Forecasts suggest we will folllow our usual pattern of being 2 degrees cooler than Adelaide, but 42 degrees (Celsius – nearly 108 degress Fahrenheit) is still very hot for the island. This will make three days in a row over forty. It is unusual, and dangerous, especially if we get some wind and/or thunderstorms later this afternoon. Most of the devastating fires last year were started by lightning strikes. If anything the conditions now are even more suited to extensive fires – its hotter now than it was then, and reasonable rains last year mean there is more fuel – dry grass and timber.
Year: 2009 (Page 43 of 46)
via Gateway Pundit
“It is difficult to deal with terrorism through non-violence,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said. “They (terrorists) are very brilliant and educated…but a strong ill feeling is bred in them. Their minds are closed.”
He said that the only way to tackle terrorism is through prevention. The head of the Tibetan government-in-exile left the audience stunned when he said “I love President George W Bush.”
For liberals this must seem like one of those zombie movies, where you are hiding out with your best friend, only to discover he’s one of them.
Tim Blair and Andrew Bolt are both ahead of me on this one, but it is worth listing anyway.
James Hansen is the NASA scientist who complained loudly and incessantly about being silenced, particularly under the evil chimpybushitler regime. At the same time he got a huge amount of publicity, and some additional income, from equally loudly and incessantly telling the world the sky was falling. Since the sky falling is what sells newspapers and TV advertising spots, Mr Hansen was Mr Popular with the media.
Now NASA atmospheric scientist Dr. John Theon, just retired Chief of Climate Processes Research and Hansen’s former supervisor, has said that Hansen was never silenced or pressured in any way, despite the fact that his claims and high media profile were an embarrassment to NASA, and that he Theon, disagrees completely with the anthropogenic global warming theory.
‘Theon declared “climate models are useless.” “My own belief concerning anthropogenic climate change is that the models do not realistically simulate the climate system… there is no rational justification for using climate model forecasts to determine public policy.”’
Australian researchers have found that alcohol consumption improves male sexual performance.
‘After other risk factors were excluded, weekend drinkers, high-risk drinkers and those who exceeded alcohol-intake guidelines had lower rates of erectile dysfunction than those who drank one day a week or less. Ex-drinkers, however, had the highest risk.’
Say that again… ‘Ex drinkers had the highest risk.’
So for heaven’s sake, don’t be an ex-drinker. I love Australia.
Blowfish testicles send seven to hospital.
“It’s scary. If you go to a decent-looking restaurant that serves fugu, you would assume a cook has a proper fugu licence,” Iwase said, using the Japanese term for blowfish.
Indeed. I’m terrified.
A la Tim Blair, a sea kitten being cuddled in the approved PETA fashion.
The non sea kitten in the photo is Amber, granddaughter of some friends. She accompanied us on a recent sea kitten cuddling trip near American River on Kangaroo Island. A number of large King George Whiting were successfully cuddled.
Yet another warning of the catastrophic consequences of global warming, based on no real world evidence at all.
Despite the fact that Emperor Penguins are doing quite nicely, thank you, and there is no evidence of warming in Antarctica, and even if there were, a rise from -40 degrees to -35 degrees is not going to result in a whole lot of ice melting, yet we are still supposed to be alarmed into taking expensive action because computer games (sorry, models) say that if global warming is happening, and if a large amount of ice does melt, and if, and if, and if they are not able to adapt, Emperor Penguins might have a problem.
One especially wise chappy says that Emperor Penguins are to the Antarctic what Polar Bears are to the Arctic. Apart from the obvious response, which is ‘Um. Pardon?’ it is worth noting that Polar Bear populations have nearly tripled over the last thirty years. So perhaps we shouldn’t start panicking just yet.
OK, I can see why they might be offensive. On the other hand the first described is moderately amusing, precisely because it isn’t true except as a stereotype of white Australians. The second is perhaps a natural over-reaction to unpleasant complaining about Australia, its customs and people, from some recent immigrants.
But even they if are offensive, why is necessary to describe everything as ‘racist?’ Which race is being belittled?
A patronising headline, but I agree. Victoria is possibly the worst run state in Australia, with chronic underfunding of essential infrastructure such as roads and water storage, a police force (sorry, service) which has been progressivley ninnified over the past several years, and ongoing financial difficulties. So in the midst of all this, to what what does the Victorian Attorney-General turn his mightly attentions? Why, a well run gentlemen’s club. Of course.
I have been fortunate to be a guest at gentlemen’s clubs in Adelaide and Melbourne, and found them to be nothing like Chris Berg’s description. They were relaxing and enjoyable places to be, with quiet if you wanted it, civilised conversation if you wanted that, good food, reasonable wine, and a decent cigar after lunch.
The fact is men are men and women are women, praise God. And just as sometimes women enjoy being in the company of other women, and have spaces, clubs and societies which enable them to do so, men sometimes enjoy being with other men. Why on earth should this be a problem?
You’re called to save the life of a teenage boy suffering a seizure. You can’t, or in any case, you don’t. Then when you find out who his family is, you try to blackmail them. Allegedly.
In an article on Real Clear Politics, Thomas Sowell wrote: ‘No one in his right mind would say that the Bush administration was flawless. But many of their worst political mistakes were the kinds of mistakes that decent people often make when dealing with indecent people, both domestically and internationally.’
The same could be said of Keith Windschuttle and the recent hoax of Quadrant magazine. Quadrant is an Australian magazine of politics, literature, history, art, etc – virtually anything that might be of interest to people who think. It has minimal staff resources. It is not a specialist journal.
The Jan/Feb edition of Quadrant contains an article by one ‘Sharon Gould’ entitled Scare Campaigns and Science Reporting. It is well written. It contains some rather odd views about the potential use of human DNA in genetically engineered crops, but one of the things that makes Quadrant a great magazine is that it has never been run as the editor’s personal newsletter. Views that diverge from the mainstream can get a hearing if they are well written, and carefully, interestingly and logically argued.
So when someone writes such an article, and then jumps up triumphantly and says ‘ Ha ha, I didn’t really mean it. And Sharon Gould is not my real name. And what’s more, I faked some of the footnotes,’ it is hard to respond in any other way than to say ‘So?’ or perhaps, ‘OK, you are a liar who writes well. How disappointing for your friends.’
As Keith Windschuttle has pointed out, in the case of a non-specialist, non peer reviewed magazine, there is a point beyond which editors have to trust their writers. Accepting the article was a mistake. It was the kind of mistake easily made by a decent person used to dealing with decent people.
No, men and women are both from Earth. But what planet is Jimmy Carter from? ‘Hamas Can be Trusted.’
‘According to the former president, Hamas never deviated from their commitments as per the ceasefire agreement.’ It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.
He has one thing right though, Hamas can be trusted – to try do what they have said they plan to do, what their charter tells the world they intend to do; obliterate Israel and murder Jews.
Sadly, they don’t seem to mind murdering Palestinians who disagree with them either, but I’m sure it’s a case of you know, like, hey, if you want to make an omelette…
About what seemed to be a startling lack of graciousness in Obama’s inauguration speech. But she says it better.
And probably will be…
Via Instapundit, this story of an EU official who says Hamas bears ‘overwhelming responsibility’ for the destruction of Gaza.
Of course he also goes on to say some nasty things about Israel killing civilians, but heck, then he tells Hamas off for using civilians as human shields, and for fighting in populated areas.
Well done mate!
Hamas spokesmen are apparently shocked by his comments. Oh dear.
Despite Peter Garrett’s angst, I think this is possibly a reasonable option, if only because it will stop some of the whining from local anti-whaling activists.
However, stopping any taking of Minke Whales in Antarctic waters may not be a good thing for endangered whale species.
Minke Whales are widely distributed and abunbdant. On the IUCN red list of possibly endangered species, Minke Whales are in the bottom category – Least Concern.
Because they are abundant and range so widely, they compete for krill with endangered whale species such as the Blue Whale, which not do not have the same flexibility in choosing their habitat.
An argument could be made for culling of Minke populations in some places, for example in Antarctic waters, on the grounds of protecting those more endangered species.
There is no environmental reason for refusing to allow whaling nations to take a limited number of Minke Whales.
There is no other reason either. Modern explosive harpoons are accurate and quick, and as humane as factory methods of killing meat animals such as sheep or cattle. Minke Whales, like cattle, are essentially grazing animals, and have about the same level of intelligence – certainly much less than pigs.
As far as I can see, no one who eats bacon has any logically valid or ethically consistent reason to oppose a carefully managed quota based system of hunting Minke Whales.
I am happy to be convinced otherwise, by salient facts marshalled in a carefully crafted argument. Ranting and calling me a bastard won’t do it.
Qohel Author Peter Wales
