cultivating a good community discussion. In the end, it was useful to imagine we were all in a room, and ask whether that behaviour would be OK face-to-face?
The blog and Skeptics Handbook got me into The Australian, speaking in New York and Washington, (and hopefully Germany and Norway next month). I’ve been in an ABC documentary and on SkyNews. Best of all I met true gems — the insubordinate thinkers; people I admired for years like Mark Steyn, Matt Ridley, James Delingpole. I had a wild time making mischief in the media tent at the UN in Bali and the master climate front liners Marc Morano, Christopher Monckton. I’ve hugged Andrew Bolt.
Thanks to so many who I learned so much from, and thanks to the team of moderators which evolved and made it possible for me to write more posts. They get no public rewards, no pay. I’m so grateful to them and to all of you who share your wit and expertise here.
Thanks especially to everyone who helps support this blog and my work. We still have to pay the bills and every bit helps.
Joanne: Congratulations in advance. You have done some remarkable work in ten years, with lots of marvelous analysis.
340
Congratulations Jo! And well done, your blog is my first read for the day. I found you in late 2009 I think.
And thanks for your help and advice in my blogging journey with kenskingdom.
Best wishes always
Ken
260
Well done Jo. Keep it up. Tip Jar will be hit at the end of the month, when I’m flush! BTW, ever coming to the UK?
130
Your tip jar is some of best money I’ve spent … from the States.
40
Joanne, your tip jar is some of best money I’ve spent … from the States.
60
Here is a congratulatory comment to help reach the big number.
Well done 🙂
140
Happy Tenth! Any Idea who will have posted the highest number of comments out of the 500,000 when we get there?
120
Hmm. Could be Pat whose first comment was Dec 2009 and has posted 19,299 since. AndyG 16,600, Roy Hogue 11,812. El Gordo 9,400, TdeF 9,182, Kinky Keith 8,000.Yoniie 5,200, Crakar 5,180. Mark D 5,000+ 0(starting in July 09). Andrew M 3,700. ROM 3312.
This is by no means definitive. I can’t sort and count. Only search one name or email at a time for the tally.
Special mention for Rauiri with 851 poems.
I make this comment the 499,988th. 11 comments to go.
250
I simply cannot believe that 5,200 wow, Pat on the other hand makes perfect sense the dedication is incredible, what about the ones we don’t see anymore like Ace, MV, Backslider, AndyG, Rereke just to name a few or the trolls MattB, John Brooks, Sillyfilly etc.. I always remember Sunray probably the nicest politest commentor on the internet.
☆☆☆ Congrats Yonnie! 500,000th comment ☆☆☆ You win a rare Ascii Crown. ♔ — Jo
290
Congratulations Jo,
And also to everyone who has contributed to your site. I came here wondering if my vaguely sceptical ideas held any validity, and wondering how the science could be so badly misrepresented. Here I’ve found those answers, which is in some ways reassuring, in others terrifying. But at least honest.
Thank you all.
Dave B
141
Congrats from me too. Guard that rare crown well. It must be rare indeed. I’ve never seen Jo hand out one before.
60
You must have wondered what on earth you had gotten yourself into, at some stage Jo. But you’ve come out of that stage with perhaps one of the best and most interesting Internet blogs with a high repute. It also has real Character!
After 10 years, it has a grand crew of regular commenters, some not so regular but still interesting. There are some few who can be called ‘Greater Institutions’ and some Lesser ones:
Rauiri: never to be missed! :-).
Pat: his research always turns up the interesting, the absurd, and the absurdly interesting
ROM: a thoughtful `Patriarch’ always stimulating thought
TonyfromOz: with his buckets of electrical ice water for grid and power absurdities
TdeF, El Gordo and others with their sense,
the ever gentle and courteous Annie (two toboggans and they’re not raced! She says!)
It has its disasters-waiting-to-happen:
I clean the surface of my desk and my computer screen regularly as general housekeeping but sometimes I have to because of HVT—High Velocity Tea. It took a bit longer to clean the keyboard: I had to remove all the key tops to clean it thoroughly. It still looks like new, because I’ve managed to train myself to not read certain comments until my tea is not endangering anything.
Thank you Yonniestone.
It even has regular tame and not so tame trolls to add to the entertainment.
Thank you, too, to those volunteers who work quietly in the background as moderators. That dreaded message: Your comment is awaiting moderation —-seems to leave me alone for a long time and then it bites on almost every comment I make! Oy Vay!
Last, but very definitely not least: my thanks to you, Joanne. I don’t envy you the work you put in, but I sure do enjoy it. Thank you so much.
140
Nicely said Sophocles,
Jo well done and congrats to you and all the people who help, you are doing a great service for those who question.
40
Thank you for your kind words Sophocles.
The German toboggan is purely ornamental now and sitting in the corner of this room carrying a load of various junk! The plastic one is with our daughter who recovered it from the local primary school (as was) when it was found during a working bee by the local regress group who have managed to commandeer the place. It was a great little school and we were very upset by what happened. Our grandson did very well there.
So, no toboggan racing I’m afraid!
20
I’ll settle for the honorable mention. I don’t think I can post enough to beat those more prolific than I have been.
60
Bring back The Griss…
40
Ahh, The Griss. So many have come and gone. Griss was one of the more colorful ones.
Having been around since almost day one of this blog — or close to it — the ones I miss the most are the trolls who used to try to argue science with those who knew more than they did. But I see almost no one anymore who could be taken seriously as a troll and liven up the discussion. And now it has turned to politics because that’s where the problem has really been all along.
The ones I miss next are those who knew what they’re talking about and held running debates about some point, all without name calling and fallacious argument. I learned all I could from following those debates.
60
Ah yes Roy,
The ones I can remember are – Blackadder, Sillyfilly, Harry Twotter, Chester – they provided good sport for a (very) little while.
20
Ms. Nova
Is that really your picture,
or a professional model?
I write three blogs,
one on climate change,
but I don’t include a picture
… probably because I
look like comedian
Rodney Dangerfield!
If you ever want to get rid
of that old over-educated guy
“Evans”, please tell us here first,
and you will probably have
1,314 offers to take you
out on a date.
Congratulations on an excellent
climate website, second best to ‘WUWT”
and certainly the best for information
about the crazy Australia
energy policies.
I’m sure after ten years you’ve
been called every name in the leftist book.
Recently in a discussion
about climate change,
a leftist I know
got so upset that I actually
knew something,
that she blurted out
that I was a “denier denier” ,
probably meaning to say
“climate denier”
or “science denier”,
and I responded by repeating
“denier, denier”?,
and then calling the woman
a ding bat.
20
Happy Tenth Anniversary, Jo, and thank you for what you do
for the Open Society. Chocolates soon.
150
50 green bottles, hanging on the wall.
110
A moment well captured — lovely photo Jo.
A glass of champagne for breakfast should be mandatory throughout the globe.
It would improve the perceived quality of life. It might improve civilised discourse immeasurably.
Here, it proves a point and celebrates a feat of intellectual endurance.
Sincerest and warmest congratulations, and one fervently hopes, no returns.
110
42 to go. Great to have these metrics. What is fantastic is the international respect for the content. Even Harry Twotter has contributed.
130
Very good. Thank you Joanne for a great blog.Better still to have a weekly slot on the ABC. Just for balance. Thank you once again.
70
10 years? Then I’m a newcomer. You and the other sceptics help keep me sane.
Cheers!
120
congratulations jo. hope you receive a ton of chocolates.
congrats also to anyone who can make head or tail of the following:
4 Oct: ABC: The bush powers the city as Sydney councils sign deal to buy solar energy from Moree
ABC Radio Sydney By Harriet Tatham
A coalition of 18 urban New South Wales councils has signed off on a renewable energy agreement to buy electricity from a solar farm around 600 kilometres away…
The deal was coordinated by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils, which estimated the councils would have up to 35 per cent of their retail power supplied by the solar farm by July 2019…
“The great thing about investment in solar energy in 2018 is that it’s good for the environment by reducing emissions, but it’s also good for ratepayers by reducing our electricity costs.”
While Cr Byrne said the exact saving was difficult to pin down, he was adamant it would benefit everyone living in the 18 councils…
Need for funding
Moree Plains Shire Mayor Katrina Humphries said moving to a model in which the bush powered the city was a smart decision for regional towns…
But Cr Humphries said a lack of money was holding the idea back.
“The cost of setting up a solar farm is beyond your average council.
“There’s no reason why that funding couldn’t come to a council for a council to actually own and manage a solar farm; it would be a wonderful way of councils getting extra resources, extra money for their communities.
“We could actually get our roads sealed if we own a solar farm.”
Dr Scott Kelly, a research director at the Institute of Sustainable Futures, said the idea had merit…
“It doesn’t matter where renewable energy comes from — we have a grid in place, [so] it can travel across significant distances.
“Obviously the longer it must travel, the more losses you get, but there are technologies in place for that to happen.”
And Dr Kelly said while solar farms were still expensive ventures, their costs were falling much faster than predicted…
“And with the introduction of batteries as well, this is going to have significant impacts on traditional generators on the system, so large fossil fuel plants are increasingly going to be a thing of the past and we’re going to shift to this decentralised community model of renewable energy.”…
Sun is a commodity
But like Cr Humphries, Dr Kelly said the ability for councils or even regional landholders to access funding for solar farms was a challenge.
“I think a lot can be done, particularly at the federal and state policy level for electricity rules and governance. It’s not particularly well set up and a lot can be done to ease that process.
“There’s a lot of regulation in that space about who can generate and who can feed into the network.”…
The agreement with the Moree Solar Farm will deliver around 440,000 MWh of energy to the councils over the lifetime of the agreement to 2030.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-04/moree-solar-farm-to-power-sydney-councils/10336952
140
Those councils have bought into snakeoil
… a snakeoil salesman?
90
G’day Pat,
I reckon the councillors have been sold a pup, demonstrating that they haven’t learnt much from their purchases of those marvellous “Consolidated Debt Obligations” which helped the GFC get underway. But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see..
cheers,
Dave B
60
Worst part is you shouldn’t be needed or have lost so much time in your life dedicated to keeping a voice of reason Jo , thank you for your sacrifice.
Posted this on the last thread
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-04/nz-customs-can-force-travellers-to-unlock-digital-devices/10338662
A new world order comes to enzed courtesy of the socialist guvt and the UN , just heard that emissions of Co2 are up in OZ so congratulations are in order to all who participated in this endeavour to help feed the plants .
121
Congrats, Jo. A great place to visit, even for science duffers like me.
120
a followup from a CTH I posted yesterday:
3 Oct: Conservative Treehouse: sundance: Retired FBI Agent/DOJ Lawyer Ms. Monica McLean Attended Kavanaugh Hearing With Blasey-Ford…
Earlier today we did a deep dive into the background of Ms. Christine Blasey-Ford’s life-long friend, Monica Lee McLean…
Ms. McLean worked with the FBI for 24 years retiring in 2016. Ms. Ford and Ms. McLean were together in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware when Ms. Ford wrote the accusatory letter toward Brett Kavanaugh which was sent to Senator Dianne Feinstein…
Well, look who shows up in the hearing video walking in with Ms. Blasey-Ford when she delivered her testimony: [Video at 18:04]…
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/10/03/retired-fbi-agent-doj-lawyer-ms-monica-mclean-attended-kavanaugh-hearing-with-blasey-ford/#more-154903
another shocking story:
3 Oct: Citizen Free Press: BREAKING BUSTED! Democrat Congressional Operative Charged With ‘Doxxing’ Republican Senators … PHOTO
Posted by Kane
The suspect, 27-year-old Jackson Cosko of Washington, D.C., has been charged with publicizing restricted personal information, witness tampering, second-degree burglary, threatening interstate communications, unauthorized use of a government computer, identity theft, and unlawful entry, according to a Wednesday press release (LINK).
The Capitol Police said an investigation is ongoing, but declined to answer The Hill’s requests for comment…READ ALL
https://www.citizenfreepress.com/breaking/breaking-busted-democratic-operative-charged-with-doxxing-republican-senators-photo/
50
I reckon the comments over the last two years have cooled down a lot compared to what it was like 8 years ago. The moderators are living on Easy Street these days. Perhaps when the next IPCC assessment report comes out the sparks will fly again.
Cheers to the moderators… in an intentionally ironic way…
https://i.imgur.com/jAGZ2uT.gif
70
Congratulations to Joanne and David for proving to be exceptional human beings with their tireless work and positive outlook.
I actually saw the start of Jonova.com as even back then I was searching for scientific information on a subject that I was already highly sceptical of, my first comment came late 2012 after going to see a Lord Monckton presentation in my home town of Ballarat when talking to him afterwards said he knew Jo and David and if I felt I had something to ask or say go on Jo’s blog and do it!
So if anyone’s to blame its Lord Monckton, regards always Yonniestone.
150
No 500,000!
Congrats
40
Thanks Peter, without any hint of wit or sarcasm it truly is a personal honour to have conversed with so many great people from so many backgrounds all impossible without the existence of this blog, my greatest regret is not being able to provide as much chocolate as I’d like to but I sincerely hope some misguided humour has brought smiles to good people in difficult times.
50
Misguided?
Nope. On occasion my computer screen and keyboard have borne testimony your `misplaced humour‘ possessed devastating accuracy. And you weren’t even on my side of the Tasman.
Despite the mess, and the ensuing clean up, I wouldn’t have missed those cracks for the world! 🙂
30
A beverage spattered screen and keyboard is the pinnacle of any self styled humorist, you have made me a very proud quipster, and thank you for your actual scientific inputs here, cheers.
30
Congrats Jo and the moderators. You are all doing a magnificent job despite the barrage of MSM nonsense, political opportunism and scientific dishonesty on a mass scale. Your blog is one of only a few precious gems of integrity I visit in a world of chaos, delusion and exploitation.
120
Thanks Jo for your ongoing services to mankind.(Or is that word banned as well)
I think it is the first time I have posted, but have followed your site for many years.
Cheers. K
100
4 Oct: Daily Mail: EXCLUSIVE: ‘Christine Ford threw her under the bus.’ Strained ‘sex assault’ witness Leland Keyser is seen for the first time as close family member confirms she did NOT corroborate school friend Ford’s story to FBI
•Pictured in DailyMailTV exclusive photos for the first time since news Ford named her, Keyser showed the stress of being put into the national spotlight
•The close relative expressed anger at Ford’s suggestion that Keyser could not recall the party because of the ‘significant health challenges’
•The ‘health challenges’ have not impaired her memory but being caught up in the Kavanaugh scandal has proved physically trying
By Laura Collins In Silver Springs, Maryland
Speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV a family member close to Keyser, 52, said: ‘Christine didn’t give her so much as a heads up – as far as I know they haven’t really spoken for several years and they’re certainly not close anymore.
‘Leland was completely blindsided by her name being thrown into it all. The first thing she knew about it was when she woke up on Thursday morning and her name was just everywhere. It was crazy.’…
Keyser’s attorney, Howard J Walsh III, last night confirmed that his client has spoken with the FBI and that when she did so she could not corroborate Ford’s account…
But Keyser’s relative revealed the mother-of-two’s shock at being named as a witness by a woman to whom she has barely spoken in recent years.
And they expressed anger at Ford’s suggestion that Keyser could not recall the party because of the ‘significant health challenges’ she has faced in recent years…
The family member went on to explain that the ‘health challenges’ faced by Keyser have not impaired her memory…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6235463/Christine-Fords-high-school-friend-blindsided-named-corroborating-witness.html
90
Congrats Jo,
What wonderful sustained effort. Always something new here. Still looking for that hot-spot!
Cheers
M
60
Point of order. 🙁
Thread title says 50 comments to go, subtitle says 499,995. Did you get Diane Abbott* to do the maths?
Anyway, what happens when you get to 500,000 does a klaxon go off or fireworks or what? 🙂
* For those lucky people who don’t follow UK politics, the lovely Diane is a Labour (i.e. left wing) MP who is famously numerically challenged.
[Frank, all numbers accurate at time of writing… 🙂 – Jo]
51
Muphry’s law strikes again.
Subtitle says 499,955 not 499,995. Sorry.
50
Aye, for sure – and wants to tell us all WHAT to DO. – like most politicians. It just doesn’t add up!
60
“[Frank, all numbers accurate at time of writing… 🙂 – Jo]”
You’re right, of course. 500,000 – 499,955 = 50 (rounded up to the nearest 10 :)).
10
Aren’t they always……? Just ask the IPPC, or the BOM, or……………..
20
ask BOM?
Their numbers get more accurate with time (and decrease at the same time).
30
Thank you for being here
70
Good morning and Congratulations, Joanne. Hmm been reading your Blogs for so long -Yes indeed, probably NOT from the first one but somehow got here and been bookmarked for daily Look-in. Always something to read, thankyou.
AS it happens, take a look at and draw inspiration from this Blogger – Been there, seen, live it: https://chiefio.wordpress.com/ –> I fell over this other website recently, too , so can concur: http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/index.php/2018/10/02/some-forthright-words-from-a-newfie/ and I wholeheartedly refer folk “in this line” to take inspiration. Hull, man, this life is difficult enough without those Gonks – but ‘No man is an island’ and we have a Life to live and provide for our Kith n kin. ‘Chin up, even if your Collar’s dirty!’ Sláinte !
60
Congratulations and well done Jo.
Your blog has been an inspiration for me and I imagine many people in providing information about the things that seem to be intentionally left out of the MSM channels.
It is good to know that we are not alone in the UK with Zealots (who NEVER listen) and the information you have provided has enabled me to provide my own pennyworth when confronted with global warming/climate change bigots.
60
Congrats, Joanne. Your blog is always on my morning rounds, even tho I’ve faded into the background on the comment side of things here.
-the old man
70
Congrats on the Blog, Jo!
Its been a constant source of useful discussion & information, and a necessary stumbling block to the Warmistas….
☆ Congrats Steve. 500,001st comment ☆ I thought for a minute you had the crown but on recount, Yonnie did. — Jo
50
Commiserations Steve but consider it divine providence for all those insightful weather reports. 🙂
30
But Jo, I have humble the honour of launching the next 500,000…jolly good….
Consider this post a virtual bottle of champers on the bow of the good ship SS Proper_Science ( perhaps we can use it as an icebreaker to rescue trapped warmist scientists? )
Enjoy!
70
Congratulations Jo for a most interesting and engaging Blog.
On behalf of myself and earlier alter-ego, MaryF, a big thank you.
I can remember a very packed crowd at your Newcastle meeting so many years ago and a much smaller meeting with Lord Christopher at the helm at Souths League club.
I Hope that we all get to see the end of this farce soon but feel that we are still going to suffer for a while yet.
My neighbour, nice guy, is having a 21 unit solar plant installed on his roof soon.
Maybe 20 cents feed in tariff.
KK , MFJ
60
Now only 18 to go! (If my dodgy maths is correct…) A big vote of thanks for all your hard work, and long may you continue.
50
My sincere congratulations Jo,and warmest thank you.
This blog is the first one I check every day, every time.
Can’t imagine what we would do without you, you’re amazing 🙂
90
Congratulations on your international impact as well.
Does anybody know what hapenned to Rereke? I hope he hasn’t missed this occasion.
60
And Will Janoscha from the U.S. has not posted for a while.
30
RIP!
30
Thanks Peter,
I think that you implied that before.
An interesting guy, initially I thought that he was from up North but seems likely he was from somewhere near Carolina.
KK
10
Arkansas. Peter do you have any info? I sure hope he’s around still.
20
Thanks
10
No, what a loss to us. And Rereke!
40
Think the trolls should say a few words in your favour after all they are given pretty much free rein .
60
Congrats. It must have been fun reading all the different types of comments over the years. I enjoy all the different personalities and the obvious real public concern about the great science scam of the century (both centuries).
Well done happy 500,000th! And many thanks for the blog.
60
And Yonniestone takes the 500,000th spot at #5.1.1. Just pipping out Steve #27.
The Statistics tally BTW (I should have said) is ticking on the right hand column Just above the “Most Commented” list.
Nice to read all the quiet commenters as well as the regulars thanks. :- )
100
Good on yr Yonniestone, 🙂
30
May goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life.
100
It is good to find a place in the world where Truth and the quest for Truth is the main focus.
Along with the occasional bit of humour.
KK
31
More Mary
http://joannenova.com.au/2011/09/dr-david-evans-four-fatal-pieces-of-evidence/#comment-528775
20
Thank you Jo and congratulation.
Tenacity will win the day. And you are one of the most tenacious, evah.
Hmmm. Choccies on the way.
70
Ping
20
Congrats, Jo, on passing 500k comments.
Cheers, Bob
PS: BTW, I lurk here every day, just don’t have much to say.
140
I Just missed out on No. 500,000.
But it just a number after all.
What is so much more important is that this is a vibrant and committed blog with a lot of support.
Jo’s title says it all:
Our Civilisation is under threat, Severe threat. We cannot let it go down.
I am going to go back and read the first 20 blogs. Jo’s epiphany and commitment since than is inspiring. If rational discussion exists anywhere it certainly is here.
Thanks JO and Moderators and Commenters!
90
OK.
I have just read # No.1! “About the Skeptics Handbook” 30 Sep 2008.
I then looked at the commenters. Jo Had no nesting of comments back then.
Two of the trolls were evident; Matt B and gazelle. However the comments string out from 2008 to 2010. gazelle did not turn up until 22 Oct 2009.
I did not see any current commenters. If some one made a contemporary comment back then could they reply here.
Otherwise it is a whole new group of supporters who are Carrying the Flag
50
Rosco got snipped on blog No5; “The Evidence” 26 Oct 2008.
Rosco is still with us. Congrats Rosco. I think you were the first to get snipped!
50
Peter
Did you come across Mary F Johnston back then?
This was a bit later:
http://joannenova.com.au/2011/09/dr-david-evans-four-fatal-pieces-of-evidence/#comment-527550
KK
10
Mary and IF
http://joannenova.com.au/2011/09/dr-david-evans-four-fatal-pieces-of-evidence/#comment-530072
10
I haven’t come across Mary F Johnson yet.
Blog post #6 identifies AGW as a religion; “AGW is a Religion and got over 500 comments.
20
Good to read your blogs everyday. My intuition told me that the Global Warming was a hoax. Reading the blogs has given me the knowledge of why it is a hoax. I enjoy T de F, Winston, ROM and the other bloggers.
90
Congratulations, Jo. Well done on producing a fantastic, informative blog that has done more for the protection and advancement of science than a whole lot of other institutions bloated by taxpayers’ hard-earned.
Keep up the good fight. I don’t chip in nearly often enough, but I will make a noise into the jar again today.
80
‘Our Civilization is under threat, Severe threat.’ Peter C.
Yes it is,ironically, from the U.N. organization that was set up
after WW2 to protect Western Parliamentary Democracy from the
behemoth of Communist expansion. The U.N. itself has now itself
become a behemoth of globalist rule from afar by un-elected
technocrats and crony-bureaucrats…a few blogs like Jo’s, a few
leaders like Trump, are all that stand btw us cits and back-to-
Feudalism robbery of people’s resources. Like William the Conqueror
annexing the forests common land. Go Robin Hood!
80
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;
courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Winston Churchill
70
Dont forget Watt Tyler.
40
Congratulations from Switzerland, some Swiss Chocolate on the way to Australia!
Keep up your excellent work!
best regards from the Swiss mountains
Freddie
80
Bin to Eiger. Monk, Jungfrau top restaurant.
Also walked under the Eiger North Face; spooky to think people climbed that.
30
We got to Jungfrau, loved the cog railway.
I like the Swiss mentality…who else puts a pub 1/4 the way up the Matterhorn?
We never got there..the weather closed in but it was nice to sit and eat rosti while enjoying the sun.
30
The train stopped at the glassed opening in the Eiger North face where they had tipped out the rock that had been excavated to make the tunnel.
Very cold up top at over 14,000 ft altitude.
Then back to Kleine Scheideger and Interlaken.
KK
10
Thanks Jo and Happy New Year (early)!
40
Congratulations Jo.
Now more work – further data diddling
“Today It Rained – A Curious Thing With Thermometers”
https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2018/10/03/today-it-rained-a-curious-thing-with-thermometers/#comments
30
Congratulations Jo
40
As a long time lurker (well mostly)- many thanks Jo keep up the good work.
Cheers
H
61
Hi Jo,
Congratulations on a successful 10 years. Your work is important.
Best wishes, Anthony
200
incredible interview on Sky’s “Peta Credlin” tonite with Nationals MP Keith Pitt, re the cost of electricity for Queensland’s canegrowers, etc. unfortunately, only seconds of the interview is online so far. some of the comments give a bit more detail:
VIDEO: 38secs: 4 Oct: Facebook: Peta Credlin: LNP MP Keith Pitt: Regardless if you’re a senior, trying to run your local butcher shop, or down the road at your local school – if you can’t pay your energy bills, you’re out of business.
https://www.facebook.com/PetaCredlin/videos/lnp-mp-keith-pitt-regardless-if-youre-a-senior-trying-to-run-your-local-butcher-/2146421555599555/
as ABC/Fairfax/Guardian are not interested in reporting high electricity price stories, we’re left with articles that are all behind paywalls:
TIME TO HELP: Bundy farmers cop ‘$100ka quarter’ power bill
News Mail-2 Oct. 2018
Canegrowers figures show that for every $1000 irrigators pay in network charges, watering their crops for example, the State Government gets …
QUEENSLAND backbenchers whose seats could be at risk from sugar farmers angry over a trade war have urged the government to take a tougher stance against India…
Price slump hits growers hard
Mackay Daily Mercury-29 Sep. 2018
MACKAY cane growers are being forced to pull their belts even … tariff for my electricity so it’s about half the cost of the day-time tariff,” he said.
Skyrocketing power prices leave farmers ‘helpless’
Mackay Daily Mercury-27 Sep. 2018
He said due to high energy tariffs, farmers faced the choice of paying … Canegrowers Queensland chairman Paul Schembri said the reality
Our farmers are tough, but times might be tougher
Courier Mail-19 Sep. 2018
Schembri says cane growers simply cannot grow and harvest cane at a profit at … But Courtice wonders if the recent price slump might mean something … Electricity costs cripple irrigators, other overheads including expensive
NewsMail: ‘On the brink of disaster’: Pitt’s speech packs a punch
News Mail-10 Sep. 2018
LAST night Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt spoke in Parliament about energy and called out the State Government for “robbing $1.1 …
‘Bloody disgraceful’: Power prices impacting irrigation
Mackay Daily Mercury-17 Aug. 2018
CANEGROWERS Mackay has backed LNP Member for Dawson George Christensen in his stand against the Coalition’s National Energy …
50
wonder how much of the recent scarcity of fodder crops might have been due to electricity prices?
7 Sept: Qld Country Life: Skyrocketing electricity prices force CQ irrigation farmer’s 40pc production decline
by Martin Bunyard
A central Queensland irrigation hay farmer has called on government and energy providers to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in rural electricity costs in order to make his business viable again.
Mick Zimmermann, who operates an irrigated lucerne farm near Biloela, explained how the cost of running electric pumps to water his hay crops has jumped 300 per cent over the past two years.
Mr Zimmermann raised his electricity price concerns during an on-farm visit to his Hills Farm property by Nationals deputy leader Senator Bridget McKenzie and federal member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd on Thursday.
“Currently we’re only irrigating 70 acres of fodder crops, despite being able to plant up to 170 acres under water irrigation,” Mr Zimmermann said.
“Due to high electricity prices it’s to costly for us to plant the extra 100 acres of fodder crops under water irrigation.”
Mr Zimmermann estimates the reduced planting adds up to a potential $250,000 of farm income loss, but noted the power bills to pump irrigation water to the extra 100 acres is “simply unaffordable” for his business.
“We struggle to afford our current $11,000-a-month rural electricity bill, which the same or even more power usage two years ago only cost us $3500.”…
Why not past costs on to hay buyers
Checking through his hay receipt book, farmer Mick Zimmermann notes he’s only been able to charge $12 a lucerne hay bale since 2008…
“Only this winter I’ve been able to raise my lucerne hay prices to $14 a small square bale, but that 15 per cent price increase doesn’t offset our 300pc jump in water irrigation electricity costs over the past two years,” Mr Zimmermann said.
In addition, farmer Zimmermann said he’s receiving up to 20 calls a week from livestock producers wanting hay for drought feeding, but simply has to turn them away due to extra fodder crop production being to expensive with current electricity price charges.
Why solar power currently won’t work
Farmer Mick Zimmermann also noted it would cost his business an estimated $400,000 to convert to solar powered electric irrigation pumps.
“The up-front cost of solar power is very expensive for our farming business and currently there’s no reliable solar battery storage units to guarantee running our watering centre pivots at night, which is the most efficient time to irrigate due to reduced water evaporation,” Mr Zimmermann said.
The Zimmermann family have now decided to only focus on producing higher value crops like lucerne, while switching off water irrigation to their barley crops due to the high electricity prices…
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5631913/irrigators-electricity-price-woes-continue/
50
Cruel stuff; and this is Australia 2018.
30
An occasional commenter,I start each day with a coffee and Jo’s blog. Thanks Jo for several years of thought provoking information, and congratulations.
50
Good onyer Jo! All this happened while I was out! 🙂
40
I can’t remember when I first came here but it was before 2011…we were still living in Gloucestershire. It is usually my first port of call every morning.
Thank you for so much that I have learnt from Jo and all the contributors here.
50
Well done Jo and the many great regular contributors! I only post occasionally, but read the articles and comments most days. Great source of information and counter argument to the torrent of rubbish aimed at us from all the self-interest groups surfing on the waves from the global warming scam.
– Steve
50
Jo, I’m one of those silent followers of you and have been following your site for many years. Congrats!
I often reference your work exposing what the greenies have done to the electric grid in Australia when one of the loons here in the US tells me we can go 100% wind and solar.
Thank you for what you do!
80
Congratulations, Jo. Your site is my ‘safe space’ when I am starting to feel that world has turned upside down.
71
Congratulations Jo, Very well done.
This is one of my daily visit sites (along with WUWT, Tony Heller’s site and Conservative Woman (despite not being a woman)
Always a source of useful information with knowledgeable commentators.
40
if billion dollar-plus taxpayer-funded ABC is indispensable for rural reporting, where are their stories on the electricity price crisis in farming? of course, if crop yields go down, we’ll be told it was because of CAGW!
4 Oct: Qld Country Life: Mark Phelps: The staggering cost of farm electricity revealed
GIN Gin farmers Barry (pictured) and Shonnay Smith are faced with a staggering $5000 electricity bill every time they switch on their centre pivot irrigator.
The Smiths, who have a 425m pivot that waters about 60ha of black soil country in the highly productive Delan district east of Gin Gin, said the cost of electricity had doubled during the past three years.
“It’s big cost, but what can you do,” Mr Smith said. “It’s only the incredible demand that this drought is creating for fodder that is keeping this business profitable.”
Like electricity, fodder prices have dramatically increased. Round bales that were worth $65-$70 are making up to $175.
However, unlike electricity prices, elevated fodder prices will fall once the long-running drought finally breaks. Energy companies have already flagged further major price increases…
The Smiths said in attempt to reduce their mammoth electricity bills, which top more than $100,000 a year, they had switched to what had been promoted as a more cost effective tariff for farmers.
“It may be cheaper on the face of it, but you have to pay an upfront fee and also pay for all of the electricity allocated, whether you use it or not,” Mr Smith said.
“The reality was that it worked out to be even more expensive. We were quick to switch back to the previous tariff, even though that means we have to do significantly more work at night.”…
The Smiths aren’t the only farmers attempting to steer their way through the confusing field of electricity pricing.
Energy dependent farmers are pushing for a specific food and fibre tariff that recognises the specific needs and importance of agriculture to the community.
Queensland Farmers Federation president Stuart Armitage said based on current state government policy and tariff offerings, many agricultural businesses faces further bill increases in excess of 50 per cent when they are forced on to standard business demand-based tariffs in less than two years.
“If action is not taken, unsustainable electricity price increases and lagging productivity will result in more expensive food and fibre and a loss of international competitiveness,” Mr Armitage said.
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5684526/staggering-cost-of-electricity-revealed/
read all:
26 Jul: Qld Country Life: Electricity tariffs: Qld farm pricing sting
QUEENSLAND irrigators are up in arms over new electricity business tariffs, which are set to further increase the cost of energy for agriculture.
Canegrowers director and Tablelands sugarcane grower Rajinder Singh said growers were not moving to the new business tariffs because they imposed higher charges than the transitional tariffs.
“The new tariffs just do not reflect irrigation use profiles or the low cost of supplying electricity to farmers on uncongested parts of the network,” Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh said Canegrowers supported a transition to cost reflective tariffs. However, he said it was important that the new tariffs reflected real costs of supplying electricity.
“The ACCC has agreed that electricity costs are too high,” Mr Singh said.
“It has invited the Queensland Government to voluntarily write down the value of Energy Queensland’s networks to help solve the problem…
“The Australian Energy Regulator has also indicated that the return to government from those assets is too high and it is proposing a reduction.”
The growing concern comes as it was revealed that Queensland Government departments, statutory authorities and government-owned corporations continue to enjoy cheaper electricity on soon-to-be obsolete tariffs, despite farmers being told to shift to more expensive business tariffs…READ ON
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5548289/farm-electricity-pricing-sting/
60
Many will read this and laugh, because they think all farmers are rich.
Sadly, this is the fate of so many businesses and there may be a substantial crash when reality pulls it all up.
Politicians have a lot to answer for in sending so many enterprising people to the wall.
Disgusting.
KK
50
For skeptics, her blog gives the most,
Through a decade, in post after post,
And our comments a say,
At half a million today,
Run by Joanne, the erudite host.
130
That makes this poem the 852nd by you, Ruairi, on this site.
Cripes! You need to publish.
40
Ruairi, the man with the most
Ditties that give warmies a roast,
At 852
He’ll see the job through
To a thousand before he’s a ghost.
70
Thanks Sceptical Sam. Perhaps I’ll just become a ghostwriter.
40
Excellent stuff Ruairi, as ever. I always enjoy your limericks and couplets.
Nice one for the occasion Sceptical Sam!
30
it’s never enough for the zealots:
4 Oct: TheConversation UK: Labour’s low-carbon plan is a good start – but a ‘green transformation’ must go further
by Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex
Disclosure statement: Peter Newell is an ISRF Political Economy Research Fellow, co-founder of the Rapid Transition Alliance and sits on the board of directors of Greenpeace UK. The views expressed here are personal…
University of Sussex provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.
The Labour Party’s new plan for a low-carbon Britain breaks new ground. It could offer a lifeline to a clean energy sector hit by the withdrawal of subsidies and, in a radical move, it proposes to put control over energy back in public hands.
It is also timely. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is about to release a special report on the transformative, systemic action needed to keep warming below 1.5℃ (the stated aspiration of the 2015 Paris Agreement), so bold moves are welcome…
The Labour plan, outlined by the shadow business and energy secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, states that by 2030 the party would ensure that 85% of electricity demand is met from renewable and low-carbon sources. The eventual goal is for the UK to get to zero net emissions by 2050…
Home insulation efforts will be paid for by £12.8 billion set aside from a national transformation fund, in order to address ***fuel poverty and conserve energy…
Going nuclear?
There are ambiguities and potential contradictions here though. The phrase “renewable or low-carbon energy” keeps the door open for the expansion of nuclear, for instance. Trade unions often support an expansion of the nuclear industry because of its potential to generate new jobs and, since becoming leader, Jeremy Corbyn has lent his support to nuclear power. Such proposals remain unpopular with many in the environmental movement, however…
And there are even greater challenges for the Labour Party. Can it go beyond a paradigm in which, whatever the question, state-led growth is the answer? Could the embrace of the need for green transformations extend to questioning an unflinching commitment to economic growth at all costs? This would mean engaging with ideas which place well-being and prosperity – not GDP or growth – as the goals to be achieved. This might open the way to seeing radical reductions in the production and consumption of energy as possible and desirable, as well as necessary, to prolong life on a finite planet.
http://theconversation.com/labours-low-carbon-plan-is-a-good-start-but-a-green-transformation-must-go-further-104052
30
I would suggest that cutting money to Universities, e.g. the University of Sussex would free up funds for radical reductions,
20
4 Oct: CarbonPulse: Overwhelming majority want NZ’s zero-emission target to cover all GHGs, consultation finds
As many as 91% of more than 15,000 respondents to New Zealand’s zero carbon bill wanted the target it sets to cover all greenhouse gases, the government said Thursday.
—
why does this appear to be a select group who would not be the ones paying for this “transition”?
4 Oct: Scoop NZ: 15,000 submissions on Zero Carbon Bill consultation released
Press Release: Ministry for the Environment
Vicky Robertson, Secretary for the Environment, says the information the Ministry received is being taken into account as it develops policy advice for Ministers about how New Zealand should respond to climate change.
A range of views were expressed, from every part of society, and these are all being carefully considered by Ministers as part of putting together the proposed law and the most appropriate target. Ministers are also considering recent reports on the transition to a low emissions economy from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and the Productivity Commission, along with economic modelling, the latest science and other relevant reports…
From the responses, it’s clear that New Zealanders understand that this proposed Bill is critical to New Zealand’s future,” Ms Robertson says.
Key themes from the submissions included:
• 91 per cent of respondents said they wanted a target of net zero emissions across all greenhouse gases by 2050 set in legislation now.
• 96 per cent of respondents supported the establishment of a Climate Change Commission, with an advisory role to Government.
• 92 per cent of respondents thought the Bill should include provisions to help New Zealand adapt to the effects of climate change.
“Throughout the submissions and public meetings, we also heard that New Zealanders want certainty about how we will respond to climate change as a country. This enables business and government to invest and make effective decisions about how the transition to a low emissions economy will occur.
“Many submitters also supported the concept of a ‘just transition’ that’s fair and inclusive and that governments, current and future, must support those most affected by change.
“We had submissions from business, churches, iwi, other Māori groups and organisations, community organisations and young people. While the majority of submissions were written, people made videos, created art and even wrote poems to express how they felt about the direction we need to take.
The consultation campaign that urged New Zealanders to “Have your say” succeeded in attracting many people along to public town-hall style meetings throughout the country. As well as meetings, the Ministry worked with iwi and other Māori groups, held technical workshops with agriculture and industry and events to engage young people.”
“The voices of young New Zealanders were particularly strong – they will be living through the impacts of our decisions by 2050.
The submissions and a summary of them can be found at (LINK)
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1810/S00034/15000-submissions-on-zero-carbon-bill-consultation-released.htm
10
3 Oct: CBC: ‘We say no’: Manitoba defies Ottawa by killing its carbon tax plan
Province getting too little credit for green economy, premier says
by Ian Froese
Premier Brian Pallister revealed in the provincial legislature Wednesday that he will defy the federal government’s carbon-pricing strategy and abandon the carbon tax from his own policy, focusing instead on other efforts to curb emissions.
“Our course of action is clear. The federal government says Manitobans are not doing enough to protect the environment. We say no,” Pallister said.
“We say yes to a made-in-Manitoba green plan — without a carbon tax,” he said in closing, shocking the opposition.
Without the new revenue source, Pallister said in a news conference, he must withdraw a planned tax break, which included a hike in the basic personal tax exemption.
“Sadly, those have to be deferred, because we don’t have the revenue to return to Manitobans.”…
Before today, Pallister’s government was proposing a flat carbon price of $25 per tonne, while the federal government’s plan would start at $10 per tonne in 2018 and rise by $10 per year until it hit $50 per tonne by 2022.
Pallister said it’s become clear through a year of negotiations that the federal government is giving the province no credit for the green investments it has already made in hydroelectricity.
“We have a choice, either we’re going to stand up for Manitobans in a year when the feds come in, as they’ve threatened to do, with a higher carbon tax, or you do it now,” he said. “We’re doing it now.”…
Pallister argued the federal government has shown flexibility with other provinces on environmental matters, such as this week’s announcement of a $40-billion liquefied natural gas project in northern B.C.
He says the province’s other green investments should be enough that an escalating carbon tax isn’t forced upon them.
“We have to fight now. We have to fight against this because higher and higher taxes are a threat.”…
The province’s move, which follows similar objections from Ontario and Saskatchewan, arrived in Parliament with a pointed question for the prime minister.
“Now that another province has said no carbon tax for their province, will this prime minister recognize that a carbon tax penalizes Canadians?” said Conservative MP Candice Bergen.
“It penalizes farmers, it penalizes industry, it penalizes Canadians, it does nothing to help the environment. Will he do the right thing that Brian Pallister did today and say no to the carbon tax?”
Trudeau said it’s “puzzling… why Conservatives insist on making pollution free.”
“We would prefer to work with provinces right across the country, but if they are unwilling to make sure that polluters pay, we will bring in federal measures to both collect a price on pollution and return that money to hardworking citizens right across the country.”
After question period, Bergen suggested Manitoba’s withdrawal should cause the federal government to reflect.
The provinces, one after the other, are rejecting his carbon tax,” she said. “He’s left with a bad tax that will have no positive results, will only penalize Canadians, and he needs to abandon it.”…
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation, a vocal critic of the carbon tax, was overjoyed by the province’s reversal.
“Manitoba’s decision to reject a carbon tax is exciting for taxpayers in Manitoba, but it’s also exciting for taxpayers across Canada because yet another province is rejecting Prime Minister Trudeau’s efforts to impose a carbon tax,” said Todd MacKay, prairie director for the taxpayers group.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-carbon-tax-green-plan-1.4849128
40
3 Oct: Winnipeg Sun: Pallister’s carbon tax flip flop good for Manitobans
by Tom Brodbeck
After an entire year of almost angrily defending the $25-per-tonne tax, Pallister – who often showed disdain to anyone who challenged the pretzel logic behind charging people a carbon tax when it would do exactly nothing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – finally relented.
Manitoba will not be going ahead with the tax, he said. Taxpayers will get to keep their money.
Pallister had insisted repeatedly that if the province didn’t bring in a carbon tax that the federal government would impose its own tax on Manitobans – if we say no, we get Trudeau, we heard ad nauseam. And now, the premier has come around to acknowledging that if Ottawa is going to impose a $50-per-tonne tax, they’re going to do it whether provinces have their own tax or not. That’s what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been threatening since the beginning. Nothing has changed. Which means you can either bring in your own tax, like Pallister had planned to do, or you can fight Ottawa on it, which the premier now says he will do. He’s had an epiphany. He now realizes the latter is the right path to take.
The reality is, Pallister’s carbon tax plan became increasingly untenable. With provinces like Ontario, New Brunswick, P.E.I., and Newfoundland – and soon Alberta if they elect a new government next year – all rejecting the carbon tax and vowing to fight Ottawa on it, Pallister was setting himself up to be the lone, or one of the very few, premiers left holding the carbon tax bag. With Bill 18, a provincial omnibus bill that includes the carbon tax, going to committee for public hearings in a few weeks – the prospect of which undoubtedly scared the daylights out of Pallister and his inner circle – the premier saw the writing on the wall.
It was time to suck it up and do an about-face…
In the end, Pallister is doing the right thing. At least he responded to the fierce public opposition to this tax. The same can’t be said about former NDP premier Greg Selinger who shoved a PST increase down Manitobans’ throats whether they liked it or not. The most successful politicians are those who listen.
Getting rid of the carbon tax plan gives Pallister a much cleaner and more consistent political agenda. He was off-brand with the carbon tax. It was a political thorn in his side and he had to remove it. The extraction hurt a bit but he’ll be better off in the long run, as will Manitoba taxpayers.
It’s a boost to his own troops, too. No one in Pallister’s camp took any joy in trying to sell the carbon tax train wreck, which explains the smiles around the halls of the legislature Wednesday…
In the end, the tax fighters won. And it’s a reminder that sometimes if you fight hard enough against bad policy, you can win.
All’s well that ends well.
https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/columnists/brodbeck-pallisters-carbon-tax-flip-flop-good-for-manitobans
40
Congratulations Jo. I visit this blog every morning. Thanks for all the hard work you put into this blog and thanks to the moderators that keep things civil and to the contributors from around the world that provide their unique perspective on the topics covered by this blog.
60
Well done Jo for providing a forum where we can speak freely and listen to others who have a broad range of expertise. In a world that seems to be going to hell it is good to have kindred spirits as support in the struggle against folly, corruption and outright political subjugation by our “betters”.
I can’t recall when I first stumbled upon this site, probably 2009ish. For many years I didn’t comment lest I upset the natives, besides which commenting was somewhat more robust in earlier days with the frequent trolls being met head-on by AndyG and the redoubtable Griss, who took no prisoners. Andy still drops in on rare occasions but saves his more creative comments for other climate blogs I frequent.
Thank you Jo for your resolve. I’m sure you’ve had to tough it out at times against those who despise purveyors of inconvenient facts.
60
Joanne, please keep doing what you do. You are making a difference.
81
Congratulations on reaching your 10th Anniversary Joanne.
You have shown great stamina and fortitude maintaining a blog, producing so many insightful and wide-ranging articles on the climate topic.
80
MSM so far is only singling out Germany as opposed, but Reuters does admit this sets the stage for a battle with national govts. a number of East European companies are definitely opposed:
3 Oct: Reuters: EU lawmakers back 40 percent CO2 cut for cars, vans by 2030
by Gilbert Reilhac, Alissa de Carbonnel, Daphne Psaledakis, plus Christoph Steitz in Frankfurt
EU lawmakers backed a target on Wednesday to cut carbon dioxide emissions from cars and vans by an ambitious 40 percent by 2030, drawing howls from the car industry and setting the stage for a battle with national governments.
Parties in the European Parliament tussled until the final hours before the vote on how tough to make the curbs on one of Europe’s most important industries, part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
EU lawmakers backed the target, which is more stringent than that proposed by the European Commission, by 389 to 239. They also set a 20 percent target for 2025, with the reductions based on 2021 figures.
In what came down to a clash between concerns over industry competitiveness and fighting climate change, the European carmakers’ lobby warned the target backed by lawmakers could costs jobs.
“The European Parliament is setting completely unrealistic targets. It ignores technical and economic feasibility. The targets cannot be achieved in this period of time,” Bernhard Mattes, president of German automotive association VDA, said.
He said that he industry is hoping that upcoming negotiations between the European Council, Commission and Parliament would result in decisions that are more reasonable and measured…
“If we don’t make sure that Europe is able to produce clean cars within a reasonable time frame, we will not only miss our Paris Climate Change targets but the European car industry will lag behind,” said Malta’s Miriam Dalli, who shepherded the vote through the chamber.
The executive European Commission’s own draft law proposes less exacting CO2 reduction targets of 15 percent by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030 compared with 2021 levels…
Germany, voicing worries that more ambitious climate targets will cost jobs in its big automotive sector, has said it will back the Commission’s initial proposal…
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-auto-emissions/eu-lawmakers-back-40-percent-co2-cut-for-cars-vans-by-2030-idUKKCN1MD0RC
3 Oct: EurActiv: European Parliament revs up CO2 car limits
By Sam Morgan
MEPs voted in Strasbourg on Wednesday (3 October) in favour of a 40% CO2 reduction target for light vehicles by 2030. The target is higher than what the Commission has proposed and tough talks with national capitals now loom large on the horizon.
Environment ministers are due to meet in Luxembourg on 9 October to hash out a position and documents seen by EURACTIV show that the Austrian presidency of the EU is going to put 35% overall cuts on the table.
In Strasbourg though, lawmakers supported Socialist MEP Miriam Dalli’s report on CO2 cut, meaning the European Parliament will back 20% cuts by 2020 and 40% cuts by 2030…
MEPs also ramped up the EU executive’s incentive scheme for low and zero emission car sales by introducing targets of 20% for 2025 and 35% for 2030.
More significantly, the Parliament reintroduced a penalty system or malus for manufacturers that fail to meet those benchmarks. The Commission had actually removed that measure from its proposal following lobbying from the German car industry.
As reported by EURACTIV, European People’s Party MEPs tried to add an amendment that would establish a carbon correction factor and allow carmakers to use biogas to count towards their CO2 reductions. But that was also rejected.
Rapporteur Dalli told EURACTIV before the vote that her political group would ask the Commission to review the issue before 2023. However, the gas industry was keen to tackle the issue sooner rather than later…
https://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/european-parliament-revs-up-co2-car-limits
60
Demented
60
should have begun with “countries” not “companies” –
a number of East European COUNTRIES…
40
I remember one thing about you, Jo. I was initially reluctant to comment after I found your blog*** but I decided to ask if I would be welcome, after all I was not an engineer, scientist or anyone working in a relevant field. You were there with a welcoming reply that said, “Yes, Roy, you are welcome.” I’ve probably been a pest to everyone ever since. 😉
Happy 10th birthday. And even happier 500,000th comment. 🙂
90
*** I was alerted to your blog because the Heritage Foundation sent me a printed copy of The Skeptics Handbook right out of the wild blue yonder. It was completely unexpected. If not for that deliciously inciteful argument I would have taken a lot longer to learn about you.
60
Roy
I went back through some of the 2009 posts, you have been prolific.
KK
70
Like I said, probably a pest to everyone. 😉
50
But if I hadn’t been here you and I would not have become friends. And I would have missed one solid warm and welcoming Aussie.
70
We would have missed out on your company and comments too Roy.
40
I’ve met and talked back and forth with many people thanks to this blog. And all of you will be fond memories long after my arthritic fingers can’t strike the keys anymore. Even John Brooks, who fumbled his way through trying to be a warmist was a loveable character.
40
It’s an interesting thing to see the different styles for ‘Blogs’.
When I started out doing it in March of 2008, I also had no clue on what I was doing. It started with a comment at what is now the site I call home, and the owner of the site (Ed) asked if he could use my comment as a Post of its own, and would I also like to contribute on a regular basis. I had no idea of what to do, and Ed just said write whatever you want to. Now I have 1554 Posts. However, in my ten years and seven Months, there have only been 13,415 Comments at our site, compared to half a million here at Joanne’s site. I cannot imagine handling that many comments.
Congratulations Joanne. When it come to Blogs, yours is a National Treasure.
Tony.
120
Congratulations. Science only has one right answer and you are playing an important role in getting that answer to rise above the noise of disinformation, political bias and blatant stupidity.
60
CONGRATS!
60
Lets all get Joanne really hopped up on champagne, never know what she might say.
Congrats 🙂
40
Congratulations Joanne on your fantastic achievement. It is clear to all of us here on this site that you that you are the leading light in Australia on the fight against the left green croneism of climate change. Through your efforts you have brought together thousands of voices of ordinary folk who wish to speak out against the politicization and demise of proper scientific debate.
Thank you Jo, you are our champion.
Regards GeoffW
60
Thanks for all your efforts Jo. From personal experience you are way ahead in the blog world in the way you diplomatically bring fractious commenters into line. Again from personal experience, you have mastered the art of speaking softly while making it plain that you also carry a big stick. I am definitely one of your admirers.
61
Congratulations
50
Congratulations
40
Congratulations, and thanks for all your efforts – greatly appreciated.
The ideas found on this site have helped ‘climate proof’ my kids and enabled them to clearly see how one-sided the MSM can be.
70
Can we nominate Joanne for Australian of the Year for a massive contribution to logical arguments.
70
Congrats and job well done, Jo – that glass of bottled West Australian liquid sunshine in your hand almost inspired me to open one up here too (and it’s not even midday!) but I’m off out for a surf so I’d better stay sober (till at least 4 o’clock).
I hear it’s cold and rainy in Sydney today, while over here it’s blue sky sunshine, epic surf on both coasts, ski areas still cranking because of so much snow, Greenland is 37 below, Antarctica 70 below, it’s snowed big-time in South Africa (!), Europe’s had an early start to their season… is great knowing we’ve got the sceptical planet on our side as it’s a non-believer too: it simply refuses to do what the men in their white coats, and their hot models, say it should do. Happy Friday the Fifth!
70
NH and SH both getting winter early ..at same time!! Must be a tipping point.
40
Thanks for your tireless contributions to counter the CAGW hype, Jo!
50
Congratulations Jo! Keep up the good work.
20
I’m surprised no one has done some Maths here.
500,000 comments. Ten years.
That’s 50,000 comments a year, around a thousand a week, so around 140 a day.
That’s just blandly averaging it out, and it wouldn’t have been that at the start, so given a (sort of) curve as a rise in comments, it’s probably around 70,000 (plus) a year now, and that’s close to 200 a day. As it’s a blog that gets commented at around the clock, that’s around 8 comments or so every hour, or a comment left here at Joanne’s site every seven minutes.
Tony.
120
🙂
60
TonyfromOz @ # 78:
Whew! We left them for you, Tony. And, guess what? You’re here to do them for us and so you have!
Go to the Top of The Class, that man 🙂
20
Cool beans well done. Looking forward to many years of tipping points.
61
And many more tipping points to come too.
40
Great Blog Joanne so please keep up your important work.
Like so many others I check you out every day for the latest information on the climate scam industry. You published an email of mine back in 2014 with a photo of a government sign on Lady Elliot Island showing a ridiculous sea level rise graph which should have the Maldives under water very soon if it wasn’t such hogwash.
All the best
80
Best Blog I’ve come across in terms of content, style and commentary. Keep up the great work…Australia needs you.
70
Congratulations Jo. Worthy of an Order of Australia medal.
This has to be one of the most polite Global Warming sites I’ve ever found.
I start every week day with a coffee and Jo-Nova blog. Then a quick look at WUWT (and I’m very glad to see Anthony gave a grats as well).
50
Congratulations! Keep up the good work.
20
Congratulations Jo! You can be incredibly proud of the amazing contribution you are making – saving a perfectly good civilization! Your respect for the facts, intelligent logical analysis and ‘pull no punches’ straight talk are ‘must read’ for me every day. Thank you and please keep up the great work.
30
Congratulations Jo, it is a pleasure to visit here and enjoy the knowledge and the banter!
40
Wow! Ten years. Congratulations Jo on your passion for truth and your tenacity and perseverance against great odds. I find it very sad though that you are needed now more than ever as a shining beacon for lost and deceived science souls.
Well done on your achievement and I look forward to the day you are properly recognised for your “humanitarian” work.
Maybe Australian of the year one day?
30
Congratulations, Jo on your fortitude and perspicacity.
Also thanks to the moderators for their unsung work.
30
Greetings from https://www.google.be/maps/@50.7543088,3.876375,3a,75y,305.37h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sADF8Snh5Qdk-u0rj-hqg1g!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DADF8Snh5Qdk-u0rj-hqg1g%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D305.36612%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
20
Well done Jo. Keep up the great work
00
Jo, I’ve been away for a few days, so this is my first chance to congratulate you and yours on this wonderful blog. It’s about the only place I can post my understanding of physics with the chance that some will read and some will critique what I post. Keep up the good work. Your blog has given me much joy.
10
I was also away last week doing silly things in the name of my chosen sport. Just catching up now. I looked up where I was on 30 September 2008 – in Iceland as part of a tour to look at the Aurora. Back then I’d never heard of the hockey stick. Found this site just after the Copenhagen fiasco and Climategate. I had a ball at the Convoy of No Confidence. I rely on this site for the interpretation of the political scene because otherwise I wouldn’t have a clue. Thanks Jo and your team.
10