Wednesday, February 01, 2006
HEADLINE OF THE DAY
As James Taranto might say: “What would we do without officials?”
Official: Shooter had ‘psychological problems’
Also in the headlines:
U.S. troops shoot Canadian car in Baghdad
Canadian cars are plenty sturdy, which explains why only one round pierced the vehicle’s exterior.
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(Via Alan R.M. Jones)
BEAZLEY THE GRIZZLY
Prepare to be savaged, John Howard:
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has promised Labor will launch its most aggressive fight against the government in 10 years when parliament resumes next week.
In his first major speech of the year, Mr Beazley launched a scathing attack on the government’s handling of the AWB scandal, again accusing Prime Minister John Howard of a massive cover-up ...
He said all Australians needed to understand what the AWB scandal really was.
“This scandal is Aussie dollars for Iraqi bullets,” Mr Beazley said.
“It is wheat for weapons.”
It is grain for guns, it is cereal for a serial killer! Michael Gordon makes a better case than Beazley for widening the wheat scam inquiry; latest news involves Australian ambassadors to the US and Jordan. Treasurer Peter Costello says the goverment would carefully consider any inquiry-widening request. More from Angry Kim:
He said that when the coalition was handed majority control of the Senate in July, the government moved away from Australia’s core values of fairness, mateship, respect and decency.
“The day our society started to become a lot more dog-eat-dog and a lot more insecure,” Mr Beazley said.
He does carry on.
UPDATE. Think you know your wheat? Take these fun quizzes, wheat fans!
BUNNIES AND KITTIES AND DUCKIES
An ideal range of gifts for the disturbed or German child.
WARMING MEANS COLDER
Worried about glaciers melting due to the global warmenizing? Well, worry no more! The glaciers aren’t melting; they’re simply moving:
Massive ice sheets will develop on high land across Wales, according to a scientist who predicts our climate will get colder, not warmer.
Previously, scientists have said climate change would lead to higher average temperatures in high latitude areas such as Britain, with rises of up to 8C. Glaciologist Dr Bryn Hubbard believes past experience proves this will not happen.
Can’t we get some consensus here?
The result for Britain and other northern latitude countries will be a dramatic cool down, ultimately leading to the possibility of glaciers forming in the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia and even on comparatively low mountains.
Frankly, Snowdonia had it coming. So, how do we avoid the glacierfication of Britain, assuming anybody would want to?
Dr Hubbard said the process could be reversed by monitoring carbon emissions.
He said, “It’s never too late to change, and you can’t be drawn into a state of apathy. The answer probably lies in money, in a global system of carbon trading in conjunction with a direct tax on carbon dioxide emissions.
“There may need to be consumer-led embargoes on goods from countries which are the worst polluters, and there should be curbs on air travel, which makes such a huge contribution to total emissions of CO2. Aircraft should not be flown with empty seats and there must be cleaner aircraft engines. Sports cars should be heavily taxed and consumers should rebel against things like excess packaging on goods.”
Scientists urged the same things to avoid warming. I advise a system of rewards for carbon emissions, increased air travel, more flights, subsidised sports cars, and packaging to be no less than 150% of the mass of any packaged object. That ought to do it.