Month: July 2008

Rudd: pay more or die!

Posted by – 9 July, 2008

Andrew Bolt from the Herald Sun has written an article against the climate change gods and the recent Ross Garnaut report. The article has received global attention and acclaim from The Drudge report and Rush Limbaugh, the most popular radio personality in the world. Here are some brief excerpts:

Here is Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday, with his own apocalyptic vision: “If we do not begin reducing the nation’s levels of carbon pollution, Australia’s economy will face more frequent and severe droughts, less water, reduced food production and devastation of areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu wetlands.”

And here is a senior Sydney Morning Herald journalist aghast at the horrors described in the report on global warming released on Friday by Rudd’s guru, Professor Ross Garnaut: “Australians must pay more for petrol, food and energy or ultimately face a rising death toll . . .”

Wow. Pay more for food or die. Is that Rudd’s next campaign slogan?

Rudd and Garnaut want to scare you into backing their plan to force people who produce everything from petrol to coal-fired electricity, from steel to soft drinks, to pay for licences to emit carbon dioxide — the gas they think is heating the world to hell.

The cost of those licences, totalling in the billions, will then be passed on to you through higher bills for petrol, power, food, housing, air travel and anything else that uses lots of gassy power. In some countries they’re even planning to tax farting cows, so there’s no end to the ways you can be stung.

Rudd hopes this pain will make you switch to expensive but less gassy alternatives, and — hey presto — the world’s temperature will then fall, just like it’s actually done since the day Al Gore released An Inconvenient Truth.

The article went on to describe the advent of a psychological disorder that some people are suffering because of climate change propaganda. The article also highlighted how China and India are now publicly ignoring calls to reduce emissions, and because of this, any attempt by Australia to cap carbon emissions will be pointless.

I cannot overstate how big this article is. Limbaugh basically read the entire article out to his nearly 20 million listeners and millions would have seen the article on The Drudge Report. Limbaugh on Bolt’s article:

Meanwhile, while all this is going on, while the Australian government is telling its citizens, “Pay more or die,” which is about what we’re being told here, in fact, this poor kid in Australia thinks if he drinks the world’s going to die so he’s killing himself by not drinking. They had to put him in a psycho ward. Your kid could be next, folks. Now, in China, the ChiComs released their own global warming strategy a year ago, its own Garnaut report — this is Rudd’s guru in Australia — “which bluntly refused to cut its total emissions. Said Ma Kai, head of China’s powerful State Council: ‘China does not commit to any quantified emissions-reduction commitments … our efforts to fight climate change must not come at the expense of economic growth.’” The ChiComs, of all people, get it! The ChiComs!

If anybody ought to be leading the charge on this, it would be socialist communists, but the ChiComs know full well the disaster that awaits anybody who buys into the delusion and the requirements to fulfill the delusion as advanced by Algore. Mr. Bolt writes, “In fact, we had to get used to more gas from China, not less: ‘It is quite inevitable that during this (industrialisation) stage, China’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions will be quite high.’” Damn straight. They’re growing. They’re going to expand. Here’s another instance. India. India has said that it will not stop its per capita emissions from growing “until they match those of countries such as the US.”

A big dittos!

Howard’s back

Posted by – 8 July, 2008

Comments given by Howard at a Perth dinner. First on Rudd:

You sometimes get the impression that my successor is more interested in the process of government than the opportunity of leadership that government provides.

Spot on. Next the budget:

The absolutely dishonest and pathetic attempt by Mr (Wayne) Swan and Mr (Lindsay) Tanner and Mr Rudd to … demonstrate to the Australian people that they had inherited an economic mess from the former coalition, that they had inherited high inflation and runaway spending, they have no shame.

Not that Rudd and his dudds have done anything to address their own accusations, which are basically false. Readers should not confuse a natural movement in the business cycle with economic mismanagement. Carbon trading:

They (coalition) are right to ask of the present Government that it not adopt policies that by going too far ahead will place this nation’s great export industries at a competitive disadvantage around the world.

On no Mr. Howard, the time for debate is over, we must follow blindly never asking questions from the new gods who say they can change the climate. All hail Rudd and his dudds, the climate changers! And Howard on Rudd’s calls for bipartisan politics:

When we were in government whenever we proposed something, by definition, the Labor Party was against it. So that’s why I say with some passion never yield the national interest to the Labor Party.

The hypocrisy of Rudd is amazing. Remember Rudd is the chap who said that the introduction of the GST was a day of ‘fundamental injustice’, or words to that effect. I don’t see Rudd moving to rid us of this apparent great fundamental injustice now.

Why rugby is the best sport

Posted by – 8 July, 2008

Not many sports can claim this type of intelligence from their best players:

THE top second-rower in international rugby Dan Vickerman is poised to walk away from the game he loves next year to undertake an economics degree at Cambridge University.

Dan Vickerman will be a big loss to the Wallabies and the Waratahs, but good luck to him on leaving rugby at the height of his rugby career to seek more long-term goals. Rugby players have always been an interesting bunch, because they have life aspirations outside of rugby. By contrast, from the AFL:

Hall was stood down indefinitely by the Swans after taking a wild swing at Collingwood’s Shane Wakelin on Saturday night. He also gave away several undisciplined free kicks, with the Swans confirming Hall was battling “personal issues”.

Earlier this season, Barry Hall received a seven-week suspension for punching West Coast opponent Brent Staker.

Hall’s latest brain snap earned him a one-match ban from the AFL match review panel, but Sydney’s decision to stand him down was unprecedented.

Apparently Hall has been checked into a psychologist.

Welcome to union chaos

Posted by – 7 July, 2008

From the SMH and the transport union holding Sydney commuters, the NSW Government and tourists hostage to their wage demands:

At a hearing of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in Sydney this morning, RailCorp asked the Commission to terminate the bargaining period, which has allowed members of the rail, tram and bus union to schedule a 24-hour stoppage for July 17 – the day Pope Benedict XVI’s motorcade courses through Sydney.

But Senior Deputy President Anne Harrison has instead ordered the parties to reappear before the commission on Thursday, when she will conduct a full hearing into the dispute.

Leaving the commission, a union spokeswoman said: “As it stands the action is still scheduled to proceed. The commission has made no order on that.”

Ironically, the NSW Labour government is looking to use Howard’s Work Choices legislation to stop the strike. With wall to wall ALP governments no one should be surprised at the strike action, which follows industrial action by Qantas workers.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union yesterday announced plans for a 24-hour strike by rail workers on July 17, the day more than 200,000 pilgrims — on top of the normal commuter crowd of 500,000 — are expected to travel to the Sydney CBD to see the Pope’s motorcade pass through the city’s streets.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma said yesterday he would “not be blackmailed into giving them (the union) what they want as a result of these industrial terror tactics”.

“The threat to embarrass the state on one of the most important days of recent history will not cut ice with the Government,” Mr Iemma said.

The union has rejected the Government’s offer of an 8 per cent pay rise over two years.

Top Gear war on hybrids

Posted by – 5 July, 2008

Top Gear, the most popular TV programme in the world, has a distinct dislike for hybrids. From the main presenter Clarkson:

You may save the planet with this car. But you could well lose a leg in the process. You will certainly lose all your friends because to justify your significant £7,000 purchase you will need to explain, loudly and often, that it uses no fuel, that you simply charge it up at night – using power from a power station.

There are a range of cars that are cheaper to run and better for the environment than hybrids – any small to mid-sized diesel or petrol car. Well this time Top Gear have the Toyota Prius versus the BMW M3 – which is more fuel efficient?

 

Carbon cap and trade

Posted by – 4 July, 2008

The Garnaut report, which seeks to levy heavy taxes on carbon producing activities, has been released and is getting favourable coverage from the main stream media. This should come as no surprise given the agenda driven coverage of this news over the last 5 years. When one actually deals with the facts though, the picture becomes a harsh one for those pushing the climate change agenda.

The single most important fact that readers should be aware of is that no carbon cap and trade system will have any measurable impact on the climate. No politician or academic will be able to stand up and say that because of the cost $x billion incurred by Australia on carbon cap and trade, the average temperature in Australia has dropped x Celsius. A carbon cap and trade system will have no impact on the climate – none.

If one assumes that human induced greenhouse gas emissions causes global warming, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions are so small (about 1 per cent of the world) that one would not be able to measure the impact on temperature from any introduction of carbon pricing and the consequent emissions reduction.

The only clear outcome is that Garnaut’s approach will increase our cost of living and thereby reduce our standard of living, increase government control over our lives and make the Australian economy less internationally competitive. And what for, to show leadership?

GEORGE NEGUS: So I guess, to that extent, you should feel as though you guys, over the years, have achieved something in that the environment is in people’s consciousness, isn’t it?

PETER GARRETT: Well, look, I hope so. I think that’s what the public are telling us – it does matter to them. What they’re also telling us is they want leadership and they want a commitment.

Its the type of leadership that matters, and the way the debate is being held over carbon cap and trade at the moment, it is likely to be leadership more akin to the charge of the light brigade during the Crimean War. Leadership yes, but leadership for leadership’s sake – sacrificially pointless. As Alfred Tennyson wrote about the charge:

Theirs not to make reply  Theirs not to reason why  Theirs but to do and die

Indeed, as “All the world (once) wonder’d”, the world will wonder again. But final thoughts go to Professor Dr. Jack Steinberger, CERN – Europäisches Kernforschungszentrum, joint-Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, 1988. On a recent discussion on ‘Climate Changes and Energy Challenges’, from the 58th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, Steinberger said:

Here on this table you’ve heard opinions which didn’t agree, and we’re all claiming to be scientists. So, to what extent political leaders can believe us is not obvious.

Broken Hill, Rio and the EU

Posted by – 4 July, 2008

From the BBC about the potential merger between BHP and Rio Tinto:

A tie-up between BHP and Rio would create a firm with a third of the world’s iron-ore market, raising fears that it would be too powerful.

The EU listed its concerns but said BHP would be able respond, adding the findings had not been pre-judged.

Ah ha though, where there’s a will there’s a way to stop the free market:

US regulators have approved the deal but, like the EU, Australia’s regulators are also sceptical.

Why on earth Australian regulators would be opposed to such a move is a mystery. It would make BHP one of the top 5 corporations in the world by market value – think of the tax revenue from the strengthend market position such a merger would result in. Anyway, this rather interesting note from Forbes magazine:

The commission said its preliminary investigation showed that the proposed takeover raises serious doubts as to its compatibility with the single market. The EU executive has particular concerns over the markets for iron ore, coal, uranium and aluminium and mineral sands, because the proposed takeover could result in higher prices and reduced choice for these companies’ customers.

Seems like the EU has already made up its mind, but they have a get out clause:

The commission said, however, that its decision to open an in-depth inquiry does not prejudge the final result of the investigation.

Some how I find that slightly unbelievable.

Libs win against ALP election court challenge

Posted by – 3 July, 2008

The Poll Bludger has the Liberal victory, this time in the courts, against an ALP challenge to Fran Bailey’s 2007 electoral victory in the seat of McEwen.

The report says the court overturned a number of determinations made on individual ballot papers, with nine ballots originally admitted deemed informal and 142 that were excluded deemed formal, but the effect was in fact to increase Bailey’s margin from 12 votes to 27. The judgement can be read here.

A reader made the following insightful comment.

I actually think Labor is quite relieved Bailey hung on to McEwen. After the Gippsland shenanigans the last thing want right now is another by-election and another potential rebuff…

That would have been embarrasing.

The alternative to the hybrid car

Posted by – 2 July, 2008

Forbes recently reported the rise of the mid-size car in the USA:

The biggest winners were the Chevrolet Malibu sedan (piece of Barbie like rubbish), sales up 73.4% in June 2008 compared with June 2007; Honda Accord sedan (okay if you are Barbie), sales up 54%; Chevrolet Equinox crossover (Barbie family car), sales up 45.9; Subaru Forester crossover (fake off road Barbie 4X4), sales up 41%; and Pontiac G6 sedan (Ken’s car), sales up 34.2%.

Well if you want to buy a car that is good for you and the environment pick the Peel 50.

Although you may be pressed for choice and price. While they were sold in the 1960s for only 200 pounds, good ones can now go for nearly 50 000 pounds. That’s appreciation in more ways than one.