Monday Open Thread

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93 comments to Monday Open Thread

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    Hanrahan

    Budgy smugglers being advertised in the US.

    https://youtu.be/o1FzxCtznZQ

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  • #
    Ted1.

    Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does more good than harm.

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    • #
      b.nice

      At any possible whole of atmosphere level, it does absolutely zero harm

      Purely beneficial 🙂

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    • #

      As I read your comment, Ted1, I’m looking out the window at a huge Jacaranda tree in the backyard of a house not far away. It’s still in full fresh green leaf with a very generous sprinkle of purple blossom. And in my own backyard my Liquid Amber is still as green as it’s been all summer.
      Where’s that usual Autumnal seasonal change?
      I suspect plant life is relishing the extra CO2 and can now hang onto its foliage for much longer.
      Now THAT’S Climate Change — and all for the better!

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      Lawrie

      The environmentalists don’t know that. Come to think of it they don’t know anything. They still think they are campaigning against black balloons floating out of smoke stacks.

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    • #
      TdeF

      What harm? Where? And who said warming was a terrible thing? How? And where is this warming?

      The massive good of CO2 is dramatic because CO2 is still at record low levels and without it, plants do not grow. With CO2 we get a massive Greening of the planet as admitted by NASA, CSIRO, everyone. The Brazilian rainforest has been matched with the conversion of near desert areas to Green fields. So more CO2 produces more trees. Which wipes out carbon credits as fantasy.

      The anti CO2 drive is a denial of all science. Especially the idea that we tiny humans burning nothing more than old plants are changing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, a denial of the fundamental principle of dissolved gases, Henry’s Law. CO2 is 98:1 water to air water and will remain so. And 98% of all released CO2 disappears into the ocean. So what is the problem?

      It’s not about whether there is more CO2. It is only about how long it stays in the air and that’s about 5 years on average.

      The IPCC admits any excess CO2 will vanish into the ocean so to create the fantasy they have officially declared CO2 insoluble (half life of 80 years) even though it is 30x more soluble than O2 on which life also depends. Especially fish.

      As to whether CO2 actually produces warmer air (only over land) it is irrelevant as we humans cannot control CO2 levels.

      So let’s shut down all industry, travel, farming in Western democracies only. China can do as it pleases because it is a third world country barely out of the dark ages and is allowed to emit more CO2 than all other countries combined. And if you believe that you really are on a different planet.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Here is an unusual question for you as I have made extensive inquiries and can’t find what I am looking for.

    Does anyone know when I can get the following bathroom wall tiles in Australia?

    I am after 108mm x 108mm x 5mm or 6mm thick white glossy bathroom wall tiles.

    These are a highly unusual size for Australia with current trends. They correspond to 4 1/4 inches square. I can get them from USA, UK or India but would rather get them locally before going to that expense. They are needed for an alteration so have to match existing from 1992.

    Thanks.

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    • #
      GlenM

      Watch me! Watch me !. They wish. The vicarious nature of the modern idiot. I mean, who would watch the Oscars except brain dead cretins.

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    • #
      TdeF

      “the Academy spent months laboring to decide who America would most like to see slapped on stage”

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  • #
    Hanrahan

    No wonder people can get wiped out playing with futures.

    The $A has risen almost 2c today. OK that’s not a lot of money but traders can get high leverage on Fx contracts so if you spent $1,000 last Friday you buy US$67,000 in a “lot” contract*. The 1.5% move against you wipes out your investment and your broker has already sold your position via a margin call, hopefully before you lose the lot.

    Not for the fainthearted. 🙂

    * Illustrative purposes only.

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      Hanrahan
      I can actually make money trading, but I stick only to instruments I have spent years with. And I would only go on margin on rare occasions.

      The truth is 70% of people taking up trading lose a large amount of their stake and get out never to return. 20% don’t really go anywhere, and 10% can make money.

      Its all in the psychology, and experience really does count.

      I won’t touch crypto or futures. I have traded forex but with very limited margin. The AUD NZD pair, using RSI 14 day, is pretty predictable. Not huge gains but much better than in the bank. (ha ha, that will become even more true in the coming months)

      50

  • #
    another ian

    Now here’s a vote of confidence –

    “Russian dementia care facilities apparently using Biden in their commercials.”

    https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2023/03/russian-dementia-care-facilities-apparently-using-biden-in-their-commercials.html

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      Greg in NZ

      Finally, a ‘model’ which represents real-world observations.

      BTW is time speeding-up or… Unthreaded(s) Saturday & Sunday & Monday have flown by like I can’t remember where I am or who I am or what I just said… ooh look, ice-cream with a big red button on top…

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        another ian

        If it is any help –

        Years ago The Journal of Irreproducible Results ran a article proving that, as you get older, time does go faster

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      Graham Richards

      Typical Russian commercials, always the cheapest, nastiest, least effective. Surprisingly this campaign is truthful.

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  • #
    Mike Jonas

    I wrote this in late Jan 2023, so some numbers may be out of date. But if I could see it back then, how can the western world’s reserve banks still not see it now???. Earlier, I wrote to my MP – now shadow treasurer – along similar lines (I was thanked for the email, but no conversation followed).

    Why does the Reserve Bank raise interest rates?

    Much has been written about inflation and interest rates recently, with the Reserve bank having raised interest rates eight times and reportedly looking at a ninth. Does this make sense?

    Text-book economics say that to combat inflation you need to raise interest rates. But that’s based on inflation being consumer-driven. Today’s inflation is driven primarily by increasing energy prices, so interest rate rises will not work. All they will do is increase consumer pain.
    If the Reserve Bank continues to follow the textbook and raise interest rates, while ignoring the fact that we have energy inflation not textbook inflation, then the Australian public are going to be punished three times for the sins of their governments. The major sin of their government is forcing intermittent wind and solar energy into the economy, for which the Australian people will be punished three times: #1. Eye-watering amounts of our money is being poured by government into intermittent wind and solar energy. That money isn’t their money, it’s our money – the people’s money. $2. Electricity prices are going through the roof thanks to the absurd amounts of intermittent energy in the system. So people need more money for energy, but have less because of #1. $3. Interest rates are being raised, which sucks even more money out of people’s pockets because most people have a mortgage or need to get a mortgage in order to enter the property market.
    The Reserve Bank needs to stop raising interest rates right now!
    Some numbers:

    10-year bond rate today is around 3.5%, a rate which it first reached in May 2022. Since then, it has fluctuated but with no overall increase. There has been a notable change in momentum. Over the same period, the RBA cash rate has gone up rapidly from 1.85% to 3.1%. I think the market is saying that interest rates have gone up enough.

    Consumer confidence in May 2022 was at 90, down from 100+ before February 2022, and is now at about 86. There doesn’t appear to be any consumer enthusiasm that needs hosing down by increasing interest rates.

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    • #

      Inflation is driven by the central banks, not by energy prices.

      After years of artificially keeping interest rates too low, they have created too much ‘free’ money from thin air which is what drives prices up. It’s just supply and demand (of money).

      Then they tell us they have to raise rates to fight the inflation they themselves caused, but blame it on “the war”.

      Those on the inside who know when the boom and bust cycles will turn can benefit from every part of the cycle.

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        Graham Richards

        Is it then simply coincidence that interest rates increase worldwide & even more coincidentally that the rates rise simultaneously, OR, IS IT PLANNED.

        Strange that there is no comment from either the IMF, World Bank or the most likely culprit the WEF. The IMF / World Bank are known to favour a single international currency!!

        Are the WEF not the mob that threatened PM Morrison with financial constraints & probable penalties for Australia if he did not commit to Net Zero??

        Conspiracy Theories may just be coming to fruition. What’s their next step??

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          Memoryvault

          You are spot on, Graham.

          The current inflation is the result of a dramatic increase in the money supply by the grubbymint during the three years of the covid scamdemic. Nothing else.

          We increased our money supply by over $400 BILLION, out of thin air, decreasing the value of our existing currency. So the value (purchasing power) of the money drops, and you need more of it to buy the same amount of goods and services. Ditto scenarios for most of the rest of the world.

          The only puzzling thing in it all for me is how many erstwhile intelligent people here continue to think it is all happening due to bungling and incompetence by the politicians, coincidentally occurring in countries all around the world. It’s not.

          It is a well-oiled plan unfolding exactly as intended.

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        • #
          Rick

          As someone in Washington said a while ago, “I don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but I don’t believe in coincidences either!”

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      • #
        Mike Jonas

        Inflation is usually driven by the central banks, but this time wind and solar are the main culprits. People aren’t spending recklessly as they do when money supply is up, they are hurting badly and cutting back wherever they can. It’s unusual, but what we have now is supply inflation not demand inflation. For a past example, see the 1973/4 inflation peak in the chart in https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/research/70-years-inflation-australia – they say “What often happens is that you have some unanticipated change in the global economy, such as an oil price shock, which causes an initial acceleration of inflation …”. They say that the inflation subsides soon after the initial shock, but today we have governments still hell-bent on increasing wind and solar penetration, which they have been doing for years, so there’s a long grind of upward price pressures not just a single shock.

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      • #
        Simon Thompson ᵐᵇ ᵇˢ

        As Jo is intimating, the Banks have driven a property price bubble, the “Lockdowns” contributed to government debt, the CC furphy drives energy prices. If the country were more stable the bankers would get bored- so they spice things up now and again for fun and profit. And I have not mentioned the derivatives market which is 4x the value of everything on Earth. It is the fiscal “Special Olympics” where everyone gets a prize, there is no such thing as a loser and the money printing goes Brr Brrrr.

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      • #
        Sceptical+Sam

        Quantity Theory of Money.

        Nicolaus Copernicus, John Locke, John Stuart Mill, David Hume, Jean Bodin, Ludwig von Mises, Milton Friedman.

        They knew.

        They are right.

        The left wing (not to put it too bluntly) don’t like them.

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    • #
      Lucky

      Elon Musk said:
      “There is no Horn of Plenty that produces these goods.
      They have to be produced. If you don’t make stuff, there’s no stuff.
      You can’t just legislate money and solve these things.”

      Essentially what Joanne said above. The mechanism was-
      governments impose lockdowns, spend big on worthless fixes for Wuhu, not just US supplied vaccines, pay many people who are now not in work to pretend that things are ok. Loosen restrictions on banks.

      Major employers impose irrational vax requirements and dismiss non-compliers. Many workers from out-of state leave and others leave the workforce. Price of labor goes up.

      Amount of money increases, production of goods, and supply of services go down.
      Bidding for goods and services leads to higher prices, a few key workers get higher pay, a few ‘rent seekers’ get higher payments. Most people have about the same income but prices are higher.

      Contribution from woke energy policies and shutting down reliable energy generators works in the same way but started earlier and is slower.

      All the usual bad explanations are used: Putin, global heating, corporate greed, running out of oil, keeping us safe, and etc.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Here is an interesting 1968 sci fi movie.

    Apparently many of the scenes were cannabilised from some Soviet sci fi. SEE Wikipedia article.

    “Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women”

    https://youtu.be/80Jahnv3t3w

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_to_the_Planet_of_Prehistoric_Women?wprov=sfla1

    What was particularly interesting is the introduction which contains real footage of mockups of various US proposed spacecraft of the era and even an XB-70 Valkerie.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    For those that don’t know, it is a public holiday in Vicdanistan.

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    • #

      And, today is Canberra Day. A Public Holiday. I bet that Tennis Elbow gets a day in lieu for being on the job today………….lol

      60

    • #
      Ian Hill

      South Australia can throw a horse race into the mix. It used to be in May but had to be changed because of the weather (true)!

      30

  • #
    Gary S

    Reluctantly visited an Aldi store about an hour ago, and noticed all the perspex screens had been removed. Could this be a sign that Dan is getting closer to relinquishing his iron grip on the hapless populace of Victoria and declaring the plandemic ‘over’? One can only hope.

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    • #
      David Maddison

      It’s only over until the next plandemic.

      Dan’s put too much into it to let it all go, e.g. draconian laws; a paramilitary police force unafraid to brutalise old women or arrest pregnant women for social media posts or indeed to spray people with capsaicin spray, a substance whose use is actually prohibited in warfare under Article I.5 of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

      And a frighteningly sycophantic medical and bureaucratic establishment that obeys his orders without question with Dan’s orders ruthlessly and mercilessly enforced.

      As well as a population, a voting majority of whom cower in fear and see Dan and his goons as their saviours.

      Dan’s not giving up yet.

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      • #
        Hanrahan

        History doesn’t repeat, there won’t be another schemozzle like this one. We are entering a period where rapidly increasing defence budgets’ demands [or a hot war] on depleted national wealth [well greatly increased debt] will mean there won’t be the incredible sums of money available to maintain interest.

        I don’t know how Aus can afford NIDS AND the subs.

        30

    • #
      yarpos

      Screen decisions are business decisions these days, not mandates. Last I heard Aldi was taking them down apart from the final bit at the check out, which was how ours looked today. Maybe their direction has changed.

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      • #

        our local Ali here in Clifton Springs took the screens away a week ago, completely, and everyone is happy about it

        l dont think Australia is able to afford the subs Hanrahan but l dont believe we were or are ever going to get them anyway, its just another BS story to keep us guessing

        30

        • #
          Memoryvault

          Correct, Marksman.

          If the Yanks had any intention at all now of equipping us with nuclear subs, they would be offering us some of their recently decommissioned Los Angeles subs like they did back in 2016.

          They are essentially the same as the Virginia’s and just need new fuel rods. All up and refueled they would have only cost us around AUD $2 billion each. And we could have taken delivery of two within 12 months, then two every year for another five years.

          If we had taken the offer we would now have our fleet of 12 nuclear subs and change to spare from $25 billion. You can thank Abbott and Turnbull that we don’t.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Due to totally unlimited, unconstrained spending by the Lib/Lab Uni-party, I think Australians will soon be facing some extreme, confiscatory, unprecedented high taxes including the likely introduction of death taxes and wealth taxes plus even higher income taxes and consumption taxes. They are already going for superannuation (retirement) savings.

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    • #
      Gary S

      Agree, David, possibly looking to the N.Z. gst model as well.

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      Memoryvault

      Yes, David and Gary.

      Once the NSW state election is out of the way the bloodletting will start. Income taxes, land taxes, wealth taxes, death taxes, and an increase in GST are all probable, just for starters.

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Notice the resident Leftists don’t tend to post on weekends or public holidays? They are likely public serpents or “academics” (sic) and therefore not at work, the only place they have plenty of spare time to post, LoL.

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      PeterPetrum

      You could well be correct, David. Let’s see if your post winkles them out of the hibernation.

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      b.nice

      It must be very demoralising for them to be chopped to pieces every time they post.

      Building on top of their every-present inner despair and victimhood.

      But data and facts will always trump the irrational, anti-science and superstitions that make up leftist ideology.

      01

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      Graeme#4

      I’ve noticed in the comments in The Oz that they don’t start posting until well into the morning. But this may be a ploy to post later to influence readers.

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    • #
      YWNBAW

      Too busy sneering at the working class in favour of cross dressing affluent men

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  • #
    John Connor II

    With the US banking crisis expanding internationally, got cash on hand? 😉

    40

    • #
      David Maddison

      Sadly, cash is not convenient or safe to store, and its value can be wiped out in an instant. Plus the government is trying to ban it anyway. They want a fully digital currency with all transactions traced and tracked.

      The only worthwhile store of value is gold and that’s not convenient to transact or safe to store under your bed either.

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        John Connor II

        Unfortunately you seem to have that back to front.
        I used to have a sizeable stock of precious metals but have offloaded 95% (tens of kilos) of it now. I’ve kept smaller size bars, rare items and collectables.
        Metals providing some form of protection from das gubermibt or economic woes is unfortunately totally incorrect.
        I fell for the bs like so many others back in the day…

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      • #
        Hasbeen

        But at least it won’t deteriorate if it gets wet under ground.

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      yarpos

      I doubt any of us know the nature of any future collapse/event and what will be valued. Personally I have or have access to all the items discussed, as I am not a seer.

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  • #
    John Connor II

    Dr. Peter McCullough: “Our Seniors Have Been Destroyed by This Vaccine”

    A McLachlan analysis found 80% of post-vax deaths were among people aged 65 and older:

    • 9% expired within 6 hours post-injection
    • 18% died within 12 hours
    • 36% did not survive through the following day

    https://twitter.com/VigilantFox/status/1635077840311046146/

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    • #

      So glad that I never got the Jab.

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      Ross

      I read a Peter McCullough article yesterday. These days he says the most common question asked of him is the best way to detoxify your body from mRNA vaccines. He believes nattokinase to be a best possible solution. Nattokinase is an enzyme that has the ability to break down spike type proteins in the body and is produced by fermenting soybeans with bacteria Bacillus subtilis var. natto and has been available as an oral supplement. It degrades fibrinogen, factor VII, cytokines, and factor VIII which are associated with spike proteins. It has also been studied for its cardiovascular benefits. But, the best attraction for nattokinase is that in most countries it is over the counter (OTC) and can be widely bought online. Those clever Japanese, they discovered both ivermectin and nattokinase.

      80

      • #
        Ross

        I needed to continue this thought. Someone on social media was posting photos of a large sign outside a suburban pharmacy ( I think in the US). First photo taken early 2021 -” Get Pfizer shot here”. 2nd photo taken during 2022 of the same sign – ” Free heart checks”. Maybe now the next sign -” Nattokinase- great prices!!”

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    • #
      Hanrahan

      I never did see the logic in injecting the “most vulnerable”. Sounds counterintuitive to me.

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    • #
      Honk R Smith

      “36% did not survive the following day” … if this is true … wow!
      Wonder what the % is after a week?

      But then again.
      https://hub.jhu.edu/2016/05/03/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death/
      I’m guessing the VAX numbers aren’t included in this analysis.

      Looks like the Medical system gave the Greatest Pandemic Since 1347 a run for it’s money.
      My soon to be less valuable money is on the Medical System for the win.
      (Of course, Pandemics die off, The Medical Industrial Complex is eternal.)
      TWO WEEKS TO FLATTEN THE CURVE

      My father’s literal last words to me …
      “I haven’t been right since that damn flu shot.”
      Long before COVID.

      50

      • #
        Broadie

        Mother in Law lasted a week. She was eating well, mobile and coherent when she decided to have the booster. The choice was to continue to be shut in your room or to be allowed on the sightseeing bus when it recommenced. Within 6 hours she was slurring and unstable. Bed bound and in pain the next day.

        20

  • #
    John Connor II

    Recruitment ad for the Australian army

    https://twitter.com/BernieSpofforth/status/1634933488532221952

    The focus has shifted from protecting citizens from foreign enemies, to protecting authorities from its own unarmed protesting citizens.

    I wonder why?😉

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  • #
    yarpos

    mmmmm using armies as police doesnt have a great history , but it seems the go to option for desperate pollies.

    apparently the Netherlands govt is going to sic the army on the thousands of framer tractor protesters

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  • #
    John Connor II

    Vaxx U-Turn season is almost over, and we are moving to Lawsuits season.

    As said late last year, doctors, politicians, and experts have a small window of opportunity to make a U-Turn because evidence of harm is piling up and is continuing to pile up. The elephant in the room is growing into a matured African Elephant or maybe even a baby T-Rex.

    The most significant case to watch is Brook Jackson’s case vs Pfizer. Brook’s attorney Robert Barnes, who has won several high-profile trials.

    We are going to see the following:

    Lawsuits against public and private organizations that mandated vaccines on their staff

    Lawsuits against public and private academic institutions that mandated vaccines on students

    lawsuits against medical boards that took away the licenses of dissenting doctors

    Lawsuits against media and the big tech who pushed a false narrative and censored truths

    Vaccine injury class action lawsuits worldwide against Pfizer, Moderna, and governments.

    Lawsuits against hospitals that denied early treatments and “maybe” even killed off many patients

    https://pharmafiles.substack.com/p/week-10-pfizer-is-gonna-get-pfucked

    Bring it all on. Full disclosure!

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    another ian

    Continued from Saturday Open item (Ian George #6.1) on the new “more terrifying temperature colour scheme”

    If you have a look at the colour chart here – they’ve got them really bas-ackwards

    http://www.stormthecastle.com/blacksmithing/the-changing-color-of-forging-steel.htm

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    David Maddison

    Excellent 12.5 min talk of Clive Palmer addressing the Sydney covid conference.

    https://yzcjgi-zgpvh.maillist-manage.net/click/162781fa3e623aed/162781fa3e5c08b8

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    Saighdear

    Saving our Planet ?
    Was out in Rural Invernesshire on a couple of mission critical “adventures” on Sat & Sunday. Lovely countryside “today” but the Greenblob have gotten their Useful idiots in the forestry industry to Plant trees on greenfield sites. Having also seen clear felling of some mature plantations, I was delighted to be around for the moment and experience the VIEW and awareness of where I was. ‘Tomorrow’s ‘ traveller will not be so lucky, trees everywhere. Ah well, we will go nowhere, have nowhere to go to, have no reason to go anywhere, and will not be able to go anywhere, …. …. … . . . … . . . …
    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Croachy,+Inverness+IV2+6UB/@57.3173098,-4.2680808,2445m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x488f6c68ab240089:0x37d6b5b3300a5f63!8m2!3d57.317299!4d-4.259326!16s%2Fg%2F12yxt3msn
    https://www.google.com/maps/@57.3921624,-4.4024916,2440m/data=!3m1!1e3
    Enjoy before it is too late.

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    Sean Wise

    There are two interesting stories this morning coming out of California that can help you understand what climate injustice is. The first is about the flooding in the Pajaro river basin due to broken levees near Watsonville, California. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-12/authorities-knew-the-levee-could-fail These levees are over 70 years old and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers knew they needed upgrades and repairs. However it would never pencil out because the cost of construction projects is very high in California, particularly on the edge of Monterey Bay and Silicon Valley and only poor, migrant farms workers lived there. The other story is the cost of the high speed rail project running through the Central Valley which is burning through money and facing delay after delay. https://calmatters.org/transportation/2023/03/california-high-speed-rail/ It will likely take $10 billion dollars more than allocated (~$32 billion total) to connect several moderate sized towns in the central valley. This is for only 170 miles of a 540 mile systems and exceeds the price tag for the total system as originally proposed.
    Somehow, climate change is the excuse used to justify high speed rail and climate change is blamed for the levee failures when its bureaucratic bungling and dithering that leads to both disasters.

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    David Maddison

    This video is from the point of view that CO2 is a problem (what they call “carbon” (sic)) but it does talk about how “carbon (sic)” offsets are a scam.

    But we already knew that.

    https://youtu.be/AW3gaelBypY

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  • #
    Lance

    From 1969 through 1978, the Media was warning about Global Cooling and The Next Ice Age.

    https://danfromsquirrelhill.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/ice-age/

    I’m guessing the NY Times, Washington Post, and CEI, wish they could unpublish those things.

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