Akernomics 101

So-called fossil fuels? Piers Akerman may be onto something here.

The market must decide the support for ethanol-blended fuel — not the government, not monopolies and not urban Laborites and Greens determined to punish users of so-called fossil fuels.

The concept of ‘fossil’ fuels is clearly only a construction of Teh Left.

It follows therefore that fuels is just fuels. Whether so-called fossil fuels, or so-called biofuels.

The spurious distinction does, however, beg the question why Piers thinks the market must determine ‘support’ for one or the other.

Offhand the only answer I can think of is that the market is frightfully good at that sort of thing, and it would be a pity to under-utilise it.

It’s simple Akernomics.

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Not inflaming, merely informing

“Every boat just adds to your bills”

Andrew Bolt gleefully ‘reports’ to his readers the following, from the Australian government’s federal Budget Update:

onshore processing costs related to irregular maritime arrivals, which are expected to increase by $1.3 billion over four years as a result of an increase in expected arrival rates compared to those at Budget. [Bolt's emphasis]

Doctor Easychair’s readers will, of course, dutifully follow his link to read the remainder of that paragraph he omitted to ‘report’:

This is partly offset by $1.1 billion in reduced costs and savings associated with not progressing offshore processing arrangements at this time, leaving a net impact on the budget of $197 million over four years [my emphasis]

Ecchhh!

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Tim Blair’s epic bean-counting fail

On the question of the purported ‘liability’ of the Australian coal industry for the floods in south-east Queensland, Tim Blair has been doing some number crunching:

Australia’s annual contribution to global carbon output is just 1.5 per cent, which works out to .000225 per cent of the overall human component. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the coal industry generates an entire third of Australia’s amount — a mighty .000075 per cent of the carbon emitted globally which ends up hanging around in the atmosphere.

On current estimates, the floods may result in damage worth $13 billion. The total bill owed by the Australian coal industry (and this assumes that the floods are entirely due to carbon-driven climate change): $9749.99.

I admire a dude who spreadsheets stuff, but Blair has, for his own silly argument’s sake, fluffed at least one significant factor, completely ignoring the contribution to global emissions of Australian coal exports.

Australia’s annual coal exports are around 263.4 million tonnes per annum. Around 2.93kg of carbon is emitted for each kilo of coal burned. Assuming global carbon emissions per annum of 29,321.302 million tonnes, Australia’s exports of coal would alone contribute 771.762 million tonnes, or 2.632% of global man-made carbon emissions.

So, employing the figure of 2.632% (rather than 0.000075%) would increase the “total bill owed by the Australian coal industry” to at least $342,171,231.

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chokes on weeties

This idiotic ad campaign for Kellogg’s Sustain™ has been around for a while now.

It’s been very effective because I’m completely persuaded not to buy the shit, if only to discourage media ‘professionals’ from producing any more of such drivel.

Little wonder the GFC, when there’s an army of people doing this kind of nonsense who could otherwise be employed in productive work.

Er... speaking of which, I’ve got some things to do...

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