* turns out that nutty Trump economics adviser Peter Navarro has done a Trump, so to speak: invented an imaginary friend (actually himself) to give support to his positions. Some of his co-authors did not know. How embarrassing.
* I've not been able to see Ad Astra, but oddly, I have had two diametrically opposed opinions of the film from two different couples. My chances of liking it seem to be getting lower, though.
* Who is this Bruce Mountain who argues the Snowy 2 project is a dud project? Sorry, but I am a little suspicious of someone I haven't heard of before coming out as an expert and then dissing a renewable project that other experts seem to think is worthwhile.
* Saudi Arabia has paid Instagram "influencers" to go there and say how marvellous the place is (in preparation of opening the country up to tourism.) This reminds me of an old rule of thumb (actually, I must add it to my Rules for Life): do not holiday in any country where looking the wrong way at someone can get you arrested for witchcraft (or possibly, homosexuality).
* STDs still on the rise in America. Most sadly:
Among newborns, syphilis cases increased 40 percent to more than 1,300 cases.Also, look where those cases mainly come from:
The 40 percent increase in congenital syphilis cases continues a dangerous trend seen in recent years. Although most states reported at least one case of congenital syphilis, five states – Texas, California, Florida, Arizona, and Louisiana – accounted for 70 percent of cases in the U.S.That seems an odd mix, no?
Seems to me that the USA is strangely bad at not getting on top of that particular problem.
Stephen,Bruce has been around this area for ever. I'm surprised you have never heard of him.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you know his brother Snowy/
So our version of free enterprise is in a state of decay. Maybe the Hydro 2.0 is a really great idea. But do we have the people who can build it cheaply?
ReplyDeleteSurprising under statement from Graeme, not his usual style.😊 Corporations love government projects because those are huge profit gouging opportunities and even if private companies are competing for the project they will make sure that the pricing remains through the roof. When it comes to infrastructure projects free enterprise doesn't exist. Infrastructure projects are get rich schemes.
Snowy 2.0 is Turnbull's idea. He had another idea for a massive infrastructure project that hasn't turned so well and now we're all quietly waiting for full fibre connectivity. He's a banker, why would anyone trust a banker to come up with an infrastructure methodo? He studied law, what does he know about engineering, hydrology, materials science etc? In the very least these projects should be assessed by independent groups of the relevant specialists rather than some pompous banker.
Forget about Snowy 2.0, waste of time except if you are putting in a tender. In about a decade there will be a huge rush to nuclear\fusion. That the economics doesn't stand up will become irrelevant.
I would be willing to take a bet with you against the "fusion" part prediction in your comment, John!
ReplyDeleteI just read up on Bruce Mountain. Studied electrical engineering first, in South Africa, then economics. Now is a "energy economist".
I'm sorry, but Sinclair Davidson has taught me to have little trust in economists from that part of the world...
One for you, Graeme https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/im-convinced-we-found-evidence-of-life-on-mars-in-the-1970s/
ReplyDeleteThe martian bacteria detected by Viking had no doubt escaped from the space cows being raised in greenhouses.
ReplyDelete(I'm just answering on behalf of Graeme to make things quicker.)