Saturday, May 26, 2007
CART HORSED
Jules Crittenden observes:
We usually put the horse in front of that particular cart, but to each his own.
Hmmm. Click for context.
LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE POOR
Tim Flannery proposes a mighty carbon tax, heedless of any consequences:
TIM FLANNERY: So the bill that you and I pay might go up 30 per cent which sounds like a lot but when you think about it if you can’t make 30 per cent efficiency gains in your house I don’t know, there’s something wrong ... I suppose [electricity bills] could go up another 30 per cent or so.
TONY JONES: Would that affect the economy, though? Because that’s what industry is arguing?
TIM FLANNERY: That’s the great question. We’ll know pretty soon. The price will go up and we’ll see what the impacts will be.
It’s all very well for globe-skipping cash hoover Flannery to demand price increases; when you earn $50,000 per speech, power bill “impacts” are as dust settling on the lunar surface. This new eco-era won’t be much fun for commoners, as Anita Quigley reports:
Environmentalists seem hell-bent on us all staying at home and retreating to the 1950s.
But even then you can’t win, such is the pressure to switch to more energy-efficient (and expensive) fridges, dishwashers, showerheads and washing machines when you already have (affordable) ones that work perfectly well.
God forbid you should want to be warm and clean or actually turn on a light.
Warm, clean, and illuminated? Modern women are so demanding.
THE EASY LIFE
My farming relatives usually earn a living providing food and such, but they might change their plans after reading this:
Peter Allen, a third-generation farmer from Moura, has signed a $1 million deal for doing nothing at all.
In a historic transaction, mining company Rio Tinto bought the rights to carbon dioxide stored in 3500ha of Mr Allen’s heavily vegetated property, 575km northwest of Brisbane.
Instead of clearing the land to run cattle, Mr Allen will preserve the trees for 120 years to ensure they soak up carbon dioxide.
He’ll also break lifespan records. Hey, maybe I can corner some of this action by growing comment forests.
(Via Art Vandelay)
CHOMPIER THAN THE AVERAGE BEAR
A bear/man Yellowstone faceoff:
A man whose face was severely mauled by a grizzly in Yellowstone National Park is a photographer and author of books about grizzlies who also had been attacked in 1993.
The National Park Service said Jim Cole, 57, was hiking alone, off-trail in prime grizzly habitat Wednesday when he was attacked by a sow with a cub. He apparently was carrying pepper spray but whether he used it was unclear.
Of course, according to Australia’s 60 Minutes, this latest bear assault will simply be further evidence of global warming.
THEY’VE GOT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW NOW ROSIE’S GONE
Iowahawk and Jim Treacher debate today’s major issue: “Would a hypothetical chained drowning episode make The View watchable?”
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS
Or, in the case of Democrat activist Kathleen Ensz, say it with something else:
A former Democratic Party activist who left dog feces on the doorstep of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave’s Greeley office during last year’s 4th Congressional District campaign was found not guilty Wednesday of criminal use of a noxious substance ...
Ensz’s lawyers never denied that their client left a Musgrave campaign brochure full of feces at the front door of the congresswoman’s office. But they argued that Ensz was making a statement protected by free speech ...
OPINION MONGERS FOR HIRE
ABC science monk Robyn Williams is all het up about his organisation presenting The Great Global Warming Swindle:
I am against censorship, but I’m also against knowingly giving false information.
Williams recently claimed it was possible sea levels could rise by 100 metres during the next century.
We have broadcast scores of scientists who demolish the main theses of the film ...
All without once showing it.
Those scientists publish in peer-reviewed journals. Most of the nay-sayers do not: they are opinion-mongers, often for hire.
Speaking of peer review, enjoy warming alarmist Tim Flannery’s review of fellow warming alarmist Clive Hamilton’s new book. Back to Williams:
I agree with Kim Dalton that the ABC needs to present the spectrum of views on any important subject and I hope Swindle will be followed by an illuminating TV discussion. If you must give air time to people who insist smoking is healthy, asbestos is an ideal decongestant or air is a good substitute for food, you must serve the viewers by making sure they know they are being served swill.
He’s hyperventilating. Watch your CO2 output, mate.
(Via Kae).
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF “DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH”
Ex-Jemaah Islamiya member turned Muslim reformist Tawfik Hamid on Islamophobia:
Muslims must ask what prompts this “phobia” in the first place. When we in the West examine the worldwide atrocities perpetrated daily in the name of Islam, it is vital to question if we - Muslims - should lay the blame on others for Islamophobia or if we should first look hard at ourselves ...
To bring an end to Islamophobia, we must employ a holistic approach that treats the core of the disease. It will not suffice to merely suppress the symptoms. It is imperative to adopt new Islamic teachings that do not allow killing apostates (Redda Law). Islamic authorities must provide mainstream Islamic books that forbid polygamy and beating women. Accepted Islamic doctrine should take a strong stand against slavery and the raping of female war prisoners, as happens in Darfur under the explicit canons of Shariah (“Ma Malakat Aimanikum”). Muslims should teach, everywhere and universally, that a woman’s testimony in court counts as much as a man’s, that women should not be punished if they marry whom they please or dress as they wish.
Read on.
NOW EVEN TRUTHIER
Stand by for An Inconvenient Truth 2: Kyoto Drift.
FAMILY VALUES
Enjoy all those prison trees, Chelsea:
Chelsea Gerlach, who joined the radical-environmental movement as a teenager, was sentenced today in Oregon to nine years in prison for her prominent role in torching a Vail ski lodge in 1998 and five other so-called “eco-terror” attacks.
Gerlach, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, destruction of an energy facility and 23 counts of arson after being identified by an informant as a major player in a six-year reign of attacks on government, business and research facilities.
Why such a mild sentence for burning gal? Well, she shopped ten of her eco-friends to the cops.
The Denver Post received an e-mail Friday night from Gerlach’s sister, Shasta Kearns Moore, that included a statement from Gerlach.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the continued exploitation of the Earth is causing drastic consequences - global warming, toxic pollution, mass extinction,” she said in the e-mail. “Fundamental changes are needed in our society to achieve peace and sustainability. We all need to take personal responsibility for healing our relationship with the land and with each other.”
Gerlach’s former match-mates, now looking at serious indoor time themselves, will love that line about healing relationships.
As a member of a small clandestine group that called itself “The Family” ...
Whoa! Adelaide alert! One hopes Gerlach will be kept separate from other prisoners; not for her protection, but theirs:
As part of the e-mail sent to The Post, Gerlach’s family said: “Chelsea is a very special person and we know that she will use her time in prison to the betterment of those around her.”
COMMIE SLOW
Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 will see the Brickyard debut of Venezuelan racer (and Hugo Chavez supporter) Milka Duno:
Duno makes no attempt to distance herself from Chavez. Most notably, she spoke at one of his massive campaign rallies last October, talking about the importance of education and praising presidential programs that have largely wiped out illiteracy in the South American nation. At the end of her speech, the two embraced on the stage.
They embraced? The SMH will be jealous.
“In my country, you see the government trying to help people that have low income, that have no resources,” Duno said this week during an interview in her garage. “They help people to get an education. We have free education. Everyone in Venezuela has access to go to school, to go to the university, for free. They don’t have to pay anything. This is good.”
And don’t the people love it. In fact, those attempting to leave Venezuela are moving almost as quickly as Duno herself:
Duno crashed in practice and slipped into the field with the second-slowest speed (219.228 mph). She will start from the next-to-last row Sunday.
WARMERS FUMING
As predicted, certain folks aren’t amused by a recent ABC programming decision. Andrew Bolt rounds ‘em up.
Friday, May 25, 2007
COLUMN WRITTEN ON A PLANE
Global warming alarmists actually make a great deal of sense.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
CHICKS GET MIDGETS
One of the great mysteries of modern times is finally solved by an Israeli radio journalist:
Speaking to an Arab affairs expert on the reports that Islamic Jihad is threatening to send scores of women suicide bombers to blow themselves up near IDF troops if Israel starts an operation on the ground in Gaza, she enquired what awaited such women in heaven, the equivalent of the notorious 72 virgins ready to serve the male shahids. The answer: dwarves who will serve them.
(Via Dan Lewis)
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
NATIONS CHILLED
A Gore-like effect is observed across South Africa:
The South African Weather Service recorded 54 weather records in the icy, wet and snowy weather this week.
On Monday, there were 34 new records and on Tuesday, another 20. Almost all were for the lowest maximum and minimum daily temperatures in towns across the country.
The weird thing is, known chill-maker Al Gore was nowhere near the place. He was instead visiting, ahem, Chile. Meanwhile, despite annual hysteria over the threat to Australian skiing posed by gloybill wooming ...
“The whole place has gone completely white. It’s fully covered the whole resort,” said Mr Grant, [Perisher Blue Ski Resort’s] marketing manager. “It was a wild, wintry night. It just blizzarded. The snow was coming in from all directions.”
Some ski enthusiasts have taken advantage of the cold climate and started the ski season early. The official season kicks off on June 9.
(Via F.F. J-G)
UPDATE. Snowcams for all!