Jeremy
So the premier of my state (Tasmania) has removed me as a friend on facebook. I take this as a bit of a personal victory, given that I've been hammering him in letters to the local paper lately. I'm glad he knows who I am and has listened to my opinions.
He really is an absolute disgrace. He argues that we shouldn't worry much about taking action to prevent climate change because we emit so little (which is because we're so small). As I pointed out, the average American emits about 0.0000001% of global emissions, so clearly they shouldn't bother doing much either, and of course almost everybody in the world (apart from a few small Middle Eastern countries) emits even less than that.
Today he's argued that the proposed federal Carbon Trading Scheme has failed because it doesn't take into account industries that use renewable energy, in particular a zinc refinery near Hobart that has said it may have to shut down as a result of the scheme, despite using hydro electricity. Of course the fact that it has no energy related emissions and is still not viable under a carbon trading system tells us just how much pollution it pumps into the atmosphere. The whole point of a carbon trading system is to make high carbon industries more expensive and carbon positive industries more profitable. If we give dispensations to all the high carbon industries then the system will obviously not work, because they won't buy up carbon from carbon positive industries, meaning high carbon industry will not be more expensive and carbon positive industry will not be more profitable. His leadership has been very disappointing.
He really is an absolute disgrace. He argues that we shouldn't worry much about taking action to prevent climate change because we emit so little (which is because we're so small). As I pointed out, the average American emits about 0.0000001% of global emissions, so clearly they shouldn't bother doing much either, and of course almost everybody in the world (apart from a few small Middle Eastern countries) emits even less than that.
Today he's argued that the proposed federal Carbon Trading Scheme has failed because it doesn't take into account industries that use renewable energy, in particular a zinc refinery near Hobart that has said it may have to shut down as a result of the scheme, despite using hydro electricity. Of course the fact that it has no energy related emissions and is still not viable under a carbon trading system tells us just how much pollution it pumps into the atmosphere. The whole point of a carbon trading system is to make high carbon industries more expensive and carbon positive industries more profitable. If we give dispensations to all the high carbon industries then the system will obviously not work, because they won't buy up carbon from carbon positive industries, meaning high carbon industry will not be more expensive and carbon positive industry will not be more profitable. His leadership has been very disappointing.
This blog is lacking touch football reports.
I'm playing in two teams this summer - a mens team - premier league div 2, and a mixed team - div 5. So far I've played two games in Mens - both of which were comfortable victories, and 1 game in mixed last night, which was a 3 all draw.
We were very undermanned (1 sub) and nobody in our team had played before except me, so it was a good result. I scored 1 try and set up the other two. I pretty much played the entire game in the middle, and even though I'm pretty fit these days, feel pretty sore today, which is annoying, especially since we have mens tonight.
Our mens side is relatively strong. We have 3 very good players (humbly including myself
) as well as quite a few fairly strong players and maybe 4 or 5 who are still mainly know what they're doing, but have a bit of room for improvement. In the two games that I played we dominated thanks to the strong attacking play of those 3 top players, but looked pretty weak when they weren't involved and this was demonstrated when we lost last week 6-3 against the top team in the comp while missing 1 or 2 of those players (ie. me ). I'm pretty confident that at full strength we will perform a lot better.
Today we play the worst team in the comp, so that should be nice. They lost last week, something like 7-1 to a team we beat 7-4 so it should be a comfortable victory.
It's particularly nice that we can play at this kind of level, which is fairly high, but not the highest, and be so strong without needing to train at all, although the mixed side has been training a lot!
Because I'm playing in the "premier league" - I'm not supposed to play in a low division mixed side, so in order to play in both I've been forced to get dispensation from the league, and they've granted it on the provision that I play in the state cup, which will be the first time I've played at that kind of level since 2003, so that should be interesting. This probably also means I'm going to go along to some kind of training sessions. I'll definitely put my name down for mixed rather than mens though, as playing (and touching) fit girls is much more fun than working really hard to not be scored on by uber fit guys, and I'm definitely not going to start doing spring training 4 or 5 nights a week in the near future.
Will keep you posted as to further results, as I know all of modified loves reading about how good I am at touch football
I'm playing in two teams this summer - a mens team - premier league div 2, and a mixed team - div 5. So far I've played two games in Mens - both of which were comfortable victories, and 1 game in mixed last night, which was a 3 all draw.
We were very undermanned (1 sub) and nobody in our team had played before except me, so it was a good result. I scored 1 try and set up the other two. I pretty much played the entire game in the middle, and even though I'm pretty fit these days, feel pretty sore today, which is annoying, especially since we have mens tonight.
Our mens side is relatively strong. We have 3 very good players (humbly including myself
) as well as quite a few fairly strong players and maybe 4 or 5 who are still mainly know what they're doing, but have a bit of room for improvement. In the two games that I played we dominated thanks to the strong attacking play of those 3 top players, but looked pretty weak when they weren't involved and this was demonstrated when we lost last week 6-3 against the top team in the comp while missing 1 or 2 of those players (ie. me ). I'm pretty confident that at full strength we will perform a lot better.Today we play the worst team in the comp, so that should be nice. They lost last week, something like 7-1 to a team we beat 7-4 so it should be a comfortable victory.
It's particularly nice that we can play at this kind of level, which is fairly high, but not the highest, and be so strong without needing to train at all, although the mixed side has been training a lot!
Because I'm playing in the "premier league" - I'm not supposed to play in a low division mixed side, so in order to play in both I've been forced to get dispensation from the league, and they've granted it on the provision that I play in the state cup, which will be the first time I've played at that kind of level since 2003, so that should be interesting. This probably also means I'm going to go along to some kind of training sessions. I'll definitely put my name down for mixed rather than mens though, as playing (and touching) fit girls is much more fun than working really hard to not be scored on by uber fit guys, and I'm definitely not going to start doing spring training 4 or 5 nights a week in the near future.
Will keep you posted as to further results, as I know all of modified loves reading about how good I am at touch football
rage.
Something I really struggle with is not correcting people when they're wrong about something when I support their cause. Example; Today at work we had a presentation from a woman who does the Al Gore climate change talks and she basically had no idea what she was talking about. I guess it's good that she only preaches to the converted, but it was very difficult for me to bite my tongue.
Apparently I'm the only person who knows what the I in IPCC stands for. She was also a naturopath and it was really infuriating to hear her use that as a sign of credibility. In my opinion, being a naturopath or an astrologer or priest etc. should automatically mean you are never allowed to tell people what "science" says.
Example; She claimed that meat production produces more greenhouse gasses than all of transport emissions combined. I don't dispute that fact, it's probably true. It's also completely misleading and completely ignorant of science. I say this as somebody who has studied the methane cycle at university, is trying (and failing) to be a vegetarian and thinks our current responses to climate change are grossly inadequate.
Put it like this; Where does the methane animals produce come from? Obviously it comes from their food. Where does their food get it from? It gets it from the atmosphere. How long does it take for methane that is released into the atmosphere to be absorbed into a solid form again? About 10 to 15 years. Animals and plants in a stable environment are carbon neutral. It's called the methane cycle because IT'S A FUCKING CYCLE! You could equally say that forests produce more greenhouse gasses than transport. Sure - but they also absorb more. If you only count the expenditure and not the consumption than you're not making an accurate statement. There are plenty of good reasons for not eating meat. Methane production is not one of them (neither is health or ethics).
The carbon cycle is a cycle - carbon is released and absorbed all the time. It's when the cycle gets out of balance that there is a problem. The current problem is caused by humans releasing carbon that would otherwise never be released. This carbon is fossil fuels. Land degradation such as land clearing and forestry harvesting is also a significant contributor because the amount of carbon stored is reduced and not replaced as it would in a natural cycle.
Pretty much all other releases of carbon is part of a cycle and not causing the problem. Animals would contribute to the problem if we didn't replace their food, but since we do, that part of the process HAS NO IMPACT! Of course fossil fuel use in the production, transport and packaging does have an impact.
Another point; 2 years of climate data is not enough to claim any kind of trend as a result of climate change. Climate change due to atmospheric carbon is a slow process and a big picture trend. It's going to be impossible to notice when you're looking at micro climates and small details.
Also the projected rises in temperatures will have a completely insignificant impact on how much water you need in a urban garden. The extra level of evaporation from even a 4 degree rise in temperature will be barely noticeable.
Anyway I needed to randomly rage to get it off my chest.
tldr; Naturopaths are stoopid.
Something I really struggle with is not correcting people when they're wrong about something when I support their cause. Example; Today at work we had a presentation from a woman who does the Al Gore climate change talks and she basically had no idea what she was talking about. I guess it's good that she only preaches to the converted, but it was very difficult for me to bite my tongue.
Apparently I'm the only person who knows what the I in IPCC stands for. She was also a naturopath and it was really infuriating to hear her use that as a sign of credibility. In my opinion, being a naturopath or an astrologer or priest etc. should automatically mean you are never allowed to tell people what "science" says.
Example; She claimed that meat production produces more greenhouse gasses than all of transport emissions combined. I don't dispute that fact, it's probably true. It's also completely misleading and completely ignorant of science. I say this as somebody who has studied the methane cycle at university, is trying (and failing) to be a vegetarian and thinks our current responses to climate change are grossly inadequate.
Put it like this; Where does the methane animals produce come from? Obviously it comes from their food. Where does their food get it from? It gets it from the atmosphere. How long does it take for methane that is released into the atmosphere to be absorbed into a solid form again? About 10 to 15 years. Animals and plants in a stable environment are carbon neutral. It's called the methane cycle because IT'S A FUCKING CYCLE! You could equally say that forests produce more greenhouse gasses than transport. Sure - but they also absorb more. If you only count the expenditure and not the consumption than you're not making an accurate statement. There are plenty of good reasons for not eating meat. Methane production is not one of them (neither is health or ethics).
The carbon cycle is a cycle - carbon is released and absorbed all the time. It's when the cycle gets out of balance that there is a problem. The current problem is caused by humans releasing carbon that would otherwise never be released. This carbon is fossil fuels. Land degradation such as land clearing and forestry harvesting is also a significant contributor because the amount of carbon stored is reduced and not replaced as it would in a natural cycle.
Pretty much all other releases of carbon is part of a cycle and not causing the problem. Animals would contribute to the problem if we didn't replace their food, but since we do, that part of the process HAS NO IMPACT! Of course fossil fuel use in the production, transport and packaging does have an impact.
Another point; 2 years of climate data is not enough to claim any kind of trend as a result of climate change. Climate change due to atmospheric carbon is a slow process and a big picture trend. It's going to be impossible to notice when you're looking at micro climates and small details.
Also the projected rises in temperatures will have a completely insignificant impact on how much water you need in a urban garden. The extra level of evaporation from even a 4 degree rise in temperature will be barely noticeable.
Anyway I needed to randomly rage to get it off my chest.
tldr; Naturopaths are stoopid.
Epic touch football victory today.
It was pouring down with rain and freezing cold. We were playing the team 1 position below us on the ladder. We ended up winning 9 vs 2. I scored 2 tries for the game, which keeps my average at 2 in mens. I also still haven't lost a game for the season. I scored one straight off a penalty, so I had defenders standing still on the line when I took the tap, and then just hit a hole and was too quick. I dived into a puddle to score another, which was terrible and cold. Also I got sent off at one point - which meant I had to go stand past our scoring end zone for 5 minutes watching the rest of my team play 5 on 6. We actually scored 1 and didn't let any in during that time though, so it was ok. It means I have to buy the team a case of beer though. We all agreed it was a harsh send off - one of their players scooted through from half and I turned and chased my man, but he stepped into me and was a slightly slower runner, so I put my hand on his shoulder to lighten the contact. Both refs called it as holding. My response to being sent off probably didn't help either. Anyway overall the game was awesome in the wet and cold. I made two fumbling errors, which was annoying and silly. I just say that so that Ken and Dan can now post and say; "You idiot, you made two fumbling errors," as if I hadn't just said the same thing they're about to criticise me over. Oh well, at least they read parts of my posts, which is more than I can read of their's these days.
It was pouring down with rain and freezing cold. We were playing the team 1 position below us on the ladder. We ended up winning 9 vs 2. I scored 2 tries for the game, which keeps my average at 2 in mens. I also still haven't lost a game for the season. I scored one straight off a penalty, so I had defenders standing still on the line when I took the tap, and then just hit a hole and was too quick. I dived into a puddle to score another, which was terrible and cold. Also I got sent off at one point - which meant I had to go stand past our scoring end zone for 5 minutes watching the rest of my team play 5 on 6. We actually scored 1 and didn't let any in during that time though, so it was ok. It means I have to buy the team a case of beer though. We all agreed it was a harsh send off - one of their players scooted through from half and I turned and chased my man, but he stepped into me and was a slightly slower runner, so I put my hand on his shoulder to lighten the contact. Both refs called it as holding. My response to being sent off probably didn't help either
. Anyway overall the game was awesome in the wet and cold. I made two fumbling errors, which was annoying and silly. I just say that so that Ken and Dan can now post and say; "You idiot, you made two fumbling errors," as if I hadn't just said the same thing they're about to criticise me over. Oh well, at least they read parts of my posts, which is more than I can read of their's these days.Here is the funniest and best website in the world. It's the website of the guy who recently tried to pay a bill with a picture of a spider (no doubt people have seen the emails). He's an Australian.
http://www.27bslash6.com/overdue.html
http://www.27bslash6.com/overdue.html
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james_dean
- space cowboy
- Posts: 2268
- Joined: 26 Oct 2004 23:11
- Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
Got called a god at touch football yesterday
It's even funnier because it wasn't a compliment. One of the opposition players fired up and said something like; "the refs think you guys are gods." That explains why I got sent off last week. If I was refereeing a game of touch (or any sport) and God started playing, I'd send him off too
It was a pretty shit game - we only had 5 players and they were super fast (I played state against on of the guys on their team and he could run 100m in 11.02 seconds despite having never done any running training). But luckily for us 4 out of the 5 were probably our best players, so although we got hammered (you're supposed to have 6 players on the field, and it makes a massive difference), we managed to score 9 tries, of which I scored 5 - so that was good. Give us an extra player or two (which we will have) and I think it's pretty likely we would demolish them.
It's even funnier because it wasn't a compliment. One of the opposition players fired up and said something like; "the refs think you guys are gods." That explains why I got sent off last week. If I was refereeing a game of touch (or any sport) and God started playing, I'd send him off too
It was a pretty shit game - we only had 5 players and they were super fast (I played state against on of the guys on their team and he could run 100m in 11.02 seconds despite having never done any running training). But luckily for us 4 out of the 5 were probably our best players, so although we got hammered (you're supposed to have 6 players on the field, and it makes a massive difference), we managed to score 9 tries, of which I scored 5 - so that was good. Give us an extra player or two (which we will have) and I think it's pretty likely we would demolish them.
Hilarious day.
I was really wired yesterday after touch, so went out with some friends and got really drunk - so had a terrible hangover this morning. Anyway I'd arranged to have a kick with Grady down at the markets, so eventually managed to get out of bed and go down there. Played typically terribly, as is the case most Saturdays but anyway while we were playing some ferals/hippies who were sitting nearby got into a serious throwing punches fight. It was so funny. I thought hippies were pacifists, but clearly these two weren't. My only regret is that I didn't pull out my phone and film it. Anyway then one of the guys left, but came back shortly afterwards and started throwing pieces of watermelon at the guy he got in the fight with, one of which missed and hit an old lady (she was ok). Has to be one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Good times.
I was really wired yesterday after touch, so went out with some friends and got really drunk - so had a terrible hangover this morning. Anyway I'd arranged to have a kick with Grady down at the markets, so eventually managed to get out of bed and go down there. Played typically terribly, as is the case most Saturdays
but anyway while we were playing some ferals/hippies who were sitting nearby got into a serious throwing punches fight. It was so funny. I thought hippies were pacifists, but clearly these two weren't. My only regret is that I didn't pull out my phone and film it. Anyway then one of the guys left, but came back shortly afterwards and started throwing pieces of watermelon at the guy he got in the fight with, one of which missed and hit an old lady (she was ok). Has to be one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. Good times.So I'm possibly going to speak at my first political demonstration. I'm already terrified, and I don't even know if I'll actually be speaking or not.
In other news we had a massive victory in touch football. Our team has finally learned how to play and dominated. We also had two girls fill in, one of which is going to play regularly, who have played before and were amazingly good - easily the best two players on the field after me, so having one of them keep playing (and her sister as well, who also has played a lot) is a massive massive victory.
Also I just wrote a press release for my political party - which I will post below. I haven't sent it out at all yet, so if you notice any errors or think any parts of it could be better written, please comment, but only for 2 hours after I make this post, because that's when I'll send it out (at 1am Australian Eastern Daylight Time). After that time pretend the problems don't exist, because pointing them out will annoy me at making those errors and sending it out
I like the idea of my political party expressing disbelief (given that we are essentially an atheist political party ).
-----------
For immediate release etc.
The Secular Party of Australia has reacted with disbelief to Labor MP James Bidgood’s comments that the global financial crisis is an act of God and that the world will end soon. The Secular Party is a small political party that wants to see an end to the influence of religion in politics in order to protect the beliefs and values of everybody, religious or not.
“It’s really incredible that an elected representative can be expressing such radical fundamentalist views,â€
In other news we had a massive victory in touch football. Our team has finally learned how to play and dominated. We also had two girls fill in, one of which is going to play regularly, who have played before and were amazingly good - easily the best two players on the field after me, so having one of them keep playing (and her sister as well, who also has played a lot) is a massive massive victory.
Also I just wrote a press release for my political party - which I will post below. I haven't sent it out at all yet, so if you notice any errors or think any parts of it could be better written, please comment, but only for 2 hours after I make this post, because that's when I'll send it out (at 1am Australian Eastern Daylight Time). After that time pretend the problems don't exist, because pointing them out will annoy me at making those errors and sending it out
I like the idea of my political party expressing disbelief (given that we are essentially an atheist political party
).-----------
For immediate release etc.
The Secular Party of Australia has reacted with disbelief to Labor MP James Bidgood’s comments that the global financial crisis is an act of God and that the world will end soon. The Secular Party is a small political party that wants to see an end to the influence of religion in politics in order to protect the beliefs and values of everybody, religious or not.
“It’s really incredible that an elected representative can be expressing such radical fundamentalist views,â€
Press release done. A few minor edits were made, but it essentially reads the same.
Anyway the following facebook chat is now epic.
---------
1:37amMark
hey man how r u?
was it your self or your brother playing touch the other day
1:37amJeremy
Good thanks, how are you?
1:37amMark
yeah I am ok
1:37amJeremy
It was me
1:37amMark
awesome
so whats been happening then?
1:38amJeremy
Not much, work, uni, that's about it
I'm giving a speech at a rally on Saturday
that's pretty exciting
and scary
opposing the proposed internet filter
1:39amMark
sure u iwll be fine
1:39amJeremy
yeah, I think I'll be ok, but I'm still nervous
1:39amMark
yeah it depends how far the fiters go
and the proublem is that thy are not accurate enough
1:40amJeremy
well what they're proposing won't work very well, will slow the internet down and make it cost more
1:40amMark
if there was a filter which could block out all illegal porn and it was effective yeah sure
1:40amJeremy
so I don't even think it's an issue of what they're trying to do, but rather the fact that they've chosen such a poor method of doing it
1:40amMark
but then people would go to p2p
1:41amJeremy
yeah exactly, or a whole range of other things
1:41amMark
I was using a filter for a while provided by teh goverment
and it was that much hasle even to get onto some christian sites that I ended up removing it
I live with a flat mate who is into child images though so I can see both sides of the debate
Anyway the following facebook chat is now epic.
---------
1:37amMark
hey man how r u?
was it your self or your brother playing touch the other day
1:37amJeremy
Good thanks, how are you?
1:37amMark
yeah I am ok
1:37amJeremy
It was me
1:37amMark
awesome
so whats been happening then?
1:38amJeremy
Not much, work, uni, that's about it
I'm giving a speech at a rally on Saturday
that's pretty exciting
and scary
opposing the proposed internet filter
1:39amMark
sure u iwll be fine
1:39amJeremy
yeah, I think I'll be ok, but I'm still nervous
1:39amMark
yeah it depends how far the fiters go
and the proublem is that thy are not accurate enough
1:40amJeremy
well what they're proposing won't work very well, will slow the internet down and make it cost more
1:40amMark
if there was a filter which could block out all illegal porn and it was effective yeah sure
1:40amJeremy
so I don't even think it's an issue of what they're trying to do, but rather the fact that they've chosen such a poor method of doing it
1:40amMark
but then people would go to p2p
1:41amJeremy
yeah exactly, or a whole range of other things
1:41amMark
I was using a filter for a while provided by teh goverment
and it was that much hasle even to get onto some christian sites that I ended up removing it
I live with a flat mate who is into child images though so I can see both sides of the debate
Yeah the last statement is a bit mental. I'm actually considering passing on the details to like the police or something, but I'm a little unsure. The guy I was talking to is an evangelical Christian and he believes in all the stupid conspiracy theories as well. I wouldn't say we get on very well, but I did go to primary school with him. He also later told me he's moving out because of that issue with his housemate. If I were a paedophile, I would probably avoid letting people know about it, even people I live with.
And yeah I got the PM, but I haven't had much chance to check out the videos yet. I will though. You were right, it did give me a hardon though
And yeah I got the PM, but I haven't had much chance to check out the videos yet. I will though. You were right, it did give me a hardon though
Especially if that roommate is an evangelical Christian. Even if your acquaintance is moving out, that doesn't mean you shouldn't call the police and give an anonymous tip.Jeremy wrote:If I were a paedophile, I would probably avoid letting people know about it, even people I live with.
I like the idea of starting random sentences with "If I were a pedophile..."
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
Emily Kulczyk
Emily Kulczyk
This is an amusing news article;
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 49,00.html
The Australian is easily the best newspaper in Australia (with the possible exception of the Financial Review - but that is more specific) but also notoriously conservative and still often prints climate change sceptical articles (as demonstrated).
What I love most about this article though is that they chose to publish the opinions of somebody who clearly has no idea what they're talking about - presumably because they couldn't find enough qualified people to back up their opinion. Here is the lol comment.
"I believe warmer climate might be good for corals anyway. There'll be more water for it to grow in for a start."
He is, of course, absolutely correct that there will be more water for coral to grow in if sea levels rise, and indeed if sea temperatures rise. I'd suggest, however, that he go back to read Charles Darwin's work on coral reef formation from the 1830 (or 40s?) to explain why water isn't the limiting factor controlling the growth of coral. Or perhaps he consider why all tropical seas and oceans don't have coral reefs in them.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 49,00.html
The Australian is easily the best newspaper in Australia (with the possible exception of the Financial Review - but that is more specific) but also notoriously conservative and still often prints climate change sceptical articles (as demonstrated).
What I love most about this article though is that they chose to publish the opinions of somebody who clearly has no idea what they're talking about - presumably because they couldn't find enough qualified people to back up their opinion. Here is the lol comment.
"I believe warmer climate might be good for corals anyway. There'll be more water for it to grow in for a start."
He is, of course, absolutely correct that there will be more water for coral to grow in if sea levels rise, and indeed if sea temperatures rise. I'd suggest, however, that he go back to read Charles Darwin's work on coral reef formation from the 1830 (or 40s?) to explain why water isn't the limiting factor controlling the growth of coral. Or perhaps he consider why all tropical seas and oceans don't have coral reefs in them.