Post#118 Carbon Schmarbon (Australia and the Carbon Tax / Emississions Trading Scheme)

I previously denounced the "carbon tax" concept in a post to this blog as a revenue-raiser which would make no constructive difference to energy consumption practices. Recent noises emanating from Canberra have conformed perfectly with that diagnosis.


I've emailed various politicians (using my real name) to enquire as to what the causal connection is between taxing carbon and a revolution in the energy-supply industry. I've suggested that the industries using carbon fuels will simply pass the costs along to their clients. That won't put money into the development of alternative energy. It will simply push inflation as everybody tries to recoup their losses by passing the costs along.


The response has been disappointing. I know these messages are read by minders, not the MPs themselves, but I expected that a request to be referred to the reference material which supports the concept is within the bounds of the possible. No such luck. Just proforma replies to the effect of "Thankyou for your comments. They will be drawn to the attention of..."

It's extraordinary that an assumption can be embedded so deeply in the process of public discourse without any convincing argument ever having been put for its validity.

Post#117 Terrorists Prove That Imran Khan is Wrong! (Terrorist Attack on Sri Lankan Cricket Team.)

At Post#99 I noted that a gaffe by George Bush had verified the political insight of Imran Khan. Unfortunately, the attack by terrorists on the Sri Lankan Test cricket team in Pakistan have shown that Imran has at least one blind spot regarding the extremists in his homeland. I have seen him being interviewed on various television programmes in which he has confidently expressed a belief that cricket is too close to the hearts of his countrymen for anyone to dare an assault upon it.

This is a view which has been held by quite a few people and has been incorporated into the savage criticism that has been directed at the Australian national team for refusing to tour Pakistan. The general theme is that India's economy provides massive financial incentives to Australian players and that fear of terrorism has been a convenient excuse to avoid Pakistan and spend more time in India; making commercials, music videos, paid public appearances, etc.

If there was ever any truth in this it isn't going to apply in future. And if India is the next target for anti-cricket terrorism no amount of largesse will lure foreign players there.

It seems likely that the extremists have decided to demonstrate that nothing human is sacred to them; not life, not youth, not innocence. They are sending a message that nothing and no-one is "barlies". We should heed this message. Any inclination to mercy in dealing with these creatures should wither in the brutal heat of their villainy. Let them convince us that they have no humanity. The inhuman have no need of human rights. Yes, let them continue to enlighten us... when the time comes, we shall know how to deal with them.

For all that, I wish Imran Khan had been right this time.