At last a relatively quiet day in the reptile swamp and the pond can take it easy, with the weekend edition jam packed with features easy to ignore... starting with yet another piece by Dame Slap about the Lehrmann matter ...
And the news that the lizard Oz is returning to Beijing is surely only a prelude to the much hoped war with China by Xmas ...
Even the venerable Meade's Weekly Beast was a tame affair this week, focussing on Gina...
Rinehart’s chief executive, Adam Giles, the former chief minister of the Northern Territory, represented his boss at the event. Sitting at the top table with Giles was Sky News host Rita Panahi, managing director of the Australian and the Daily and Sunday Telegraph John Lehmann and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie.
Lovely Rita, meter maid, consorting with Bid, the lizard Oz, and Gina's lackey.
That said more than the pond needed to know, and as for Dame Slap, her obsessive compulsive disorder has gone well past an anal fixation into something deeply weird ...
The pond deliberately kept that image small so that only preverts would feel the need to click on it ...
On the far right of the digital rag, the Ughmann early in the morning sat at the top of the world ma, and was sounding suitably gruntled, so there was an easy starting point...
Speaking of existential despair, the pond could just as easily have gone with ancient Troy's outing, 'The West is bored with its own culture... there is no guiding light', but why pay attention to the French clock man flying over the country to get to Paris?
No, the Ughmann yearning for a broad church under Captain Spud is more than enough entertainment ... and he's on to the meaning of life right from the get go ...
By golly, the pond loves the smell of an Ughmann exploding in the early morning light ... matched only by a snap of that congenital liar and Brexit fraud, beloved of the bromancer...
Dear sweet long absent lord, did he just quote Gough to the Liberal party?
Not that vulgar youff would have the first clue about the heresy involved, but all the same, the pond found it delicious.
Naturally the reptiles flung in a few distracting links to other parts of the hive mind, but the pond found them easy to ignore, and only notes the reptiles included a video of the mutton Dutton raging in his usual way at pesky, difficult, uppity furriners ...
Splendid stuff, and a striking solution to climate science to boot, though there was a little shock to the system yesterday.
Truth to tell, the pond didn't feel a thing as it walked back from a train and tram jaunt, but the earth moved for Ted...
Speaking to the ABC, Shadow Energy Minister Ted O'Brien said should an earthquake risk be identified in the Upper Hunter in a nuclear feasibility study, then plans for nuclear power in the Hunter Valley would be abandoned.
"If there is a feasibility study done and that comes back with advice that says any power plant should not proceed, then a power plant would not proceed full stop," he said.
We can't nuke Muswellbrook to save the planet?
Oh dear, never mind, Bjorn is on hand to fix everything in his usual way ...
It takes some fair skill to reference "countless studies" without being able to manage a single external link to a single one, but then you have to consider the reptile need for the aging demographic to stay inside the hive mind. Who knows what they might find outside the cave?
Enough of that sort of talk already, the point about Bjorn is the cultivation of saucy doubts and fears, and an explaining of the urgent need to do nothing, except perhaps drop a little moola on research ...
The only realistic way to achieve a transition is to vastly improve green energy alternatives. This means more investment in green energy research and development.
The pond can't count the number of times the Bjorn-again one has slipped that line into a piece, but reckons this is well beyond the zillionth - countless studies suggest it - because thar he blows, thar those immortal sentences appear ...
If we need to be much smarter, why does the Bjorn-again one routinely sound so fucking dumb?
Sorry, the pond got a little agitated there at the way that the reptiles keep showing an unstinting loyalty to a prize maroon apparently unaware that his keyboard short cut is stuck in an endlessly repetitive groove ...
And so as a bonus to the outgoing Killer.
What with the venerable Meade refusing to clarify exactly what she meant by outgoing, the pond is stuck with the notion that she meant Killer was in an ebullient, engaging, socially convivial mood, but Killer this day is anything but ... he's decidedly gloomy ...
Still, it's not long, so it's easy to spend time in the trash can with the miserable grouch ...
For some perverse reason, that splendid opening reference to the mango Mussolini's plans made the pond think of Luckovich ...
Then it was on the downward spiral with Killer ... deeply agitated by notions of freedumb, even after the Ughmann had just concluded his column by urging Captain Spud to embrace it...
Terrifying really, the worst sort of nightmare ...
Just look at her smiling and exuding a sense of fun, what an irritating sight for Killer to have to deal with ...
Splendid, rousing stuff, though bizarrely Killer didn't mention his hero RFK Jr. exiting the field. What a tragedy ... and where to now for mask haters and anti-vaxxers? Is that why Killer felt the need to throw in his lot with the mango Mussolini?
Is it now likely New Yorkers can look forward to finding dead bears in Central Park as a wiz sort of prank?
Just asking questions ...and luckily the immortal Rowe had a different vision ...
As always, it's in the detail ...
The Ughlmann re a description of BJs "tenure": "The worst is that he was congenitally unable to tell the truth [ie he was, and is, an inveterate liar] and failed to live by the standards he demanded of others [ie he's a spoiled brat] during the dark era of Covid restrictions [and, truth to tell, both before and after]" There's a few like that around: Trump for a prime example, and Morrison in his own way.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, Ughlmann again: "Rank hypocrisy has a price and Johnson went from election hero [winning in 2019] to zero in three short years...". Now compare that with Trump: president for 4 very long years and now still the owner of the MAGA GOP. So what was it that allowed Johnson to be ejected, but nearly half of all Americans still worship Trump ?
Lastly: "That the primary purpose of the energy system is to deliver affordable, reliable power." Well of course it is, and who gives even a rat's fart about how much pollution it also "delivers" and what damage it does to the climate and environment. So of course: "That the portfolios of climate and energy should be split and a vibrant debate encouraged between the two." Here we go again, pretending that there's no negative consequences to our power generation that cant just be 'resolved by a bit of "vibrant debate".
But just a small problem: "That strong borders are essential if people are to have faith in the integrity of the migration program." Yeah, so let the 26-and-a-bit million of us just "debate" how many of the other 8-and-a-bit billion humans will want to "migrate" here regardless of our opinions. The best hope we've got is that increasing temperatures will make most of Australia virtually uninhabitable, and given the state of nature now, that won't take very long. So we can all retire to Tasmania and hope for the best while billion of people will have to settle for migrating to Siberia, Alaska, Northern Canada and Antarctica.
GB said, during an Australian winter; "The best hope we've got is that increasing temperatures will make most of Australia virtually uninhabitable, and given the state of nature now, that won't take very long."
ReplyDeleteWWW. Winter was winter.
Bjorn and Reptiles are one eyed wet bulbs. Only one data point repeated...
"The pond can't count the number of times the Bjorn-again one has slipped that line into a piece, but reckons this is well beyond the zillionth - countless studies suggest it - because thar he blows, thar those immortal sentences appear ..." by one eyed wet bulbs. A 15%ish discount to write about.
As is this weather, a one day data point for Oodnadatta. 1.5C above previous record I think. Can't find ref. at time of getting breakfast.
"The climate is changing so fast that we haven’t seen how bad extreme weather could get."
See bad! "Oodnadatta has a hot desert climate(Köppen: BWh), with very hot summers and mild winters.[35] doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007
Oodnadatta. Tell Bjorn again, www - Winter was winter. Mild IF 'one eyed 15% bjorn reptile wet bulb discount' applied.
Winter. Yesterday, in Oodnadatta SA.
23 August 2024 at 2:41pm
Dry bulb - 38.4 Celcius
Wet bulb - 32.2 C
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDS60801/IDS60801.94476.shtml
Heading for 39C today.
Good for growing - a 15% discount on record temperatures derived by reading only wet bulbs.
Oh joy, joy happiness: Bjornagain Lomborg is with us: "Countless studies [I'll bet they're readily countable, actually] show that when societies add more renewable energy, most of it never replaces coal, gas or oil. It simply adds to energy consumption." Well obviously there's just no point complaining about how Australia's coal-fired generators are closing down, it simply isn't happening and surely we'll be building even more. Furthermore, that means that nuking the joint won't make any difference, so we might as well save our money.
ReplyDeleteBut once again, none of those "uncountable" studies are referenced, so we have no idea whether energy consumption is really increasing, and if it is whether that's because population (especially in Australia) is still increasing and thus needing more energy overall or whether it's energy consumed per person increasing - independently, or as well.
And given the rather unexpectedly rapid increase in environmental temperature, whether it's due to a significant per capita increase in energy consumption to power the world's air conditioners (and EVs).
So, Lomborg informs us: "...when we shifted from coal to oil: by 1970, oil, coal, gas and wood all delivered more energy than ever." Yes, and between the 1800s and 1970, world human population increased from around 1.2 billion in 1850 to around 3.7 billion in 1970. At the same time, a profusion of energy consuming devices (from internal and external lighting, gas and electric stoves, washing machines, refrigerators and vehicles, just for a few examples) came into existence and increasing use. So, using more energy than ever would certainly explain that we've used more energy than ever.
But hey, according to Bjornagain, humanity is burning even more wood for energy now than in 1870. Are we really ?
Besides. Bjornagain always seems to imply that only 'large scale' solutions will be applied whereas we're surely all aware that more and more people (and not only those in isolated backblocks residences) are going "off grid" and increasingly using local and/or household battery storage - ie smaller and cheaper. But then, Lomborg hasn't ever shown much understanding of the world, has he.
Yes, Killer must be shattered by RFK Jr pulling the plug; even now he may be packing his SUV in preparation for that long trek to the backwoods of Montana…..
ReplyDeleteStill, at least Killer’s rage and despair provides a bit of entertainment. It’s difficult to read his wail that “at least the Republicans have policies” without being reminded of a quote from “The Big Lebowski” -“ I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos”. And what’s with Killer’s reference to the “supposed” Project 25 platform - is he trying to throw doubt on its actual existence?
By comparison with Killer’s existential howl, the Ugghman and Bjorn make for very meagre reading. The Reptile enclosure doesn’t have a lot of intellectual depth, but Ugghman occupies one of the shallowest puddles in the swamp. A bit of whinging about Trump (while naturally ignoring his employer’s decades of support for the Republican Party’s Rightwards move), bewailing the fall of a tired, old, incompetent British government as though it’s somehow the end of civilisation as we know it, followed by a prescribed solution of tired old conservative cliches such as individual freedom, personal choice and strong borders. Innovative thinking there, Chris; do you actually get paid for recycling this stuff?
As for recycling, there was certainly nothing new in Bjorn Again’s piece; as noted, we’ve seen it all a zillion times before. I’m actually starting to wonder - is it possible he simply reuses old articles after a few years, not even bothering with a light rewrite but just changing the dates? It would certainly be the closest he’s ever come to renewables.
Dude, you won the pond's heart by referencing the dude's show.
DeleteThe pond has a T-shirt from the dude's sometime NY store.
The Dude: Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron.
We do have a readily available document from the Copenhagen Consensus on Climate. It dates from 2009, but is still their main reference point. For a subsequent review - of still several years back - they want $16 for a Kindle version, and I have saved my money there, because Bjornagain lists as its Editor.
ReplyDeleteThe 2009 document, from named, eminent economists, all based in the USA, rated as ‘very good’ these initiatives to deal with climate change.
1 - climate engineering - example marine cloud whitening
2 - more energy R&D. At that time they pointed to need for much better battery technology (now done) waves, geothermal and, of course fusion.
3 - climate engineering - example - stratospheric aerosol insertion
4 - carbon capture and storage - yep, that technology is progressing slightly slower than fusion.
Rated as just ‘good’, the eminents added ‘Adaptation’ - well, specifically Planning for Adaptation, and more climate engineering. They really liked climate engineering.
A few others - Forestry rated only as ‘Fair’ and all and any form of carbon taxes were ‘Poor’ to ‘Very Poor’.
Well, the eminents were largely business theoreticians, based in the USA.
Anyway, 15 years on - not an inspiring piece of prediction.
About as good as most 'predictions', Chad.
DeleteBut what are we to make of this ?
"Car giant Toyota claims it has discovered a "technological breakthrough" that will allow its electric vehicles to travel more than twice as far as current models."
Toyota has promised an EV revolution, but experts have reservations.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/toyota-ev-solid-state-battery-explainer/102584144
"Will the technology work?
While researchers have been hopeful about solid-state battery technology for more than 10 years, there are still a few speed bumps between its development and its rollout on Australian roads.
Infrastructure and supply chains are a key problem, with tonnes of highly pure, high-performance materials needed.
'You cannot use existing manufacturing methods to manufacture some of these cells,; Dr Best said."
No, no, this can't be true - the Riddster tells us that the GBR is in absolutely bursting health ! And we'd believe him much more than we'd believe some Professor, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland
ReplyDelete"The Great Barrier Reef will continue to deteriorate, largely to climate change, and the window to secure its future is rapidly closing. That is the sobering conclusion of a major new report into the state of the reef."
https://theconversation.com/humanity-is-failing-official-report-warns-our-chance-to-save-the-great-barrier-reef-is-fast-closing-237441
ReplyDeleteWhat Bjorn is writing about is known as the Jevons Paradox, posited by economist William Jevons 160 years ago (funny that some economist has not told Bjorn about it). Jevons "observed that technological improvements that increased the efficiency of coal use led to the increased consumption of coal in a wide range of industries. He argued that, contrary to common intuition, technological progress could not be relied upon to reduce fuel consumption". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox
But as a society we do not have to sit idly by, we can do something, by regulation etc. (There may be unintended benefits from regulation, eg regulating bitcoins into extinction would probably lead to less corruption - if you want to see which nations are corrupt, look at those that support crypto mining, noted one observer.)
Or not. I reckon Bjorn's response to Dr Johnson's famous remark about future events concentrating the mind, would be "knowing that my grandchildren will live and die in a dystopic Hellscape does not affect my behaviour at all".
DeleteI find it amusing that, because ChatGPT and other LLMs read everything on the internet and then go on to make stuff up, in a few months time my "quote" above will be attributed to Bjorn.
Joe - thank you for that reminder that the early economists were happy to investigate all kinds of issues, and apply their wisdom to what they found.
DeleteA clear case of Jevons "paradox" is the steam engine: when Watt significantly improved the steam engine, railways took off in great profusion. But the one I like is ship engines: my father migrated to this land in a combined steam-sail ship: it couldn't be steam all the way because coal consuming steam engines were still too inefficient and the ship simply couldn't carry enough coal to power itself all the way from the UK to Australia, just enough to escape from doldrums along the way, of course.
DeleteThat was back in 1908 when my father was all of 3 years old. Are there any steamships left nowadays ? Or is it all diesel ?
Nuclear powered ships use steam turbines.
DeleteThey do indeed, Anony, they do indeed. And even some of the diesel burning large ships do as well, though there are very large diesel engines nowadays, too:
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A4rtsil%C3%A4-Sulzer_RTA96-C