Still more evidence of mass kidnappings of environmental activists
25 Mar 2015 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming Tags: activists, Big Wind, bootleggers and baptists, do gooders, green hypocrisy, green rent seeking, trade-offs, world heritage areas
Al Gore Buys CA Shoreline Mansion…Awkward
19 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
Al Gore has snapped up an ocean front property in California. Obviously, rising sea levels are not any time soon for him when it comes to putting his money where his mouth is. The only explanation is that Mr. Gore does not actually believe his predictions of doom.
Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, have added a Montecito/ Santa Barbara CA -area property to their real estate holdings, reports the Montecito Journal.
The couple spent $8,875,000 on an ocean-view villa on 1.5 acres with a swimming pool, spa and fountains, a real estate source familiar with the deal confirms. The Italian-style house has six fireplaces, five bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
Some of the most memorable images from Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, are the graphics that show how rising ocean levels will dramatically alter our planet’s coastlines. As Greenland’s ice sheets collapse, Gore predicts that our shores will be flooded and sea-bordering cities will sink beneath the water leaving millions of people homeless. His narration tells the audience that, due to global warming, melting ice could release enough water to cause at 20-foot rise in sea level “in the near future.” Al PT…
View original post 2 more words
Anti-science Left alert: the Greens on GMOs and vaccines
15 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
in health economics, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA Tags: anti-GMO movement, Anti-Science left, anti-vaccination movement, GMOs, green hypocrisy, Green Left, Greens
Anti-science Left alert: NZ Greens reject scientific consensus on GMOs but not global warming
11 Feb 2015 Leave a comment
in environmental economics, global warming, health economics, politics - USA Tags: antiscience left, argument from authority, climate alarmism, GMOs, green hypocrisy, Green Left, Green Party of New Zealand, Quacks
But I’m not going to focus this speech on the dire consequences of doing nothing on climate change. I’m sure all of us have heard the science; we’ve read about the wicked storms and wildfires and droughts, the risks to agriculture and forestry, the threats posed to our homes and wildlife. We’ve probably even seen some of the changes first hand in our own backyard.
Russel Norman, co-leader, Green Party of New Zealand, 10 February 2015,
But on genetic engineering,the Green Party of New Zealand takes its leave of the scientific consensus, scientific consensus as strong as that on global warming. To quote the policy platform of the Green Party of New Zealand:
GE crops have a huge effect on farmers, scientists and the market, and their development is driven by big agribusiness for big profits.
GE crops and foods have an uncertain effect on our health and the environment.
We have opposed the release of GE into the environment and have worked in parliament to improve legislation covering GE organisms.
The Green Party remains committed to keeping the Aotearoa New Zealand environment free of GE organisms.
GE needs to stay in the lab, releasing it would destroy our clean green image which is so important to our economy
Mendicant NZ artist denounces neoliberalism and tall poppy syndrome in same breath
28 Jan 2015 Leave a comment
in economics of media and culture, politics - New Zealand, rentseeking Tags: corporate welfare, green hypocrisy, Left-wing hypocrisy, neoliberalism, rent seeking, starving artists, tall poppy syndrome, Yes Prime Minister
Man Booker Prize author Eleanor Catton from New Zealand managed in the same interview in India to denounce the neoliberalism of New Zealand’s current government and then denounce the tall poppy syndrome that cuts down artistic elites such as herself down to size when they become successful.
At the moment, New Zealand, like Australia and Canada, (is dominated by) these neo-liberal, profit-obsessed, very shallow, very money-hungry politicians who do not care about culture
This is tremendous a hypocrisy: to denounce a neoliberal philosophy that supposedly favours the elite over the working class and then complain about members of the elite such as herself are not supported sufficiently from the taxpayers’ tough:
We have this strange cultural phenomenon called “tall poppy syndrome”; if you stand out, you will be cut down…
If you get success overseas then very often the local population can suddenly be very hard on you. Or the other problem is that the local population can take ownership of that success in a way that is strangely proprietal.
Catton manages to denounce neoliberalism and the capitalist competition that entails but then gets quite annoyed over the fact the successful people aren’t rewarded and recognised by the country.
What hypocrisy. She denounces neoliberalism and then complains about been cut down because of her success. If you’re an opponent of neoliberalism, there is some obligation on you to argue for a levelling of income and wealth, including your own.
It betrays an attitude towards individual achievement which is very, uncomfortable. It has to belong to everybody or the country really doesn’t want to know about it…
I’ve really struggled with my identity as a New Zealand writer. I feel uncomfortable being an ambassador for my country when my country is not doing as much as it could, especially for the intellectual world.
Catton is particularly upset over the fact that New Zealand is expected to share her fame with them some way. Obviously, Catton believes in private profits, private fame at social losses and public subsidies for the arts. Having to share what she earns is not part of her opposition to neoliberalism.
From each in accordance with their ability, to each in according to their need is the heart of the anti-neoliberal philosophy, or is it Robert Nozick’s capitalistic acts between consenting adults where it is from each as they choose, to each as they are chosen, especially if you’re a successful artist.
Such is the price neoliberalism is Eleanor Catton, like every other able-bodied adult, is expected to earn a living for themselves by producing something that someone wants a profitable global for them rather than expect a hand-out from the government simply because of the desire of the recipients to receive the money. In her case, her claim for government hand-outs is because she happens to be artistic.
Jim Hacker: “So they insult me and then expect me to give them more money?”
Sir Humphrey: “Yes, I must say it’s a rather undignified posture. But it is what artists always do: crawling towards the government on their knees, shaking their fists.”
Jim Hacker: “Beating me over the head with their begging bowls.”
Bernard Woolley: “Oh, I am sorry to be pedantic, Prime Minister, but they can’t beat you over the head if they’re on their knees. Unless of course they’ve got very long arms.”
Killer green technologies alert: wind farms kill protected endangered species
23 Jan 2015 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics Tags: activists, endangered species, expressive voting, green hypocrisy, killer green technologies, Leftover Left, rational ignorance, rational irrationality, windfarms
Killer green technologies alert: wind farms ‘kill confused bats’:
02 Oct 2014 Leave a comment
in environmental economics, global warming Tags: endangered species, global warming, green hypocrisy, killer green technologies
Over 600,000 bats were killed by wind turbines in the United States in 2012 including endangered species.
via Wind farms ‘kill confused bats’: Turbines are deadly to the animals as they create same air currents as trees, so they fly too close | Daily Mail Online.
Equal protection of birds under environmental law?
12 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in environmental economics, environmentalism Tags: green hypocrisy, killer green technologies, solar power, wind farms
Exxon Mobil agreed to pay $600,000 in penalties after 85 migratory birds died of exposure to hydrocarbons at its natural gas facilities.
A common sight above the world’s largest solar thermal power plant is a streamer: a small plume of smoke that occurs without warning. The source is a bird that has inadvertently strayed into the white-hot heat above the plant’s many reflecting mirrors. No fines for the 28,000 birds killed in this way.
More than 573,000 birds are killed by U.S. wind farms each year. No fine.
the Obama administration issued an exemption in 2013 to allow wind power companies to kill or injure eagles without the fear of prosecution for up to three decades. The new rule is designed to address environmental consequences that stand in the way of the nation’s wind energy rush.
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
Recent Comments