Friday 29th of March 2024

when the bleedin' idiots are in charge...

idiotic arguments...

George Brandis says the science of climate change is not settled – politics live

Attorney general plunges into climate controversy during debate on CSIRO funding, as Malcolm Turnbull confirms election is all but certain to be on 2 July. All the developments from Canberra

The rather unexpected decision by the attorney-general to reopen the climate science debate came in the middle of what looked a lot like a filibuster exercise in the senate. Just after question time, Kim Carr attempted to seek an explanation from Arthur Sinodinos, the responsible minister in the chamber, relating to unanswered estimates questions on notice relating to CSIRO. The government stretched out that particular debate for almost an hour and a half – which is somewhat unusual.

As a consequence, the senate is running more than hour behind schedule. This means a couple of motions I flagged earlier on today – including an effort to set up a new inquiry into political donations in New South Wales, specifically into donations to the Liberal party through associated entities, may not get to a vote today.

Oh hang on.

Now Labor is attempting to suspend the standing orders.

Stay tuned.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/apr/19/australia-begins-its-unofficial-election-campaign-politics-live

 

coal dust to dust...

The world’s largest privately owned coal company, Peabody Energy Corporation, filed for bankruptcy this week. This is the latest in a string of big bankruptcies in the industry, as Alpha, Arch and Patriot Coal have all gone under recently. As Alpha and Arch’s filings both revealed funding for anti-climate activists, perhaps Peabody's filing will reveal more information about the company's attempt to portray coal as an answer to poverty.

Regardless, this bankruptcy has already triggered a fresh wave of attacks about President Obama's supposed “War on Coal.” Bizarrely, one column at the American Thinker contradicted itself by saying that the “war on coal claimed its most significant victim” before concluding that regulations “are not playing a decisive role in Peabody’s troubles.” As usual, the reality is more complicated than the catchphrase.

Since climate regulations aren’t to blame, what is? With a single sentence, Kate Sheppard explains the situation: "What’s driving the coal industry into bankruptcy is the free market — competition from cheaper, more abundant natural gas and renewable energy.”

It would stand to reason, then, that the various denier groups that glorify the free market would hail this bankruptcy as a triumph of capitalism’s omniscient invisible hand at work.

Instead, they’ll probably ignore reality and stick to their "War on Coal" talking points, since they're as intellectually bankrupt as these coal companies are literally bankrupt.

Link has been lost...

a legal idiot comes up with brilliant idiocy...

idiotic arguments...

sicky joke...

brandiss