Thursday 31 December 2020

Around the Traps 1/1/21 New Year Edition

 It is time again for Around the Traps.

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

Northern America

Europe

Asia

  • on holidays

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman ( mainly stats)

Econometrics

  • on holidays

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

Vox wonk

on holidays

Wednesday 30 December 2020

A bit of sport

 First cricket.

Is there anything better than a team shot to bits picking itself up and redeeming themselves. India did just that. The leadership should be congratulated. Losing you best batsman, one of your best bowlers almost made it certain India would lose bigtime BUT they won easily.

Rahane as Captain was supreme. sure he was lucky however he rode that luck and captained well. The pitch was very good. Yet again we see gripping cricket when bowlers are in command. I still think Australia will win the series. A draw looks likely in Sydanee which should never have had the test. In recent times its pitch has been crap. Brisbane will suit out attack very well.

All in all it is a great series .


Second football

I watched a very entertaining A league match last night between the not so mighty Wanderers and newcomers Macarthur. The newcomers look a very good side. Strong at the back, industrious in the midfield and a strong bench. They lack firepower up front.

Although they were easily the better side last night it was the Wanderers who had the best attempts on goal and in the end should have won. They have a young aboriginal lad at  right back who looks very promising. Their no.10 has no skill, can't shoot and no height.  The side looked much better when Muller came on although he clearly lacks fitness.

The  three games I have watched thus far have all be good to watch. Let us hope it continues

Tuesday 29 December 2020

Moscato is a drinkable wine

 On Christmas we do not have hot meals because it is usually stinking hot here in Sydanee. As it was it was cool.

Still we had antipasto and salads for lunch and salmon, prawns and salad for dinner.

Moscato is a wonderful accompaniment to all of the above. My wife who usually does not drink likes the wine as does her mother. Probably because of the fruity taste.  She likes the white variety and I prefer the red one.

It is an excellent wine to a light meal. Quite good for sub-continental meals as well.  

Monday 28 December 2020

David Glasner on fire

 David Glasner is always interesting and educative. Right on time in the holiday season we have two articles on the money from his Uneasy Money blog.

Sunday 27 December 2020

about the 'conservative' media

 David Appell usually writes about the climate  but he has a very useful articles care of a series of tweets by conservative Martin Sheffield about how the so called conservatives media in the USA works.

They are players not journalists

Thursday 24 December 2020

Around the Traps 25/12/20 Christmas edition

 It is time for Around the Traps.

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

Northern America

Europe

Asia

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman ( mainly stats)

Econometrics

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

vox wonk

Wednesday 23 December 2020

Merry Christmas everyone

 2020 has been a tough year for most. I was one of the few that loved the lockdown. Covid appears just when you think it has gone away as we fond out in sydanee.

That is possible the reason why most people will celebrate Christmas a lot more than usual and wil be yearning for 2021 with all the vaccines.

Lets hope 2021 is a bewdy

Tuesday 22 December 2020

What I hate about Christmas

 I can't say I like many christmas carols. firstly the music is bad. We have a really good band at Church given covid but even they could not make the music sound good. What makes this worse is references to snow etc when in Australia we have a stinking hot christmas. I have never thought of a white christmas and having experienced one di not think it was all that great , grate yes but not great.

The other thing that always got on my goat even as a child was having to eat hot meals on a stinking hot day. No-one ever told me why we were eating a hot meal only to eat it. My wife and I are in agreement on food at Christmas. for lunch we will have antipasto and salads and then for dibber salmon. Washed down with a nice white of course.


Try and have a good one


Monday 21 December 2020

LIddell

 A lot of nonsense has been written and said about the Liddell closure and its impact on electricity prices.

The critics say look at the closure of Hazelwood and see what occurred.

The problem is the owner of Liddell clearly outlined how they could replace the output of Liddell when they closed it unlike Hazelwood.

AEMO has now released a paper on the closure of Liddell and guess what prices fall ( because of renewables).

On a related topic I could not help laughing when poor old Rafe from Catallaxy blames renewables on a possible blackout in NSW because Liddell had broken down. Yep every time a coal fired power station has a unit break down it isn't the coal fired power stations fault it is renewables.

Funny how it occurs most summers when it is stinking hot.


Por old Rafe still has not come to terms with the fact SA is a net exporter of energy. If his theories of windmills are correct they should be a massive importer. Poor old Rafe 

Sunday 20 December 2020

Jill Biden and a bit more

 Some prat wrote an article in the WSJ criticising Jill Biden for calling herself doctor. ( It should be noted Paul Gigot commissioned this article. He of criticising Democrats for deficits but never ever Republicans.)

The 'logic' goes if you have not delivered a baby you should not call yourself doctor. However this excludes most of the medical profession!  As it happens Jill Biden got herself a doctorate of education.

In my eyes writing a large thesis on a topic is much more about calling yourself a doctor than simply getting to undergraduate degrees with some topping up.

Lets face it it is all about the culture wars again.

Then we had a senate subcommittee 'examining fraud in the election but again no evidence was produced. At this stage perhaps THIS article is suffice.

I do hope Biden has a plan B as Obama did not. Perhaps there is more pressure on the Republicans to be bipartisan but I cannot see it. Indeed when some senators clearly wanting Georgia officials to stop people voting to help their two candidates in the two senate races it seems the republicans have not changed and perhaps cannot.

I am glad I live in Australia

Thursday 17 December 2020

Around the Traps 18/12/20

 It is time for Around the Traps.

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

Northern America

Europe

Asia

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman ( mainly stats)

Econometrics

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

Vox Wonk


Wednesday 16 December 2020

Nick Gruen wants/needs your help

 Nick Gruen who is both the nicest and clear thinking person on the web has written another-neoliberal-another-neoliberalism.

He wants feedback on his work so please read it and assist him if he needs it.

I am reading the whole kitten kabootle over Christmas but doubt very much I will have much to help him with.

Sunday 13 December 2020

Bowral was great

 My family went to Bowral for  a bit less than a week.

The place we stayed at was fantastic. close to shops ( woolworths serves coffee, good coffee), great cooking facilities etc.

The area was pleasant enough, plenty of walking trails if that is you fancy. It aint mine but I had the great excuse of being hit on the leg twice by the same batsman so stayed at 'home' and read the last two Dune novels. Still a good read.

The Bradman museum is excessively priced at $25 however as a CUSA umpire I got to see it for free. I also examined Bradman oval which I highly rated. The outfield was sensational.

All in all a good trip.

Got home and got the flu probably for my youngest son. Thus I had to have a covid test. What a horrible experience. Firstly they assume you have a  smart phone. not many people have their details filled out on paper!!  The test itself was terrible. They put whatever it is right down your mouth. It took about ten times until this was successful. Then down both of your nose thingys. That is horrible as well.

Then they take a lot of time until they confirm what you knew all along. you do not have it. 

Thursday 3 December 2020

Around the Traps 4/11/20

 It is time again for Around the Traps

Aussie,Aussie,Aussie,Oy,Oy,Oy

Northern America

Europe

Asia

Wonk

General

Climate

Andrew Gelman ( mainly stats)

Econometrics

Dianne Coyle ( quirky + book reviews)

  • nuttin

Vox Wonk


Wednesday 2 December 2020

Paul Fletcher is hopeless.

 Listen to Fletcher being intermewed by Patricia Karvelas.

He has no idea. 

Just to show he does not understand what journalism is Michelle Grattan outlines the 15 questions.

Oh dear the government has gone BONKERS

Tuesday 1 December 2020

Morrison is not good at Foreign Affairs

 Scott Morison is poor at Foreign Affairs and he is not helped by a hapless minister.

Let us not forget our 'problems' with China started with a very amateurish attempt to force China to say how Covid started. At no stage did Australia try to get on countries that would support such a concept. No this was an afterthought.

China has been very tough on us ever since culminating with an acknowledged troll showing a doctored image about an Australian soldier in Afghanistan.

For the recent tweet see:

Sam Roggeveen

Damien Spry

On repairing our relationship with China see Melissa Spry.

Morrison should have either ignored the tweet or perhaps merely acknowledged the amateurish application. 

Signing up to the Belt and road initiative is a good start . You do not have to use it merely sign up for it.