Alternative alternatives

Distilling for Blessed Gaia.

Scottish distilleries in Speyside announce that beginning in 2013 they'll be using residuals from whisky distilling as a sustainable fuel.

It always warms my heart to see innovators finding ways to come up with fuels to meet our growing energy needs–especially sustainable fuels.  In the spirit of helpful helpfulness, I'd like put forward my own small list of sustainable fuels that I've discovered are cheap, efficient, clean if properly used, and abundant enough to last us for the millennia, which is a pretty good definition of "sustainable".  The fuels are:

• Oil
• Natural gas
• Coal
• Uranium
• Thorium

With all this, it's curious that Scotland is taking such a retrograde step of going back to the equivalent of peat burning.  Come on, you Hibernians, and join the rest of us in the 21st century.  You helped create the Industrial Revolution, why not enjoy it's benefits?

(Yes, I am being sarcastic.  If the distilleries were presenting this as a practical way to turn rubbish into cash, like the old-fashioned wheeze of feeding spent mash to pigs, I'd have no objections, but this endless stream of "alternatives" that are nothing but expensive, pointless "green" gestures strikes me as pure waste–the unrecyclable kind.)

Cosmos Part 6: Traveler's Tales

I was wondering

Scientists discover how hummingbird tongues work.

Why do I get the impression that most science these days is actually a series of thinly disguised barroom bets?

The death of Bin Laden: The classical take

Not so much Hannibal as Nero–maybe not even that.

What's a Malthusian to do?

The "Green" movement is intellectually bankrupt and pushes hopelessly flawed policies?  Who says this?  Mr George Monbiot of the Guardian, who has the integrity to admit when reality hits him in the face with a shovel.

Monbiot gets it, and furthermore concedes one of the main arguments of the anti-green case. The ‘problem’ is not a shortage of carbon rich non-renewable futures. The problem is the abundance of these fuels. We are not running out of hydrocarbons; shale natural gas, tar sands and coal offer enormous reserves that can cover our needs for the foreseeable future. We have an abundance of fossil fuel. Moreover, it seems likely that for a very long time to come, fossil fuels will be substantially cheaper and more abundant that expensive renewables. (One should also note that these new fuel sources are found in places like Canada and the United States rather than Saudi Arabia and Iran.) 

More, Monbiot also acknowledges the contradictory and inconsistent nature of the green solutions. He acknowledges that there is no prospect for democratic politics to impose the draconian limits on consumption and economic activity that green dogma requires. Every ‘solution’ the greens have come up with has a fatal flaw of some kind; none of it works, none of it makes any sense. 

 In other news, the Sun wanders out of its path across the heavens, left-wingers denounce the welfare state, and ice fishing season opens in Hell.

AIDA 2.0

Look at all that data right in front of me.  I've never seen so much on a nav dis...LOOK OUT!  BAM!

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder

France lifts its 96 year ban on absinthe.  Long famed and condemned for its alleged mind-altering qualities, the anise-flavoured spirit is once again allowed for sale in the Republic.

I had chance to try a bottle of the "green fairy" that a friend had smuggled in from Czechoslovakia in the '80s and my verdict is that while it compares favourably with Pernod, it lacks in mind-altering ability when stacked against a few pints of Stingo and IPA.

Fissure

A play about a brain tumour that involves tramping around in the Yorkshire Dales in the rain for two days while two women prance about singing and mugging–and all so the playwright can work through her "issues".

No wonder no one goes to the theatre these days.

Atomic planes

Dark Roasted Blend looks at atomic aeroplanes.

And it wasn't confined to plastic models either.

Twenty-two minutes late. Escaped puma; Chessington North

From the BBC:

Train passengers in Argentina furious about delays to their journeys have set fire to three commuter trains.

Witnesses report Reginald Perrin seen fleeing the scene.

Living Roof

Behold Nau's Living Roof: "A self-sustaining rooftop capsule".  It's unusual feature is that instead of having separate rooms, itrotates so that the one room becomes a lounge, bedroom or office.  It's an interesting design, though I can see some dissatisfaction as the tenants are subjected to periodic rains of paperclips, crisp wrappers, socks, and tea mugs.

I don't even want to think about what the loo is like.

President Hindmost?

Obama: Intent or just angry at being there?

Was Mr Barack Hussein Obama suddenly revealed on Sunday as the decisive Commander in Chief who made the call to take out Bin Laden? Possibly not, according to this report.  In fact, Mr Obama may not even have known that the operation was underway until he was literally hauled off the golf course:

What happened from there is what was described by me as a “masterful manipulation” by Leon Panetta.  Panetta indicated to Obama that leaks regarding knowledge of Osama Bin Laden’s location were certain to get out sooner rather than later, and action must be taken by the administration or the public backlash to the president’s inaction would be “…significant to the point of political debilitation.”  It was at that time that Obama stated an on-ground campaign would be far more acceptable to him than a bombing raid.  This was intended as a stalling tactic, and it had originated from Jarrett.  Such a campaign would take both time, and present a far greater risk of failure.  The president had been instructed by Jarrett to inform Mr., Panetta that he would have sole discretion to act against the Osama Bin Laden compound.  Jarrett believed this would further delay Panetta from acting, as the responsibility for failure would then fall almost entirely on him.  What Valerie Jarrett, and the president, did not know is that Leon Panetta had already initiated a program that reported to him –and only him, involving a covert on the ground attack against the compound.  Basically, the whole damn operation was already ready to go – including the specific team support Intel necessary to engage the enemy within hours of being given notice.  Panetta then made plans to proceed with an on-ground assault. This information reached either Hillary Clinton or Robert Gates first (likely via military contacts directly associated with the impending mission) who then informed the other.  Those two then met with Panetta, who informed each of them he had been given the authority by the president to proceed with a mission if the opportunity presented itself.  Both Gates and Clinton warned Panetta of the implications of that authority – namely he was possibly being made into a scapegoat.  Panetta admitted that possibility, but felt the opportunity to get Bin Laden outweighed that risk.  During that meeting, Hillary Clinton was first to pledge her full support for Panetta, indicating she would defend him if necessary.  Similar support was then followed by Gates.  The following day, and with Panetta’s permission, Clinton met in private with Bill Daley and urged him to get the president’s full and open approval of the Panetta plan.  Daley agreed such approval would be of great benefit to the action, and instructed Clinton to delay proceeding until he had secured that approval.  Daley contacted Clinton within hours of their meeting indicating Jarrett refused to allow the president to give that approval.  Daley then informed Clinton that he too would fully support Panetta in his actions, even if it meant disclosing the president’s indecision to the American public should that action fail to produce a successful conclusion.  Clinton took that message back to Panetta and the CIA director initiated the 48 hour engagement order.  At this point, the President of the United States was not informed of the engagement order – it did not originate from him, and for several hours after the order had been given and the special ops forces were preparing for action into Pakistan from their position in Afghanistan, Daley successfully kept Obama and Jarrett insulated from that order.

...

President Obama was literally pulled from a golf outing and escorted back to the White House to be informed of the mission. Upon his arrival there was a briefing held which included Bill Daley, John Brennan, and a high ranking member of the military. When Obama emerged from the briefing, he was described as looking “very confused and uncertain.” The president was then placed in the situation room where several of the players in this event had already been watching the operation unfold. Another interesting tidbit regarding this is that the Vice President was already “up to speed” on the operation. A source indicated they believe Hillary Clinton had personally made certain the Vice President was made aware of that day’s events before the president was. The now famous photo released shows the particulars of that of that room and its occupants. What that photo does not communicate directly is that the military personnel present in that room during the operation unfolding, deferred to either Hillary Clinton or Robert Gates. The president’s role was minimal, including their acknowledging of his presence in the room.

Read the whole thing.  If true, it's not surprising.  I never did think that Mr Obama was Prince Hal waiting to prove himself.

Update:  Instapundit has the best take on this: Take it with grain of salt for now.

Update: The Wikileaks angle.

Update: Sixteen hours to make a decision.

Update: The gang that could shoot straight... but not much else.

Ecotoy

"Gee, Brenda, oil shale extraction looks a lot more fun now."

Yanko Design (The DREADCO of the design world) hits the bulls-eye with the Ecotoy; the child's plaything that runs on "green" energy via built in solar panels, wind turbines and roller-powered generators.

This thing is bloody brilliant.  It's preachy, self-righteous, self-indulgent and exhibits so little interest in what the child's wants that the description doesn't bother to reveal what the toy actually does.  Put this under the Christmas tree and your budding little worshiper of Blessed Gaia will get an all-in-one lesson in how environmentalists are fatuous social engineers and hands-on experience of what a load of utter rubbish "green" energy is.  One afternoon of playing with this and they'll be designing modular thorium pebble reactors in their copybooks come tea time. 

Bravo, Yanko!

Update: I'd also recommend installing Loowatt, but I'd fear that the lesson learned about the value of proper plumbing would be outweighed by the years of therapy required to counteract improper potty training.

HMS Ark Royal saved!

Um... The name's saved, anyway.  The way things are going the name will be all that's left of the Royal Navy, too.

Not a trend, but an attitude

Cause and effect

Victor Davis Hanson looks at the decline of America and emphasises once again that it's a choice, not fate.

One point that I've noticed is that this "decline" talk only started after 20 January 2009.  I wonder what event that coincides with"?

General Patton comments on Bin Laden

Carrier con game?

Defence policy

Was the decision to build the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers a deliberate con to get the British people to cut their own throats on the altar of the European Empire?  Worse, a con that was perpetrated by both the Tory and New Labour governments?  One that will make Britain literally and deliberately a province and a vassal state?

I'm of two minds on this.  On the one hand, it means that the Political Class is so out of control that nothing short of revolution will bring them to heel.  On the other hand, at least it would show that they're good at something.   Even if it is committing treason.

A race against a stroll

Red China, feeling its oats, boasts of putting a space station into orbit as proof of their emerging superpower status.  Meanwhile, Bigelow Aerospace plans to build a larger station at lower cost and most likely sooner.

The lesson: Red China is not only forty years behind the times, but for their "superpower" bid they're in a space race against a hotel.

Or the Isle of Man.

Talking of Tomorrow

Osama Bin Laden killed by US forces

Sleep well, monster.

According to the Voice of America, the White House announced that Osama Bin Laden is dead; killed by US forces operating in Pakistan.

We've been down this road before, so I'm waiting for the DNA tests.  If true, it's great news that one of the most evil men of this century has received justice and now discovers that instead of a reward of 72 virgins he stands before his Maker for final judgement.  But to keep things in perspective, he was only one head of the Jihadist hydra and hasn't been much of a player since he fled Tora Bora on a donkey.

If true, this a great victory, but it's one battle in one campaign, not the war.

Update:  Identity confirmed by DNA.  A hearty well done to the men and women of the US military.  You've earned your pay and them some today.

Update: Alleged Photo evidence.

Update: Victor Davis Hanson's take.  I agree that it's a good thing we didn't take him alive.  And about the question of whether he was hiding in plain sight.

Update: Are they mad?  Screw Islamic tradition.  This swine deserves the same respect as a cockroach.  Hold on to the body as long as we need it then wrap it in bacon, cremate it at an undisclosed location, and then secretly use the ashes as mortar to build a synagogue.

Update: An apt and uncompromising take.

Update: How ABC News described Osama Bin Room Temperature in a photo caption:

Exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden is shown in Afghanistan, in this April 1998 file photo.

Dissident?  That's like calling Ebola a mild rash. And when did hiding from justice become "exile"?

Update: The analysis begins:  High risks, human intelligence, and the Peace Prize President embraces assassination.

Update: The Guantanamo connection.  I guess they weren't all innocent goat herders scooped up out of pure sadism after all.

Update: Best headline yet:

Shot in the Head Heard Round the World

Update:  The "me" factor.

Update: Worst quote of the day:

We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

Update: The"me" factor and bad timing.

Update: And this:

Any joy one might feel in the intelligence of our analysts and the bravery of our door kickers was significantly diminished by Obama’s malignant narcissism. The first part of the announcement, evoking 9/11, was vulgarly overwritten as per Obama’s view of himself as some kind of gifted orator. The adjective bloated compote was unworthy of the subject, banal and self-indulgent.

Update: Some people aren't happy.

Update: Protected by Pakistan?

Update:  Osama Bin And Gone died hiding behind a woman.  Not surprised.

Update: Trap or haven: Which side is Pakistan on?

Update: Something very Roman, though I'm not sure the MSM double standard is.

Update:  It's not "Who is the enemy", but "Who is our enemy's enemy"?

Update:  Apparently, the use of special forces was Mr Barack Hussein Obama's idea:

If so, my opinion of the man just rose a notch.

Update: Death of the Caliphate fantasy?  I doubt it, but one can hope.

Update: Speculation.

Update: Time for a shave.