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Why can't everyone condemn Hamas?

Following Hamas' atrocities in Israel, the media are awash with commentary, so I will keep my comments short. I am shocked by the willin...

Thursday, 28 November 2024

OTG WE 1 Dec 24

 

  • Following the announcement of DOGE headed up by Elon and Musk many an observer has started highlighting the unjustified and bizarre spending by the US government. Even the Readers' Digest is getting in on finding wasted money. Here is their list of 11 such items, and they are really, really bizarre and clearly wasteful... Read this one 11 Bizarre Things the U.S. Government Actually Spent Money On
  • Another good one from Konstantin Kisin. This one is on political labels. In Fine, Call Me "Right-Wing" , Kisin explores the use of labels to intimidate and slur commentators. After all he points out the lable 'Right Wing' invariably applies to half the population so how can it be a sensible slur. Want more watch the video.








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Sunday, 17 November 2024

OTG WE 23 Nov 24

 Here are some articles of interest for this week;



  • The IDF has released a video of Gazans calling out Hamas for their atrocities. You won't hear this in the MSM which seems to be dominated by anti Israel viewpoints. Yet here are some of the civilans of Gaza calling out the terrorists for what they have done and continue to do to their own people. See the video here FULL REPORT - 'Hamas Hurt Us, Killed us': Unfiltered Gazans Speak Out


This is after multiple statements from the US that Israel would not/did not attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Why the discrepancy? Perhaps US was trying to provide Iran with plausible deniability to minimise further attcks by Iran on Israel. So why is it ok for this news to come out now? Election of Trump, perhaps. In any case here is one of the many YouTube references. 

 



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Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Trump tidal wave is rolling over world

November 5 has come and gone, and suddenly the world has changed. It has been a stunning victory for Trump and it seems the world. Perhaps you think this is overstating it, and I would usually try to avoid, or at least temper such hyperbole. But it seems singularly appropriate in this case.

Consider this, Trump will only be sworn in on 20th Jan next year, 2 months from now, but his election has already had some serious, beneficial, unforeseen consequences.

Over just the last 7 days;

- Qatar has evicted Hamas leadership from the enclave
- Hamas themselves have offered to have discussions 
- Putin has opened the door to negotiations with Trump on Ukraine
- Iran has postponed its threatened retaliation to Israel's recent retaliation
- Lawfare cases against Trump have been stayed or dropped
- Trump has announced a new team of ultra MAGA supporters, including Border Tsar, Chief of Staff, Head of Defense , Head of CIA, Ambassador to Israel, US representative to UN, Secretary of State, etc., etc.
- Trump has announced the creation of a Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon and Vivek. The objective being to reduce government spending. I am looking forward to see what can be achieved here
- and many a world leader has been congratulating him, and raising their individual issues, trying to curry favor. The Korean head of state has even taken up golf, or is it just more practice, anticipating that he needs to hone his skills for some future Trump matches.

Most significantly, he has launched a series of videos on X outlining his objectives and how he intends to achieve his election promises. Here are a few are ;-


Trumps policy on Free Speech


Trumps policy on Law and Order

Trump's Education policy 


Trump has certainly taken off at breakneck speed. Hard to fault his drive and energy.

Of course his many adversaries, both Democrat and Rhino, while a bit stunned by both his landslide victory and his rapid leadership stance, are going to get their act together , so the apparent smooth start will no doubt falter. Some have already come out declaring their intentions to fight MAGA at every turn. 

Trump's intention to drain the swamp, ridding the vast public service of partisan bureaucrats will be the greatest challenge. I am looking forward to this battle.

Even if he achieves just a small proportion of his plan he will have changed the world.

Good Luck Donald! 

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Thursday, 7 November 2024

Remember, Remember the 5th of November!

Well, it is over. What has been touted by many as the biggest and most significant election of our lifetimes, the election of the leader of the free world at a particularly challenging time for the world.  Trump has triumphed despite the slings and arrows of outrageous democrat slurs, accusations, lawsuits, and 2 assassination attempts. In short, everything that the Democrats could throw at him both legally and illegally. And it has been no small victory. He has thoroughly vanquished his opposition by resoundingly winning the popular vote, the electoral colleges, the Senate and, most probably, the House. A full sweep. 

It has been all the more dramatic because it was largely unexpected. The polls, the main-stream media, the wide range of independent commentators, all predicted a very close election that would take weeks to sort through. It didn't happen. Within a few short hours, in the early hours of the 6th November, Trump reached the magic 270 electoral college votes with many more to come. He is today at 295 but with his count leading in Nevada and Arizona, he is likely to reach 312.

The win has realized the dream of many of his supporters. Those who have stood by him despite the wild commentary by the media. It has also realised the worst nightmare for glued-on Democrats and even some Never-Trumpers who have come to believe, quite irrationally, that he is evil incarnate. 

I have been a supporter, so am pleased with the result. I confess to some misgivings about his style but judge from his achievements in his first term. My support and I guess the support of many, has also been predicated on the blatant unsuitability of his opponent. Harris was a very weak contender for the Presidency. She was inarticulate, could not deliver a cohesive message, and was afraid to face the media. She is a muddled thinker and poor communicator incessantly generating convoluted, nonsensical verbiage. She should never have been selected to run for the Presidency and would not have been if she faced the normal democratic selection process. But all that is moot. The people have voted and I believe they made the right decision.

The reaction on social media has been predictably entertaining.  I could not resist re-posting a few of the wide range of memes generated by the X-eratti (I think Twitteratti sounds better, but I guess we may get used to it eventually!)

Here they are, enjoy!



 


 


 


 


That's all folks! 

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Saturday, 2 November 2024

Dumpster Fire

With but a few days to go, many a political pundit, include me in, has reached election saturation. So the recent injection of humor is more than welcome. Given the unlimited imagination of the world's political observers, most probably in the billions, there has been a wide range of responses to the most recent gaffe by Joe Biden. Was it a gaffe? Hard to say, as most things he has said recently can be attributed to his cognitive challenges or to his most well honed ability to sabotage his back- stabbing VEEP's presidential hopes.

Nevertheless we can be thankful that good old "never underestimate how well Joe can f*ck things up" Biden has called half the electorate "garbage". It has focused many a humorist's attention. Indeed the Don himself has exploited this in great measure with hi-viz gear and garbage trucks and a willingness to identify himself with common folk.

Ignoring the Democrats' attempt at putting out the Dumpster Fire that this gaffe-grenade has caused. Ignoring the multiple unbelievable excuses, and ignoring Kamala's continuing to call for unity by raising increasingly shrill invective against Trump and his supporters.

No lets ignore that although that does carry a certain amount of pleasing schadenfreude. Yes, I know that is a tautology. 

Instead lets look at the memes generated by the right-side of politics.

Here are a few I picked up. Certainly worth a break from poll-watching.













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Sunday, 27 October 2024

Iranians calling on Israel to help bring down the Theocracy!

Given the weekly marches, protests, and demonstrations screaming genocidal slogans against Israel in many of the cities of the Western world, one would think that if this is happening in the Western world, it would be even more extreme in the Middle East. It is not so. While there is a core group of demonstrators in the West who are, let's say, impassioned in their hatred of Israel and Jews, it is by no means a large number. The vast majority of the silent masses stand in support of Israel and are sympathetic to their existential battle against the extremists incessantly threatening them. A recent survey in the US found support for Israel was at some 70%.

The demonstrators are not all of one mind and really include four separate groups. There is a core group of Middle Eastern Islamists whose enmity is based both on religious background and sympathy for fellow Muslims. Again, this group is only a small proportion of the wider Muslim community, but given the recent migration from North Africa and the Middle East to Western countries, even a small number represents an increase in such extremists.

The second subgroup comes from the hard left. These are Marxists, anti-Western zealots who will join any group threatening Western society. Finally, we have a group that could be best labelled as 'useful idiots.' With little knowledge of the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, they join in chants of "River to the Sea" without being able to identify the river or the sea, nor realizing they are calling for the annihilation of Israel.

Why, one could ask, are there so many of them? Indeed, why? What type of education creates such moral failure? And why are there so many in universities, where one would assume there are students who have the capability of thinking for themselves? One reason is no doubt due to the too many academics who are open or closet Marxists, critical of every aspect of Western civilization and indoctrinating their students.

So much for the West. In the middle east support for extremists has had a mixed history. In Gaza suveys have shown that support for Hamas just after the October 7 massacre was running at 80%. That is despite the barbarity of the attack on innocent civilians. So not exactly an encouraging result. When this survey was repeated recently after a year in which Hamas has been decimated and much of Gaza has been levelled, support for Hamas has dropped to just 8%! That is encouraging.

In Lebanon too, we can already see signs of the Lebanese rejecting Hezbollah. 

Many in the Middle East have already spoken out condemning Hamas, and even celebrating the death of Nasrallah In an earlier post (Palestinians speak out against Hamas .) I included YouTube videos covering this. 

Most recently following the direct attacks between Iran and Israel, Iranians are speaking out. They want Israel to destroy the Iranian leadership and allow Iranians to live the peaceful and prosperous lives they had before the Islamic revolution that created a dictatorial theocracy.

Here is the video; - 



The vocal minority is having an undue influence on our perception, especially in a world where opinions are amplified by social media, and the mainstream media has been corrupted to push agendas rather than objectively report and analyse .  

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Friday, 18 October 2024

Kisin responds to criticism of his Israel video

A week ago I posted an article featuring Konstantin Kisin's recent YouTube video discussing why he was supporting Israel together with some introductory comments (Kisin's case for Israel.  

I feel Kisin's video was a valuable contribution to this very widely discussed issue because it is comprehensive and clear. It covered all the arguments and his analysis is easy to understand and hard to refute.

Yet, it has elicited some responses, and Kisin has reacted by publishing a second video refuting the critique. 

This time I shall simply post it, without comment. It is self explanatory.





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Tuesday, 15 October 2024

EV industry doomed without new battery technology

The EV dream is foundering. Almost daily, we hear of some sort of EV fire caused by unstable, fire-, and explosion-prone lithium-ion batteries. Add to this the lived experience of EV owners with long queues at chargers, even if available, and diminishing resale values. And worst of all for the car manufacturers, the buyers are leaving the field, and as a consequence, so are many manufacturers. 
So, the dream that most of the world would transition over the next decade to a majority of electric vehicles is becoming a pipe dream. Many of the claims were "heroic" and never achievable. Yet some governments were so convinced that they forecast bans on fossil fuel-based vehicles at future dates even within 10 years. Much of this rhetoric is being walked back, and it takes the most self-deluding politician to make such claims today. So, is the EV destined for the dustbin of history? Far from it!

While the relatively new EV technology is feeling pressure on many fronts:
  • Long battery charge times
  • Limited range
  • Limited battery lifetime
  • Unstable fire/explosion-prone battery technology
  • Lithium is a difficult raw material requiring extensive mining and difficult extraction
Looking at this list, the weakest link in the EV dream is the battery technology. New battery technology can totally overturn the current decline.

So, now that I have set the scene, several new battery technologies seem to be on the horizon. One such technology is the Graphene-Aluminium-Ion (Gr-Al-Ion) battery. It does not use lithium, the source of many of the problems with the Li-Ion battery. It uses aluminium, which is abundant, light, easy to handle, and relatively easy to mine. It also uses graphene, a form of carbon that is manufactured from abundant, low-cost carbon. However, the manufacture of graphene is currently a difficult and expensive process and would have to be improved to make this technology viable at scale. The resulting battery, however, beats the Li-Ion hands down.

The Gr-Al-Ion battery:
  • Charges 70x faster, meaning your laptop can be charged in minutes, not hours, and your EV can have a meaningful charge in the same time it would take with a petrol engine
  • Has a longer lifetime – 3x as long as Li-Ion, implying a life of 30 years for an EV as opposed to the 10 years of a Li-Ion
  • Is greener – eliminating the need for lithium and rare earths with complex supply chains
  • Is safer – the Gr-Al-Ion battery operates at lower temperatures and does not cause fires or explosions
But this is just a summary. If you need more detail, here are a couple of videos that provide more information.

So the EV dream may yet be realised, but not quite there yet.




and another.



The leading company in the development of the Gr-Al-Ion battery is an Australian company, GMG (Graphene Manufacturing Group), established by and working in collaboration with the University of Queensland and Rio Tinto.

So the EV dream may yet be realised, but not quite there yet.

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Tuesday, 8 October 2024

Kisin's case for Israel

It has now been a year since the October 7 massacre of innocents that changed the world. While the world has seen many terrorist attacks, and many, disproportionately many, on Israel, the reaction of many in the Western world has been shocking. Instead of universal condemnation of a terrorist attack—the worst in terms of numbers and barbarity against Israel in its 75-year history—the event triggered a range of responses. These included celebration of the event, support for Palestinians following Israel’s response, repeated demonstrations in support not only of Palestinians but of Hamas, condemnation of Israel and all Jews, and antisemitic attacks on Jews around the world.

It seems this massacre exposed a hidden rift in our society. The event revealed the underlying values of many of our fellow citizens who do not share our values. It also exposed the weakness of politicians, business leaders, media commentators, and academics to speak out against the blatant vilification of Israel and Jews. By their inaction, these leaders have allowed antisemitic feelings, perhaps previously hidden, to become open. This has led to a breakdown of our communities and will take decades to heal.

Of course, there are many—in fact, a majority in most of the Western world—who do share our values, and slowly they are becoming more vocal about the failure of their leaders to speak up in support of fellow citizens and Israel’s right to defend itself.

Many commentators have analyzed the events of the past year. Recently, I came across a compelling analysis by Konstantin Kisin. He is an articulate and compelling debater, having won acclaim in his Oxford Union debate a few years ago. His analysis of Israel’s war provides a structured examination of the arguments for and against Israel. You can see the YouTube video below, and I strongly recommend it.




If you do not have the time here is a summary generated by NoteGPT

Summary

Konstantin Kisin shares his journey from neutrality to a clearer stance on Israel’s conflict, applying first principles thinking to analyze arguments from both sides.

Highlights

  • 🗣️ Kisin initially had no opinion on the Israel conflict before the October 7th attacks.
  • 📚 He engaged deeply with various perspectives to understand the complexities involved.
  • 🔍 First principles thinking helped him dissect the arguments surrounding the conflict.
  • ⚖️ Kisin compares October 7th to other historical terrorist attacks, emphasizing its unprecedented severity.
  • 🏗️ He argues that the legitimacy of Israel cannot be dismissed based on historical grievances alone.
  • 💔 Kisin addresses civilian casualties, stressing that responsibility lies with Hamas for their tactics.
  • 📊 He concludes that Israel’s military actions, while tragic, are necessary for its survival against ongoing threats.

Key Insights

  • 🔄 Importance of Context: Understanding the historical and emotional contexts is crucial but can often cloud logical arguments. Kisin emphasizes the need to strip away emotional narratives to grasp the core issues. 🌍
  • ⚔️ Comparative Analysis: By comparing October 7th to other terrorist attacks like 9/11, Kisin highlights the disproportionate impact and severity of the violence against Israel, which serves to contextualize the response. 📈
  • 🏛️ Legitimacy of States: The legitimacy of Israel’s existence is challenged by some, but Kisin argues that many nations were formed through similar histories of conflict, complicating the argument against Israel. 🌐
  • 🔄 Nature of Warfare: Kisin points out that civilian casualties are an unfortunate reality of war, but emphasizes who holds responsibility for their safety and the ongoing violence. 📉
  • 🎯 Hamas’s Strategy: The tactics employed by Hamas are designed to maximize civilian casualties, which Kisin argues shifts the moral responsibility back to Hamas rather than Israel. 🎭
  • 📊 Casualty Ratios: He presents statistics showing that Israel is successful in minimizing civilian casualties compared to historical urban warfare, countering claims of indiscriminate attacks. 📊
  • ⚖️ International Perspective: Kisin notes that any nation under similar threat would respond similarly to Israel, highlighting a double standard in international criticism. 🌍


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Wednesday, 25 September 2024

No the earth is not hotter than it has ever been!






Surprise, surprise! Will wonders never cease, the woke Washington Post, WA,PO has recently published an article that contradicts one of the most oft repeated dogma's of Climate Change. 


The article refutes the regular claims by the Climate Chane Zealots that the earth has never been warmer than it is today. On the contrary, WAPO says its comprehensive study of the earths' climate over the past 465 million years

" reveals that the world was in a much warmer state for most of the history of complex animal life."

But WAPO seems unaware that it is contradicting one of the shibboleths of the CC dogma, and continued to claim that 
"The revelations about Earth’s scorching past are further reason for concern about modern climate change"

So it seems once again that the CC dogma is unfalsifiable. Previously claims that the earth was now hotter than ever before in its history were taken as proof of anthropogenic CC. Now we have a claim that the earth had much higher temperature in the past and again we have the claim that this too supports the CC dogma. 

As you can see I remain a skeptic. While there seems to be some evidence of warming over the recent past, I believe the contribution of CO2, and man-made CO2 , are highly debatable. Add to that the failure of climate models to predict even the recent past makes it impossible to  trust these models to predict eighty years into the future.
Moreover even if these predictions were true, there is a very serious question as to what the world could possibly do about it. Certainly the Paris accord goes nowhere near the magnitude of cuts required.  So I remain skeptical about the science and strongly against the counterproductive policies of many Western governments trying to cut emissions and transform energy usage.
 
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Monday, 23 September 2024

Fact Check : What happened to the 2020 Election legal cases

The recent debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was controversial for many reasons. Not the least is the blatant bias of the ABC moderators. Multiple so-called  'Fact Checks' were targeted at The Donald while none, zero, zilch were addressed at Kamala. Of course that is bad enough, and I am not sure we have heard the end of it yet, given there may be a whistleblower willing to expose some underhand dealings to give differential treatment to Kamala. Let's just watch how that one pans out. 

But even worse than addressing Fact Checks to just one candidate, many of the moderators' so-called 'facts' were, and still are, false! I won't go through them all, as most of the details have been widely covered elsewhere. 

However, one issue that did come up has not been addressed widely. This is the one about the 2020 elections. The moderators asked a 'gothcha' style question baiting Trump about his non-accepting that he lost the 2020 election. In particular, the moderators claimed that Trump's team had lost a large number of court cases proving that the elections were fair. Trump argued that the cases were not 'lost' but had been dismissed on technical issues such as the 'claimant having no standing'.  

It was a long time ago now, but I do recall having looked at these cases closer to the event and remember a number of reasons for dismissing the cases instead of hearing them. The technicalities included standing, latches, being moot ,etc. It appeared that the courts were looking for any way they could to avoid hearing any details of electoral malfeasance.  I think the judiciary did not do their job, but that is a subject for another time,

Just recently I came across a short YouTube video addressing this specific issue;  FACT CHECK: What Actually Happened with All the "Trump" 2020 Election Lawsuits - Viva & Barnes 

It seems Trump was right and the ABC moderators were wrong!

See the video here



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Monday, 16 September 2024

Appeasement leads to escalation

For too many months we have seen repeated demonstrations claiming support for innocent Palestinians in Gaza, while screaming anti-Semitic and genocidal slogans. The protests are not 'peaceful' and 'non-violent' as sometimes reported. Too often, masked demonstrators take over the streets and any bystanders are intimidated. Many, especially those who are Jewish are assaulted. If you carry a sign supporting Israel you are in danger. 

The police have generally tried a hands-off approach, hoping that the demonstrators will dissipate their aggression without violence. They have gone out of their way to remove any possible trigger by asking Israel supporters to move on and even resorting to arresting them. 

Look at this video highlighting the experience of an independent reporter attending one of the demonstrations. The video covers the whole saga, showing the attempt by the Police to ignore the assault but having to act once the assault was given sufficient publicity.






However, appeasement has not worked. The demonstrations have become increasingly confrontational and violent. This is exemplified by the most recent violent scenes in Melbourne where some 25,000 protestors clashed with police. 
"Thousands of anti-war protesters clashed with police outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, disrupting the Land Forces International Defence Expo. The demonstration, one of Melbourne's largest in decades, saw protesters throw projectiles and manure at police, who responded with pepper spray and batons. Over 25,000 demonstrators rallied against the weapons expo, with tensions escalating as officers on horseback attempted to control the crowd. Traffic chaos ensued, and several protesters were arrested. " The Australian, Sep 11 2024
Appeasement does not work! Ask Neville Chamberlain. Appeasement only leads to escalation.

What should the police do? Simply enforce the law, without fear or favour. That's all!




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Monday, 2 September 2024

China announces first commercial Thorium Molten Salt Reactor!

Well it seems to be happening! China is commissioning the world's first commercial Thorium Molten Salt Reactor.

For a few years, I have been posting on Thorium and its potential for virtually unlimited, clean safe, low-waste nuclear energy. 

(See the following few posts ;-

Commercial Thorium nuclear is potentially a world changer, not only providing abundant energy, but also saving us from the environmental damage of the renewables obsession driving many Western democracies. Wind and Solar while ostensibly a low emission technology come with a lot of baggage. Their low energy density and intermittency necessitate extensive use of land, prime farming or pristine natural, and expensive storage. Added to this the limited lifetimes of both solar panels and wind turbines requires large scale recycling and the construction of panels and turbines uses many scarce resources placing further burdens on the planet. It is saving the environment from carbon emissions by destroying the environment with mining.

Given the successful operation of an experimental molten salt reactor design at Oak Ridge in the late 1960 s, it has taken 60 years to this recent announcement, So it is no overnight success. And of course, we still have another 4 years or so to wait for its completion. But China's announcement comes after a successful trial so we have some confidence that it will happen.

The announcement is covered in the video titled "It's Happening - China Launches World's First Thorium Nuclear Reactor

Hooray!




 






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Sunday, 18 August 2024

What about Sudan?


Amid the global cacophony surrounding the conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, a silent catastrophe unfolds in Sudan. The famine currently threatening the lives of 2.5 million Sudanese has received a fraction of the attention that the Gaza conflict has garnered. This disparity in media coverage and public outcry raises critical questions about our collective priorities and the value we place on human lives.

The Stark Contrast

The death toll in Gaza, while significant, pales in comparison to the humanitarian disaster in Sudan. In Gaza, the conflict has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, a tragic consequence of a war initiated by Hamas. These deaths, though devastating, are largely unintentional and a result of the ongoing military operations. In contrast, the famine in Sudan is a direct result of political actors stealing food and resources, leading to a preventable crisis where people are dying from starvation.

No Famine in Gaza, But One in Sudan

While Gaza faces severe hardships due to the conflict, it does not suffer from famine. The situation in Sudan, however, is dire. The famine has reached catastrophic levels, with millions facing acute food insecurity. The lack of food is not due to natural causes but is exacerbated by the actions of warring factions who prioritize their power struggles over the lives of civilians. This stark difference highlights the severity of the crisis in Sudan, which is being overshadowed by the more politically charged conflict in Gaza.

Silence on Sudan

Despite the grave situation in Sudan, there is a deafening silence from the international community and media. The famine, which is claiming lives daily, has not sparked the same level of outrage or mobilization as the Gaza conflict. In Western cities, there are widespread demonstrations and vocal condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Yet, the plight of the Sudanese people, who are dying from hunger, goes largely unnoticed. This discrepancy in attention and action is troubling and calls into question the consistency of our humanitarian values.

The Question of Black Lives

The global movement for racial justice, epitomized by the slogan “Black Lives Matter,” demands that we confront systemic inequalities and value all human lives equally. However, the relative silence on the Sudanese famine suggests a troubling inconsistency. If black lives truly matter, why are the deaths of Sudanese people being ignored? The lack of attention to Sudan’s crisis reflects a broader issue of selective empathy and the need for a more equitable approach to humanitarian crises.

Why is Sudan being ignored?

The famine in Sudan is a humanitarian disaster that deserves immediate and sustained attention. While the conflict in Gaza is undoubtedly tragic and complex, it should not overshadow the even more urgent crisis in Sudan. The international community, media, and public must recognize the severity of the famine and mobilize resources and support to save lives. By doing so, we can begin to address the imbalance in our responses to global crises and reaffirm our commitment to valuing all human lives equally.


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Tuesday, 9 July 2024

Mythbusting Energy claims




With the increasingly shrill debate on nuclear energy in Australia, there is no shortage of articles espousing the different views. Unfortunately, most of those supporting the government's claims that Nuclear is the most expensive source of energy base their arguments on official reports from the CSIRO and the AEMO. Both of these organisations have submitted reports that support the government's position. Given that both the CSIRO and AEMO are well-respected organisations, it should be enough for the government to win the case. But not so. 

The opposition under Peter Dutton has made nuclear energy the foundation of the Coalition's low-emission policy. This change in energy policy for the coalition came rather late in the electoral cycle, with an election due in the next 12 months, and after the Labor government has committed significant resources to an extremely expensive rapid decarbonisation based on renewables, wind and solar.

So we have the battle lines. Labor is supported by the institutions of government, and most of the media, because it is a left-of-centre government, and the many vested interests in business, who have either already received significant renewable energy contracts or expect to do so.

On the pro-nuclear side, we have the coalition, and a small but vocal pro-nuclear lobby, and the experience of the world in its use of nuclear energy demonstrating safety, reliability and lower consumer costs, but also with some negatives due to long and expensive construction times.

The coalition's case is helped by the facile attempts by the CSIRO and the AEMO biasing their reports pro-renewables. Professional analysis of the reports has exposed multiple fallacious assumptions which if corrected would reverse the pro-renewables conclusion. 

I have posted on this before. See Why is the CSIRO lying to us? and Is the AEMO also lying to us?

Most recently I came across a paper by Robert Idel titled "The Levelised Full Cost of Electricity"

This is an important paper as it provides a robust basis for comparing the full cost of various sources of electricity generation. In doing so it highlights the problems with the CSIRO and AEMO reports and it provides real-world calculation showing that the Levelized Full Cost of Electricity for Renewables, Wind and Solar, is substantially greater, not less, but greater than gas, coal, and nuclear. The table below, reproduced from the paper, shows the results of the calculation for two locations Germany and Texas, and shows that the cost of Wind+Solar is either double (Texas) or quadruple (Germany) the cost of Nuclear.




If I can borrow from the Mythbusters, Chris Bowen's claim that "Nuclear is the most expensive form of electricity generation" is BUSTED!

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Monday, 8 July 2024

The Hidden Costs of Renewable Energy





Rising Energy costs in many countries following widespread policies to rapidly decarbonise their economies have ignited a closer look at the real cost of low-carbon generation technologies. 

In Australia, the debate has gained greater intensity following the Coalition opposition parties declaring their policy to include nuclear power in the energy mix. This is a direct denial of the Labor government's anti-nuclear stance. With a federal election now due in less than 12 months, the debate is in full swing. Into this debate the IPA (the Institute of Public Affairs) has lobbed a detailed report by Professor Stephen Wilson titled “The Ruinous Cost Of Free Energy: Why An Electricity System Built On Renewables Is The Most Expensive Of All Options” The report presents a direct challenge to the Labor governments oft-repeated claims that renewables is the cheapest form of energy and nuclear is the most expensive. It is well worth reading the full report, but here are the key points of his analysis.

Historical Context: From Low to High Electricity Prices

Australia once enjoyed some of the lowest electricity prices in the industrialized world. This was largely due to its reliance on baseload generation, primarily from coal. However, the shift towards renewable energy has led to a dramatic increase in electricity costs. Today, Australia has some of the highest electricity prices globally.

The Concept of Total System Cost

Wilson emphasizes the importance of considering the Total System Cost when evaluating energy systems. This concept goes beyond the simple cost of generating electricity and includes all associated expenses, such as infrastructure, storage, and transmission2. According to Wilson, a system based on renewable energy sources like wind and solar is significantly more expensive than one based on baseload generation, such as coal or nuclear power.

Infrastructure Investments

One of the primary reasons for the high cost of renewable energy systems is the substantial infrastructure investments required. Wind and solar power generation necessitates extensive infrastructure, including storage facilities and transmission networks. These investments are essential to manage the variability of renewable energy sources and ensure a stable supply of electricity.

The Challenge of Variability

Renewable energy sources are inherently variable. The sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. This variability poses a significant challenge for maintaining a stable electricity supply. To balance the grid, additional costs are incurred to manage these fluctuations. This often involves using backup power sources, such as gas turbines, which can quickly ramp up production when renewable output drops.

Impact on Consumers

Ultimately, the higher costs associated with renewable energy systems are passed on to consumers. Wilson argues that the increased infrastructure, storage, and grid balancing expenses result in higher electricity bills for households and businesses. This contradicts the common perception that renewable energy is a cheaper alternative.

Comparing Costs: Renewable vs. Baseload Systems

Wilson provides a stark comparison between the costs of renewable and baseload energy systems. He estimates that a renewables-based system could be two to three times more expensive than a baseload system. Furthermore, a ‘renewables only’ system could be five to six times more expensive. These figures highlight the significant financial burden that a transition to renewable energy could impose on society.

The Myth of Free Energy

The term “free energy” is often used to describe renewable energy sources. However, Wilson argues that this is a misleading concept. While the sun and wind are free, the process of converting these natural resources into usable electricity is far from cost-free. The infrastructure, maintenance, and grid management required to support renewable energy systems come with substantial expenses.

The Role of Government Policies

Government policies play a crucial role in shaping the energy landscape. Subsidies and incentives for renewable energy have driven significant investment in wind and solar power. However, Wilson suggests that these policies may not always consider the full economic impact. By focusing on the apparent benefits of renewable energy, policymakers might overlook the hidden costs that consumers ultimately bear.

The Need for a Balanced Approach

Wilson’s analysis underscores the need for a balanced approach to energy policy. While renewable energy has its merits, it should not be pursued at the expense of economic stability. A diversified energy mix that includes baseload generation can provide a more reliable and cost-effective solution. This approach ensures that the benefits of renewable energy are harnessed without imposing undue financial burdens on consumers.

Conclusion: Rethinking Renewable Energy

Stephen Wilson’s article challenges the prevailing narrative that renewable energy is the most cost-effective solution for the future. By highlighting the hidden costs and complexities associated with renewable energy systems, he calls for a more nuanced understanding of the energy landscape. As we move towards a sustainable future, it is essential to consider the full economic impact of our energy choices and strive for a balanced and pragmatic approach.


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Monday, 24 June 2024

Proverb Images with answers

 Here are the answers to the Proverb Images question I posed.



A stitch in time saves 9 - Copilot version


A stitch in time saves 9 - my version


The early bird catches the worm - Copilot version


The early bird catches the worm - my version


Silence is golden - Copilot version


Silence is golden - my version


Too many cooks spoil the broth - Copilot version


Too many cooks spoil the broth - my version


A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - Copilot Version


A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - my version

I am sure you guessed them all!


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