Twitter

Yes, yes, I know - no activity for some time. Been busy, but as I'm now the proud owner of an iPhone, I've taken to twitter. So, if you so desire, you can follow me at @N3xu5six.

See you there - and please be nice an provide me lots of links to other science tweeters.

Here's a little of what else I've been up to - starring my lovely lady friend in the background:

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Andrew Bolt really is dumber than a juvanile sea-sponge

Presumably his supportive audience are somewhat lacking in the intellectual department too.

Let us examine today's post:

The sight of so many people losing their jobs can still bring a smile to the face of a planet-saver like Ross Garnaut:

THE international economic downturn may result in a short-term benefit with a decrease in production leading to a slowing in the growth of greenhouse pollution, one of the Federal Government’s top advisers has forecast.

At least he makes the link explicit - the most effective global warming policies will make you poorer.

If Garnaut were to make the link explicit, he would have written 'the most effective global warming policies will make you poorer' or something remotely similar, which, of course, he doesn't.

And that's assuming by 'most effective global warming policies' Bolty actually means 'most effective global warming mitigation policies'.  Who knows with our confused little fella.  We've just lived under the most effective global warming policies for the past decade or so, which should be quite obvious.

But is the link even implicit?

Not unless you're logically-challenged.

It's fair to say that the destruction of our universe by trans-dimensional invaders from the planet Zorb would in fact slow the growth of greenhouse pollution.  One of the few benefits, you might argue.

So, according to Bolty, the most effective 'global warming' policy must be the destruction of our universe by trans-dimensional invaders from the planet Zorb.

I, for one, salute our new galactic overlords.

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First Dog's cartoon appeal on behalf of Red Cross and Wildlife Victoria

Buy a signed cartoon from Australia's finest cartoonist. All proceeds will be split between the Red Cross and Wildlife Victoria bushfire appeals.

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Fires

Condolences to anyone who has lost someone close to them in the fires. It's almost unbelievable it has happened. The losses are so large. 108 confirmed dead so far. Many towns completely wiped out.

The conditions were the same here earlier on Saturday - 100km/h winds and above 40C. It could so easily have been us as well, as it was on Ash Wednesday in 1983. We were lucky. Many others weren't.

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A parable

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Rod

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Renewable is lookin' good.

Wind farms offend the delicate sensibilities of your average wingnut. I think they can be quite pretty.

Here's one on the Yorke peninsula that I took a piccy of on the weekend (click to enlarge):

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Heat

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Fark it's HOT! part XXIV

My Gods!  It's 6:30pm and it's still 43.7C (111F).  Major public transport failure. We've got another week of this (and being good citizens, our little household doesn't have aircon). The joy.

And Stoaty asks:

...if I could suddenly make the world, or at least this little bit of it, 2 degrees warmer all year round, would I be better or worse off?

I think I can emphatically answer in the negative. When these events are more common, that's problamatic.

UPDATE:  Worrying developments.  Phone lines down.  EFTPOS not working in the bottle shop.  Punters cannot purchase beer.  Widespread unrest expected once people can be bothered to riot.

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