Re: Aus Federal Politics thread (VI)

[JGK]

Good result all round for the Libs. Abbott looks decisive. Bernardi is safely out of the way and Sinidinos now has a front bench position.

[lardbucket]

Bernardi can join Katter's mob and further de-rail that particular disaster.

[horace]

Bob may join forces with the push for 'Can do Joh for Canberra' campaign

[horace]

Interesting story on global warming looking at rate of melting of the Arctic Ice ... with a view to the silver lining to the cloud Skully and other Forum Investment moguls might wish to read the last part of the story


Arctic sea ice, a key indicator of climate change, melted to its lowest level on record this year before beginning its autumnal freeze, US researchers say.

The extent of ice probably hit its low point on September 16, when it covered 3.42 million square kilometres of the Arctic Ocean, the smallest amount since satellite records began 33 years ago, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

Changing weather conditions could further shrink the extent, the centre said. A final analysis is expected next month.

The record was broken on August 26, when the ice shrank below the record set in 2007. After that, it kept melting for three more weeks, bringing the ice extent - defined by NSIDC as the area covered by at least 15 per cent ice - to nearly half of the 1979-2000 average.

"We are now in uncharted territory," the centre's director, Mark Serreze, said in a statement.

"While we've long known that as the planet warms up, changes would be seen first and be most pronounced in the Arctic, few of us were prepared for how rapidly the changes would actually occur."

The summer ice is not just dwindling. It has also become thin, relatively fragile, seasonal ice instead of the hardier multi-year ice that can better withstand bright sunlight.

"The strong late-season decline is indicative of how thin the ice cover is," NSIDC's Walt Meier said.

"Ice has to be quite thin to continue melting away as the sun goes down and fall approaches."

The Arctic is a potent weather-maker for the temperate zone, and is sometimes dubbed Earth's air conditioner for its cooling effects.

However, as ice wanes and temperatures rise in the far north, the Arctic could add more heat and moisture to the climate system.

Recent climate models suggest the Arctic could be free of ice before 2050, but the observed rate of melting is faster than what is shown in many of the models, according to NSIDC scientist Julienne Stroeve.

Both the Northwest Passage along Canada's coast and the Northern Sea Route along Russia were open to traffic this summer, and investors gathered in Alaska last month to discuss commercial and transportation opportunities for the Arctic.

Environmental group Greenpeace International took issue with that approach.

"Rather than dealing with the root causes of climate change, the current response from our leaders is to watch the ice melt and then divide up the spoils," the group's executive director, Kumi Naidoo, said in a statement

[Big Dog]

You've convinced me Horrie. I'll rush out & buy a pair of Wellies.

[skully]

I'll start caring when the US, China and India each stop emitting 20 times what piss-ant little Aus emits by way of greenhouse gas. Light up another durry, h, it's good for the environment. As I've said many times, stabilising Aus emissions (and that's the very best we can hope for) makes fark all difference to the ice caps. Cows in Brazil and India fart more than we emit.

In the meantime, you can find me in the queue with BD at the gum boot shop.

[JGK]

Only two out of the 30 Queensland Federal MPs voted in favour of the same sex marriage bill.

[skully]

Odd, for a State straight out of Deliverance.

[JGK]

{snigger}

[lardbucket]

GENIUS

Clarke and Daw

[bodyline]

I heard the head of Artic research on the radio yesterday saying the level was equal to that in 1930 (which he said came from core samples, tree rings etc). Now it is being report as the lowest on record - why? Becuase they only have records that go back to the 70's! He admitted that as well!

[skully]

GENIUS

Clarke and Daw

Clever satire.

[skully]

Heard the Goose on the wireless raving about low interest rates being proof of Aus's "gangbusters" economy. Er, is it just me, or do lowering interest rates not mean that the Reserve Bank is trying to stimulate a struggling economy? It's Economics 101, Goose Boy.

[horace]

no wonder you take advice from Barney on financial matters..

wake up ...smell the wintry leaf-less roses of the international economy...it is dormant...this joint is doing absurdly well

[skully]

Swan is a Goose, that is all.

[skully]

The Vulture and Goose clearly think Obama has won

"JULIA Gillard has backed Wayne Swan's extraordinary intervention into US politics in which he claimed a Republican Party infiltrated by "cranks and crazies" posed a threat to the world's economy.

The opposition lashed the Treasurer over the comments, branding them a “calculated insult” against elected US politicians."

-------------------------------------------------

It'll be amusing if Romney somehow wins. I imagine there'll be some egg-faced grovelling going on if so.

What a pair of arrogant, pompous twats amidst an arrogant, pompous pack of incompetent pinko dills.

FTR, I don't disagree with his thoughts, just his stoopidity in saying it.

[horace]

on the best of days, smart Qldrs (oxymoron of the year) are able to state the obvious

[skully]

Aye, it is obvious, but hardly clever. I expect the Democrats to romp in after recent releases of Romney idiocy, but hardly smart tactics to bag one political side of the most powerful nation in the world (yes, yes, that may be China soon, but not just yet).

[JGK]

Meh.

In 2007 Howard said that a win for Obama would be a win for terrorists.

I think Swan is setting the stage to cast some of the extreme Lib/Nats are Tea Partyesque although after Bernardi's effort this week you wonder why he'd need to bother.

[skully]

Possibly. Lots of chat on the wireless today about the Vulture clearing the decks for an election - hence the ramping up of the play-the-man stuff on MM. That way they never have to reach the surplus that they have no chance of achieving.

[JGK]

Hard to see it until mid next year at the earliest.

[skully]

I reckon she'll go before the Goose has to make excuses for not achieving the Surplus he promised.

[JGK]

Yeah. Makes sense.

[skully]

So March/April it is then?

[JGK]

Later. The 2013 actual budget position doesn't get announced until after 30 June. So he could quite easily sugar coat a 2014 budget in May and possibly steal some of the better coalition policies (if any) as part of it.

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