Sunday 28 February 2021

Friedman V Phillips

 A fascinating but short article on this old argument. Central Banks have abandoned both policies.

Thursday 25 February 2021

Around the Traps 26/2/21

 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 24 February 2021

coal fired power stations earlier than thought closures?

 renew economy has an article on the possible early closure of coal fired power plants.

Just imagine they are too costly, less flexible and are the reason AEMO dreads black outs. Related to this is how we attempt to get our grid to be flexible enough to cope with climate change as see in THIS article.

I should mention windmills can work quite well in the cold. Steve from Brisbane has photographs to show that. They simply have to be 'winterised'


Added bonus against-the-odds-south-australia-is-a-renewable-energy-powerhouse-how-on-earth-did-they-do-it

Monday 22 February 2021

Feeling Old: Children growing up

 both my boys are now working fulltime.

My oldest chose a long route. My wife encouraged him to get into nursing. He is very good with people however this did not work out. This was his turning point. He started on nightfill. He got good at and was even offered the managers job. Absurd at his age. However the best part of the job was finding out there are bad bosses. He started studying community services at TAFE. He enjoyed the course and was offered a job following his placement. He is now very much enjoying himself and studying the degree in community services.

My youngest son got a scholarship to study accounting at UTS. In this he had two six months periods of internship where you work but do not get paid and he did do work. In one instance he flew top Rockhampton! He also did well academically. In half his subjects he gained distinctions and the other half high distinctions. He best me in all my studies!! He is now working at Korda Mentha which is where he wanted to work and I also. He has a good strategic mind and it will eventually used in this field.

Alas both will at some time move from home which I will find very hard.

The times they are a changing

Sunday 21 February 2021

I am feeling a tad guilty

 Okay I had a mild heart attack. however I was walking easily before and after the attack.

I was conscious when a stent was put in to ensure the blood goes through my heart easily. I only saw a nurse at home for a short while until it was agreed I did not need the visits. 
I was in good health. I cannot mow the grass or take out the garbage because it will put too much pressure on me so I am here at home resting and recuperating.

Thank the Lord we have Kayo and Netflix. I would go bonkers if not.

I picked up all the polls I need and it cost close to $100. Not to worry i can easily afford that.


I feel guilty because I feel too well. I will be umpiring whilst essentially on holidays although not driving for two weeks is a bummer. I can afford the pills most but but all I will be taking for the rest of my life.

What if both were not the case? 

Thursday 18 February 2021

No Around the Traps

 I do apologise but there is no around the traps this week.

for the first half of the week I was in hospital unable to access the internet. since I have been home There has been too much time involved in following up for why I was in hospital despite me thinking I am in great health!!

I fell I should comment on what occurred to Brittany Higgins.  

What happened was disgraceful.  It appears what happened after she reported this involved how to protect the Liberal party rather than helping  Miss Higgins.  This is still happening

Does anyone believe Morrison was not informed of this just before he announced an election. Just remember backgrounding is not spontaneous. It is clearly thought out before it is done.

This again is evidence that Morrison's knowledge of Christianity is very poor.

Parliament needs to introduce codes of safety for employees that work there very quickly. I would also support a credible person to investigate the whole matter. Prue Goward comes to mind.

Wednesday 17 February 2021

Texas and Energy

 I finally had time to examine what occurred in Texas.

Here are two different articles.

The economist

Peter Sinclair

the Atlantic

the New York magazine

The Week

( thanks to Steve from Brisbane for the last two)

Steve from Brisbane

New Yorker

Kruggers

So in Texas they did not think they would ever get a cold snap like they did. If only they had understood global warming they would have. for example they would have gotten wind turbines which would have worked right through most of the cold snap. However the cold snap heavily affected energy coming from fossil fuels with gas most highly affected.

Tuesday 16 February 2021

I had a heart attack

 On Saturday morning around 3 am I got up to have a drink of water.  I had a slight pain in my chest. I had this on a few occasions previously but it always went away rather quickly.

This time it did not go away. My youngest son was not amused. ( My oldest son and wife were at Blayney visiting her mother.) He told me to toughen up however I told him I wanted him to drive me to Ryde hospital.

I was ushered in and given several tests. I asked when i might go home as I was Umpiring on both days of the weekend. The nurse told me I would not be umpiring anywhere on the weekend and I was only alive because of my quick action in getting to the hospital. 

I was transported to Royal North Shore by ambulance because they had cardiologists.

It was a mild heart attack but only because I got to the hospital quickly.

I now have to take various pills for the rest of my life and change  my lifestyle somewhat.

I am now home but taking things rather easily.

Thursday 11 February 2021

Around the Traps 12/2/21

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

Monday 8 February 2021

The Republicans confirm they are nuts.

 Two recent developments show republicans in a very poor light.

They have a complete nutter  as a member of congress from Georgia. I am talking about Majorie Taylor-Greene. a Qanon supporter and more. 

Then we have Lynne  Cheney who voted to impeach Trump. Guess which one was asked to apologise for her action and was reprimanded.  you guessed it Lynne Cheney.  Well most of them are so stupid they believe voter fraud led to Biden's election

The republicans should be very wary. They are travelling very fast down the road to which Corbyn and his followers led the British Labor party.

What is going on? Noah Smith has a theory vie Steve from Brisbane

Sunday 7 February 2021

US voter Fraud

 Master Statman Andrew Gelman allows us to not only read a paper that refutes voter fraud occurred in their last presidential election.

Read both articles and the comments both at the hoover Institute and and Andrews's site. The question is why are some people soooo STUPID.

Thursday 4 February 2021

Around the Traps 5/2/21

 It is time for Around the Traps again.

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 3 February 2021

some TV Shows

 I need some light relief.

Here are some TV shows I have watched.

The Good Doctor

The new season started here is Sydanee and the two part episode was an absolute bewdy. It was all about Covid. It showed how it affects, doctors, patients, close fiends and relationships when working from home.

I will be interested to see if the second part is as good as the first part. I have to say I do think this series is near its end.  A series based on a surgeon who is autistic and has savant syndrome is always lookibng shaky as a 'long term' series.

Brooklyn 99

I only got onto this very recently courtesy of my two sons and I cannot let it go. If you do not have netflix then forget it. Think of the Office only in a police department. Like the Office ( US edition) it is funny which is unusual for a yank comedy.. I am only at season 2 but simply cannot stop watching it. 

Wild Bill

I watched the first episode and was indifferent. That is it wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. Rob Lowe stars as a highly educated Yank who comes to England to head up one of its regional police units. I wil be watching the series to see how it goes.

Tuesday 2 February 2021

Albo and a new poll

 I read here and there about people in the ALP caucus are worried about Albo's leadership.

He is not cutting through I read. Okay what is this based on. not the polls which has shown a very close contest. Here is Kevin Bonham on the latest Newspoll.

Now let us take a step backward. The polls got it horribly wrong on the last election. I have written quite a few articles on this. no-one but no-one knows why the last election was won or lost. We do know those on high incomes and retired swung to the ALP and those on low incomes but retired did the opposite.

We are now walking blind. no polling organisation has come up with an acceptable explanation of why they got it wrong and thus how they will overcome this HUGE problem.

The polls thus far since the election have shown a close contest. HOWEVER this means we  cannot trust their results because of what occurred in the last election.

It makes sense it is hard for an Opposition to gain headway in these times of the covid pandemic.


what are these people in the Oppositions on about. what metrics are they using?

Monday 1 February 2021

The Myanmar military ape Trump

 The Military thugs in Myanmar have seized power in a coup.

See HERE or HERE and HERE.

Their excuse comes right out of the Trump playbook. Massive fraud was involved but of course no evidence was proffered.

I did warn of this. when someone of limited intelligence abut with a great thirst for power cannot win an election and makes absurd claims of fraud those would be dictators would copy these arguments.

They now have