Australian Opposition all set to do the Gish Gallop*?

Having set the scene by treating the proposed carbon price mechanism guideline as a settled direct tax on Australian citizens (rather than a cost paid by polluting industries) the Australian Coalition Opposition, led by the Hon. Tony Abbott, now appears ready to reprise its attack on climate science underpinning the need for setting such a price:

I think there are increasing doubts about the proposition that anthropogenic emissions of C02 are causing global warming…….

Quoting a blog from an atmospheric scientist from the University of Alabama - who he did not name - Senator Minchin said: "It's clear that the models, and we're dealing with models, have grossly overestimated the sensitivity of temperature to increases in CO2.

"I think what's occurred is that there was a warming period from about '75 to the year 2000. It was part of a natural cycle of warming that comes in 25, 30-year cycles. The world has basically stabilised in terms of temperature since about 2000.

"There are many, many scientists who actually think we could be entering a cooling phase, and I for one think that is more than likely.

"We have stabilised in terms of world temperatures. There is a very powerful natural cycle at work, and if anything we're more likely to see a tendency down in global temperatures, rather than up."

Now the only atmospheric scientist I am familiar with at Alabama University is Professor John Christy and, as far as I can tell this academic (often characterized as a climate change sceptic) in his most recent evidence before a US House of Representatives sub-committee on 8 March 2011 does not actually say that the earth has entered a cooling period. Rather he holds that warming is occurring at a much lower rate than previously predicted and recent disastrous weather events cannot be attributed directly to global warming.

This appears to represent a small step back from his earlier evidence in 2000 based on dubious research co-authored with climate change contrarian and intelligent design believer Roy Spenser also from Alabama University. Nevertheless, Christy is still very much in the contrarian camp.

Interestingly, it is the more notorious Spencer who appears to have an identifiable blog.

*Gish Gallop

Oopps! Australian Government just about to declare Wattle illegal

A chuckle over the cornflakes this morning…..

Wikipedia says: “Acacia maidenii, also known as Maiden's Wattle, is a tree native to Australia (New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria). Fitzgerald and Siournis reported in the Australian Journal of Chemistry (1965, volume 18, pp. 433-4) that a sample of the bark contained 0.36% of the hallucinogen DMT as well as 0.24% of N-methyltryptamine. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the concentration of DMT and other tryptamines in A. maidenii is very variable and may be zero in many strains. When smoked, the bark gives a mild hallucinogenic effect. It is also a common admixture ingredient to Australian Ayahuasca brews.”

The Australian Government says: “Proposed Controlled Plant …….any plant containing DMT”

It almost goes without saying that Maiden's Wattle is one of those tall shrubs recommended for planting in NSW gardens by none other than Botanic Gardens Trust in Sydney.
Er, who’s going to tell Auntie that those lovely wattles she planted at the bottom of the garden might make her a criminal if she sells their potted seedlings at the local CWA fundraiser next year?

Though when it comes to political red faces, this week the Republican-dominated US House of Reps Appropriations Committee takes the cake based on the teensy weensy fact that the very same day a rather big Pacific Ocean tsunami barrelled towards so many shorelines this committee sent out a media release which trumpeted budgetary cuts to the very agency which runs the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre on which so many rely for information:
-$99 million – NOAA – Operations, Research, and Facilities
-$18 million – NOAA – Procurement Acquisition and Construction

Pic from http://herbarium.0-700.pl/
Map from http://ptwc.weather.gov

Tony Blair is coming to Australia and he wants to hold an audience.....

In July 2011 former British prime Minister and alleged war criminal Tony Blair is coming to Australia to do a little revenue raising in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth.

Wonder who will actually admit to paying these prices to meet him or which Australian corporations (besides Visy) might actually believe that being associated with this man will enhance business reputations?
Will someone try to claim Monbiot's bounty by performing a peaceful citizen's arrest?

An Audience With Tony Blair: Lessons in Leadership, Negotiation and Innovation

TICKET PRICES

$1,000 per person
Ticket includes a full sit down banquet meal and attendance at the pre-event cocktail party

$10,000 per Table of Ten
Tables of ten include a full sit down banquet meal and attendance at the pre-event cocktail party

$1,500 VIP Ticket
Includes a seat at one of "the best tables in the house", one ticket to private pre-event "meet and greet" cocktail party and individual photograph with Tony Blair

$15,000 VIP Table of Ten
Includes "the best seats in the house" table of ten, ten tickets to private
pre-event "meet and greet" cocktail party and individual one photograph
with Tony Blair, full page advertisement in the program, logo recognition in the program and on the screens at the event

World Day Against Cyber-Censorship today 12 March 2011

Launched by Reporters Without Borders in 2008, World Day Against Cyber-Censorship (on 12 March 2011) is intended to rally everyone in support of a single Internet without restrictions and accessible to all. The fight for online freedom of expression is more essential than ever. By creating new spaces for exchanging ideas and information, the Internet is a force for freedom. In countries where the traditional media are controlled by the government, the only independent news and information are to be found on the Internet, which has become a forum for discussion and a refuge for those who want to express their views freely.

RWB’s list of ENEMIES OF THE INTERNET

Never a truer word spoken on the Mad Monk

Abbott is behaving like a vandal. While saying he is concerned about energy prices he is wrecking any chance of them stabilising. By saying he will rescind any new carbon price approved by parliament (if, as is likely, he wins the next election) he is forcing would-be investors in the power industry to extend their capital strike.

Read the rest of Peter Martin’s “Memo to Julia: You don't have a carbon consensus” here.

NOAA Tsunami Information 11 March 2011 - predicted wave arrival times for Australian east coast

Tsunami Information	Earthquake Information
Message Time: 11 Mar 2011 07:30 UTC Message Num: 3 Message Text: click to read Message Type: a Widespread Tsunami Warning is in Effect Warning: Japan, Russia, Marcus Is., N. Marianas, Guam, Wake Is., Taiwan, Yap, Philippines, Marshall Is., Belau, Midway Is., Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Johnston Is., Solomon Is., Kiribati, Howland-baker, Hawaii, Tuvalu, Palmyra Is., Vanuatu, Tokelau, Jarvis Is., Wallis-futuna, Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tonga, Mexico, Kermadec is, Fr. Polynesia, New Zealand, Pitcairn, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Antarctica, Panama, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru Watch: ETAs / Obs: measurements	Preliminary (PTWC) Official (USGS) Origin Time: 11 Mar 2011 05:46 UTC 11 Mar 2011 05:46 UTC Magnitude: 8.8 Mwp (reviewed by PTWC) 7.9 Latitude: 38.2° N 38.3° N Longitude: 142.5° E 142.4° E Depth: 10 km (6.2 mi) 24.4 km (15.2 mi) Location: Near East Coast of Honshu Japan More Info.: updated earthquake information from the USGS NEIC

Predicted arrival times:  

AUSTRALIA        

CAIRNS 16.7S 145.8E 1528Z 11 MAR 

BRISBANE 27.2S 153.3E 1620Z 11 MAR 

SYDNEY 33.9S 151.4E 1651Z 11 MAR 

GLADSTONE 23.8S 151.4E 1730Z 11 MAR 

MACKAY 21.1S 149.3E 1811Z 11 MAR 

HOBART  43.3S 147.6E 1826Z 11 MAR

http://www.weather.gov/ptwc/?region=1&id=pacific.2011.03.11.073000&msg

You're from "Microsoft"? My computer is infected? S#d off!

Took great pleasure in telling a recent caller "This call is a scam" and hanging up the phone in his ear - right after a short, clumsy intro which alerted me to the fact that he was going to request remote access to my personal computer because Microsoft software supposedly had a virus only he could fix.

As bogus anti-virus alerts and other scams (eg.,callers offering products, services or cash under fake government grants/seeking bank details in order to process a bank fee refund or tax refund/offering to place the person’s number on the Do Not Call Register for a fee/recorded messages asking consumers to “dial 9” for a ‘free’ holiday/incomplete messages which solicit a billable call back/work at home offers) happen at least a couple of times a year to many people and successful cybercrime/scamming cost $63M in 2010, it is worth remembering the ACCC's advice at the beginning of every call received from a stranger:

* If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone about your computer system’s security status, hang up.
* NEVER give a stranger remote access to your computer.
* Do not give out your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.
* Make sure your computer is protected with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall - but only purchase the software from a source that you know and trust.
* If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Consumer fraud from all sources costs an estimated $1 billion annually according to the Australian Institute of Criminology and there is an invitation on its website to take part in the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce Survey 2011.

Even politicians are not immune from scam attempts according to the Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin:

“Lately a number of local people have been in touch with me about emails they’ve been sent claiming to be from the Tax Office offering a tax refund, but requiring bank or credit card details and tax file number. I have received these emails as well.
The Tax Office will never ask for your personal information such as credit card details, date of birth, tax file number, passwords etc.
If you are suspicious of any online approaches you can check at www.scamwatch.gov.au where there is up to date information on the latest scams and methods to beware of. You can also report a scam on the site.
Consumer fraud comes in many forms and can target both consumers and businesses....”
[Media release, 9 March 2011]