Deep Green denial that gas-guzzling US trumps Paris on emissions and power bills
More regulation and renewables! Rachel Baxendale, The Australian, yesterday:
Greens MP Adam Bandt says high power bills are “proof” that deregulation and privatisation of the energy market have failed … “People like to say … ‘oh your power bills are going up because of renewables’ but that’s rubbish ... the best way of bringing down power prices is a) to build more renewables, and b) re-regulating prices.
More what? Robert Rapier. Forbes.com, October 24, 2017:
Since 2005 annual US carbon dioxide emissions have declined ... (more than) any country in the world … the vast majority of the emissions decline in the US can be attributed directly to natural gas substituting for coal in the power sector.
Inconvenient truth. Statista.com:
As of 2015, Australia had one of the highest electricity prices in the world, averaging some US49c per kilowatt hour … In the US (in 2017) electricity prices stood at (US21c) per kilowatt hour.
They’ll always have Paris. Ewa Krukowska, The Sydney Morning Herald, July 8:
Trump or no Trump, the EU is set to spur businesses to do more to meet the Paris climate accord goals.
And higher emissions. Ronald Bailey, Reason.org, 4May 4:
The US (reduction in CO2 emissions by 0.5 per cent) performance contrasts with that of the EU, whose carbon dioxide emissions increased by 1.8 per cent last year. This, even though many EU countries participate in a carbon market and are engaged in vast efforts aimed at replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar power.
Cold comfort. Letters to the Editor, Sydney Morning Herald, yesterday:
I’m cold, the house is cold. Each night we go to bed early and it is definitely a two-dog night. As Centrelink dependents, we fear the winter electricity bill might reach $800, like last year.
Sporting advice from Aunty. ABC online yesterday:
Could you support England? … The true hipsters’ choice: Croatia.
Update, three hours later. Richard Hinds, ABC online, yesterday:
World Cup: England’s run to the semi-finals has been infectious and it’s OK to cheer them on.
Rescued from social media but not from bad grammar. The Guardian, yesterday:
Mongkhol Boonpiam’s mother said last night she learned her son may have been rescued from social media.
Not rescued from social media. The Sydney Morning Herald, July 8:
An Egyptian court has sentenced a Lebanese tourist to eight years in prison for posting a video tirade on her Facebook page … (she) described being harassed by two men … (and) a taxi driver … Egypt has struggled to bolster a flagging tourism industry....
Social media to the rescue? Babylon Bee, 6 July:
A restaurant chain … has come under fire … (for) racial profiling … Andrea Merz got on Facebook Live … (when a waiter) ... “just assumed” she would want “mild hot sauce” ... “OMG ... This is not OK ... the guy at the counter goes, ‘Hot sauce? Let me guess: mild?’ ... What year is this, man? … Mild hot sauce just because I’m a white girl?!” … “What else would you assume about me? I listen to Taylor Swift? …I own a yoga mat? … protesters arrived … chanting … “We like hot sauce too”, “You don’t own jalapenos” and “Taste is not a skin condition!”