I hope I don’t pretend to have expertise on everything. On fracking I have none. My entirely amateur views on the subject are that the major risk appears to be pollution of aquifers. The UK seems too seismically stable for earthquakes or volcanoes to be a serious concern. I am not terribly worried about the local environmental consequences of the installations – human activity of all kinds detracts from the natural environment in a sense. This spot was doubtless a great deal more pleasing aesthetically before Dundee was built upon it. But then Dundee has a great deal more human utility.
It is also plain to me that humans are going to have to burn fossil fuels for a while yet, despite the very obvious fact that we also need to put much more energy and resource into developing renewable alternatives.
So I am not opposed to fracking in principle, which I know will upset some people. But nor can I understand the hurry. Fracking is being undertaken on a very large scale in the United States and elsewhere. Onshore fracking is not actually a new technology at all, but its widespread use is new. Given concerns especially about the effects on underground water supplies, why don’t we just wait for thirty years and see how it turns out elsewhere? That should give time for a good accumulation of evidence.
The hydrocarbons are not going anywhere – they will still be there in thirty years time and I predict will be a good deal more valuable. So my entirely unprofound, non-fundamentalist and dully pragmatic view on fracking is that there should be a thirty year moratorium. Then we can think about it.
Could be Russkies, Mike.
“Russophobia (ryss skräck) has been a constant in Swedish history. Children used to be warned that the Russians would come and get them if they didn’t behave. During the Cold War there were frequent scares about Russian submarines snooping among the islands, the biggest of which led to a full-scale diplomatic crisis in October 1981. A Soviet sub armed with nuclear weapons was grounded near Karlskrona, a Swedish naval base. The Russians claimed it had lost its way; the Swedish military suspected it was part of more widespread and implicitly hostile Soviet surveillance of the Swedish coast. Some subsequent sightings have undoubtedly been genuine, but others turned out to be mistaken. According to Ola Tunander, in The Secret War Against Sweden: US and British Submarine Deception in the 1980s (2004), many of them were set up by Britain and America to persuade the Swedes to join Nato. The Liberals, the most pro-Nato party in Sweden, are exploiting this recent incident to the same end. There was already plenty of anti-Putin feeling over Ukraine, as well as dislike of Russian authoritarianism and fears for the Baltic States.”
http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/
More on Fracking
E F Schumacher Small is Beautiful 1973
-Nature, it has been said, abhors a vacuum, and when the avail- able ‘spiritual space’ is not filled by some higher motivation, then it will necessarily be filled by something lower — by the small, mean, calculating attitude to life which is rationalised in the economic calculus.
I have no doubt that a callous attitude to the land and to the animals thereon is connected with, and symptomatic of, a great many other attitudes, such as those producing a fanaticism of rapid change and a fascination with novelties- technical, organisational, chemical, biological, and so forth -which insists on their application long before their long-term consequences are even remotely understood.
In the simple question of how we treat the land, next to people our most precious resource, our entire way of life is involved, and before our policies with regard to the land will really be changed, there will have to be a great deal of philosophical, not to say religious, change.
It is not a question of what we can afford but of what we choose to spend our money on. If we could return to a generous recognition of meta-economic values, our landscapes would become healthy and beautiful again and our people would regain the dignity of man, who knows himself as higher than the animal but never forgets that noblesse oblige.-
Islamic State has published a new video in which a jihadist shows off brand-new American hardware, which was purportedly intended for the Kurds they are fighting in the Syrian border town of Kobani.
The undated video, posted by the unofficial IS mouthpiece “a3maq news”, sees a jihadist showing several boxes of munitions with English-language markings, with a parachute spread out on the ground beside.
Although it is unclear what was the bundle shown in the video, the militant explains that “this is some of the military equipment that was dropped by American forces.
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The US claim the drop was a stray bundle, this from a country who can deliver a missile to a specific room in a specific building, who are they trying to kid.
http://rt.com/news/197988-isis-us-weapons-video/
President Barack Obama’s new ‘Ebola Czar’ Ron Klain is an enthusiastic advocate of population control who thinks that there are too many people in Africa.
Klain’s role in overseeing the United States’ response to a virus that has killed thousands of Africans and threatens to infect up to 10,000 a week by December 1st is somewhat disconcerting given his views on overpopulation.
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A bit like putting a big game hunter in charge of a safari park.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/obamas-ebola-czar-thinks-theres-too-many-people-in-africa.html
Former Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, speaking this summer at the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism, emphasized that the BDS Movement hopes to destroy Israel. He asserted that BDS supporters hoped to succeed where the Arab armies and terrorist organisations had failed. Oren stated the simple fact that the latest assault on Gaza had changed everything.
BDS has gained momentum and can no longer be ignored. He was alarmed that ‘Operation Protective Edge’ had resulted in a further delegitimization of Israel in the eyes of the world.
Oren said: “In California, port workers would not unload Israeli goods. Some places won’t deliver mail to Israel. The ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ (IAW) is ongoing.
I was called a criminal in a lecture. In Europe, millions were withdrawn from Israel … BDS wants to turn Israel into a leper state. BDS is very coordinated and is designed to undermine the security and existence of Israel.”
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(BDS) Stands for boycotts, divestment and sanctions appears to be having the desired effect, but its still a little bit to early to tell.
http://www.earth-heal.com/news/news/33-palestine/1858-tables-turned-israel-on-the-run.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EarthHeal-NewsForAnEarthInTransition+%28Earth+Heal+-+News+for+an+Earth+in+Transition%29
Nigel Farage faced fury from Jewish community leaders today after he formed a pact with a Polish MEP whose party leader has been accused of denying the Holocaust to get EU funding.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was ‘gravely concerned’ by Ukip’s deal to accept a member of the Polish Congress of the new Right (KNP) into its grouping in the European Parliament.
Robert Iwaszkiewicz’s decision to join the Eurosceptic EFDD (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy) group headed by Mr Farage means it has enough members to increase its funding and standing in the parliament.
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Interesting, plus Mr Dugher, MP, is mentioned, Habb will be pleased, as he knows all about him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2801972/jewish-fury-ukip-s-nigel-farage-forms-pact-holocaust-deniers-secure-funding-eu.html#ixzz3GprsOnUb
Good news about McDonald’s. SInce the documentary ‘Super size me{ came out, people are trending toward healthier foods. These goons have been punking us for decades with their poison fare. Oh, and thanks Putin for joining the war on McDonalds.
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/10/mcdonalds_simplify_menu.html
Even the Trade journals are whining.
https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fast-food-industry-report/
“Busy citizens still need quick meal options, and fast food restaurants are fighting these challenges with gusto. Now offering healthy choices to battle the stigma of unhealthy food, some quick service restaurants now focus on fresh or organic products. From franchises focused solely on salads or healthy wraps to the lower calorie options offered at traditional burger franchises such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s, consumers are able to make better choices…if they want!
Fast food franchises are also focusing on expanding into new product lines, such as the coffee initiative in the McCafe. Intended to offer competition to Startbucks, McDonalds is luring customers back into their stores, hoping they will purchase food as well. Many franchises have been exploring other meal times such as breakfast and the mid-afternoon snack for growth opportunities and to increase real estate utilization.
The industry is most effectively battling saturation within the United States by creating a much more diverse range of offerings. Sure, there is a McDonalds in every town, but there are very few crepe franchises…yet! From new cultural cuisines to fresh takes on a traditional story, there are many moretypes of quick service restaurants than ever before.
Poison the water with chems; poison the food to extract the greatest yield for the Board of Directors and stakeholders, poison the political atmosphere with lies and secret surveillance.
It’s all in a day’s work for corporate hooligans and their political supporters.
BEN
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I see your namesake died today, Ben Bradlee, ex-editor of the Washington Post, Bradlee, helped bring down President Nixon. Mr Bradlee was 93.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/oct/22/ben-bradlee-washington-post-editor-during-watergate-dies-aged-93
Dehumanising the disabled, from people to stock, don’t you just love Westminster terminology.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/21/cleansing-stock-doublespeak-people-killing
Ben Bradlee; one the the last great editors, RoS.
Does your hamburger have pink slime? Someone is still using it, even if they say ‘not’.
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-81093667/
They’ll do anything they can to survive, including filling you with a slurry of fat and by-products.
The snowplough driver blamed for the air crash which killed the chief executive of oil giant Total has denied being drunk at the wheel of his vehicle.
Vladimir Martynenkov’s lawyer insisted his client was not guilty of causing the air crash which killed Christophe de Margerie and three others and totally denied the ‘groundless’ accusation that Mr Martynenkov was drunk.
The denials seem to imply Mr Martynenkov believes he is being framed. After 24 hours in detention so far, he is today expected to be formally arrested, allowing investigators to question him over a longer period.
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Well, well well, now there’s a surprise….NOT!
Habb will be pleased, then again, how do you please a pedantic sophist?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2801007/controversial-ceo-oil-giant-total-killed-private-jet-plane-crash-aircraft-hit-snow-plough-moscow-airport.html
Holy fuckin shit!
The BBC have been employing RIP Act 2000 Anti-Terrrrrr Powers and techniques to catch TV licence fee evaders.
What the hell next?
Rendition,torture and MK-Ultra Zerzetzen by the BBC??
Oh…hang on…
Scary,very very scary.
Linkee ^
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2802410/bbc-lose-right-spy-licence-fee-dodgers-says-minister-sajid-javid-orders-inquiry-use-covert-operators-monitor-not-pay.html
I did and in my humble opinion the numbers would not add up.
I see your sources and methodolgy remain secret, as well as your actual hypothesis and its relevance to what I actually said.
So, pffft.
methodology.
The Israeli air force has been removed from the list of armed forces now taking part in multinational military training exercises on the Italian island of Sardinia following a campaign by anti-war activists.
During Israel’s deadly 51-day bombing campaign on Gaza in July and August, anti-militarization and Palestine solidarity groups mobilized against the military drills in general, and Israel’s participation in particular.
Palestinians in Gaza, standing in the rubble of destroyed homes, posted photographs appealing directly to Italy not to “train the pilots who bombs us.
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Oh dear it looks like they’re losing in the popularity contest, I can’t say I’m surprised.
http://electronicintifada.net/content/israel-excluded-war-games-italy-following-protests/13960?utm_source=EI+readers&utm_campaign=891c435fbc-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e802a7602d-891c435fbc-290660781
I dislike the way the perfectly good word terrestrial has been replaced with the word onshore, which actually means (or I suppose I should now say meant) something different.
@John Goss (22/10, 03:00): Nicely said mate.
Jives
It was time that the TV licence dodgers had the fear of God put up them.
To not watch TV and in consequence to not have a TV licence is one thing, to watch TV without a licence is scummy, to watch TV without a licence while bitching on about the BBC is scummier and to watch TV without a licence while bragging about it on blohs like this is scummiest.
What with advice on how to avoid paying your licence fee freely available on the internet – I seem to remember that one of the regulars on here linked to such a website recently – the authorities are in my opinion fully entitled to use whatever legislation is available in order to bring the scum to book. 🙂
RepublicOfUnthinkingHatred
“The Israeli air force has been removed from the list of armed forces now taking part in multinational military training exercises on the Italian island of Sardinia following a campaign by anti-war activists.”
(followed by paragraphs of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)
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I think you’ll find that Italy will continue to be a good friend to Israel. Tewwibly sowwy, old chap.
The CIA was out to get Nixon, because he was pressuring it to follow his orders, using his knowledge of the CIA role in the JFK assassination. The Washington Post has long been an instrument of the CIA, playing a key role in the notorious Operation Mockingbird (look it up). So the Post played a big role in bringing down Nixon over Watergate. At least he wasn’t killed, the way the last president to cross the CIA, JFK, had been.
RepublicOfWinksAndNods
“Habb will be pleased, then again, how do you please a pedantic sophist?”
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Well, you could try to please by saying “Christophe de Margerie was murdered”.
Node wasn’t afraid to say it, why are you?
Operation Mockingbird.
Mike
“Sweden recognises Palestine. Then a foreign submarine turns up off Stockholm.
I wonder where the sub is from…”
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You’re behind the curve again, Mike, and you’ll get expelled from the fraternity if you don’t sharpen up.
Haven’t you understood yet that the “submarine” is just like those “planes” on 9/11 – it’s a hologram.
Stupid boy!
Peacewisher
“In the words of Corporal Jones, “They don’t like it up ‘em!””
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Is that a reference to the Eminences on this blog?
DonnyDarksoul
Did I say that Jews introduced the Jaffa orange to Palestine?
No, I didn’t.
What I did say – and that is the truth whether you like it or not – is that Jewish settlers made the desert bloom.
Since you’re apparently interested by Jaffa oranges, here’s something from Wikipedia for your delectation. Enjoy!
“The Jews who immigrated to Palestine with the First Aliyah introduced cultivation methods that spurred the Jaffa orange industry. According to the Hope Simpson Royal Commission Report of 1930,
“The cultivation of the orange, introduced by the Arabs before the commencement of Jewish settlement, has developed to a very great extent in consequence of that settlement. There is no doubt that the pitch of perfection to which the technique of plantation and cultivation of the orange and grape-fruit have been brought in Palestine is due to the scientific methods of the Jewish agriculturist.”[10]
Packing oranges in Petah Tikva, 1938
Partnerships in growing and exporting these oranges was an example of Arab-Jewish cooperation despite rising political tensions.[11]
At the end of 1928, Jews owned 30,000 dunams of the country’s 60,000 dunams of orange orchards. Whereas before World War I, the price of a dunam of land in a fruitful orange grove was 50-75 pounds sterling, by 1929, the same groves were selling for 150-200 pounds sterling.[12]”
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And now go and eat a banana, you artful monkey.
@Ben 2:pm “Russophobia “
It was us I confess.
Ben I can confirm this.Having served in boats,we use to call them mystery trips.