Around the time I began kindergarten my family moved just beyond the edge of Idaho Falls. Our new house was an island among red barns and potato fields. Long-tailed pheasants strutted along the barbed wire fence separating our yard and the grain field that stretched for a mile beyond.
Despite our commitment to country life, I realize now, we never fully fit in with the farm kids. Our overalls were bright blue new, ironed after each wash and free of patches.
Green Acres was a favorite television sitcom. Ironically, we had no clue how near perfect the satire was. The entire Carr clan was the real-life-innocently-out-of-step Oliver Wendell Douglas. We attacked country life with a kind of naïve vigor. My little brother even raised a pig that lived in a doghouse in the back yard. You guessed it—he christened the farm animal "Arnold." I'm not making this up.
Naming the pig was a mistake, one a true farmer doesn't make. We ate Arnold. That's what country folk do. The idea was tough to swallow. So Mom would disguise Arnold as chicken, whether dinner was pork roast, pork chops or bacon. Being the older brother, I knew better and played along with the charade but would scrape the "chicken" from my plate to the dog when Mom's back was turned. It pained me to ask one pet to snack on another, but I just couldn't eat Arnold.


text:
Is it worthwhile to have an utility trailer?
In many circumstances, an average light-duty car is not enought in matter of cargo volume without compromises to the passenger space, but not everybody is willing to get a truck or could afford to deal with its higher operational cost to be used only a few times at its full capabilities (or at least closer to that).
Then, an utility trailer can be considered a viable alternative to deal with unfrequent hauling needs due to its versatility, but it's important to also consider its effects over the handling and the maintenance cost. It's not unusual for trailers with a gross weight until 700kg to not feature brakes, and to be fitted with live-axle leaf-spring suspension (often without shocks) and small 13" tyres, cheaper to replace that truck tyres.
Even considering the cost of the tyres for both the trailer and a compact car, it can remain cheaper than a set of 4 truck tyres.
Utility trailers, altough not classified as a vehicle, are usually required to have their own title and license plate.
Another favorable argument to an utility trailer is when the load can damage the pickup bed. It's particularly more critical in a modern coupé-utility, such as the Chevrolet Tornado/Montana/Opel Corsa Utility, which unibody layout makes harder to replace the body panels without compromising the structural integrity.
It's also important to consider the extra loads over the pulling vehicle's stock brakes, engine and driveline. Common-sense is recommended to ensure the trailer wouldn't compromise too much the overall safety and the durability of the vehicle, which could turn the budget aspect less favorable.
When it starts to become overkill, the problem is deeper than the anticipated replacement of tyres and brake pads, even the transmission can be severely damaged in a light-duty vehicle depending on the trailer's gross weight and the terrain conditions. A bloke who sells fresh coconut water at one of the parks of my hometown told me he once ruined the transmission of a Fiat Uno hauling coconuts with a trailer, since it had to retain lower gears with the engine at higher revvings for longer periods due to the excessive load...
So, as long as the limitations of the towing vehicle are respected, an utility trailer can be a cost-effective way to conciliate hauling capacity with money savings that a truck couldn't provide.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Cookie not memorize the right value of variable in c# In code-behind of my aspx page I create this cookie:
cookieidUserArea = new HttpCookie("idUserArea");
cookieidUserArea.Expires = DateTime.Now.AddMinutes(15);
cookieidUserArea.Values.Add("", idUserArea.ToString());
Response.Cookies.Add(cookieidUserArea);

To display the value of the variable stored in the cookie I used:
Response.Write(Request.Cookies["idUserArea"].Value + "<br />");

The value memorized in cookie it should be :
AA40

instead I have
=AA40

the presence of the symbol = in the cookie memorized produce problems in the application in the following steps.
I have tried this Replace without success:
cookieidUserArea.Values.Add("", idUserArea.ToString().Replace("=", ""));

Anybody know how can I resolve do this?
Can you suggest?
Can you help me?
Thank you in advance.

A: That is because you use multi-value cookie. I suppose you want to use it like this instead:
cookieidUserArea.Value = idUserArea.ToString();

Alternatively you can retrieve the value like:
Request.Cookies["idUserArea"].Values[""]

Bottom line - don't mix single value and multi-value approach.

A: As said before if you want to store just one value you can pass it n the constructor of the cookie, something like that:
cookieidUserArea = new HttpCookie("idUserArea",idUserArea.ToString());
cookieidUserArea.Expires = DateTime.Now.AddMinutes(15);
Response.Cookies.Add(cookieidUserArea);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Practical Fire Safety Guidance for existing Specialised Housing and other supported domestic accommodation
SpecialisedHousing2019@gov.scot
Feedback updated 12 Feb 2020
Following the fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, the Scottish Government Ministerial Working Group (MWG) on Building and Fire Safety commissioned three reviews, including the Review of the Fire Safety Regime in Scotland for High Rise Domestic Property. Whilst the review concluded there were no gaps in legislation, it made Recommendations to strengthen fire safety in high rise domestic properties and to introduce Scottish guidance concerning "Fire safety in specialised housing".
A public consultation ran from 31 July – 22 October 2019 to gather information and views on draft Guidance. This helped shape and improve the content.
The Scottish Government Fire and Rescue Unit also engaged with key groups in a number of consultation events throughout the summer of 2019 to discuss the key elements, promote participation in the consultation and to seek early views to help shape the structure and content of the Guidance.
The consultation received responses from a total of 38 respondent organisations. The responses came from local authority housing providers (8), Housing associations (6), Care and support providers (1), Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (1), Advice agencies (15), Consultants/contractors carrying out fire safety risk assessments (2) and people with views on the subject, including those with relatives living in Specialised Housing (3), Managing agents or facilities managers (1). Independent/private sector housing providers (1). No residents or tenants responded to the consultation.
Based on the consultation responses, the Guidance has been welcomed by stakeholders and interested parties. It was acknowledged that there is a need for enhanced fire safety measures for many in Specialised Housing, due to the vulnerability of some residents.
Most comments sought further clarification e.g. on the types of dwellings in scope or to use less technical language. Further editorial suggestions included providing weblinks to relevant legislation and a succinct description of landlord/housing provider responsibilities. Some professional bodies made specific suggestions for changes or additions to the technical content.
Similarly, participants in the consultation events welcomed the introduction of the Guidance and of the person-centred and premises based approaches. Issues raised included:
presentational format of the Guidance.
clarity with regard to fire safety responsibilities between multiple organisations.
scope of the Guidance ie. range of premises covered .
impacts on budgets.
We published an analysis of the consultation responses on 30 January 2020.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/consultation-practical-fire-safety-guidance-existing-specialised-housing-similar-premises-analysis-responses/
Based on feedback from the consultation, the following revisions were made to the Guidance:
Redrafted Introduction with clarified Purpose and Scope.
Restructure of the Guidance to place person-centred guidance at the beginning of the document to allow easy reference for non-specialists.
Simplification of the language used, wherever possible.
Further detail on how responsibilities and funding for fire safety should be managed between multiple organisations.
Additional information on a range of fire safety issues .
Improved links to other fire safety guidance, related information and legislation.
What is this consultation about?
The Scottish Government is gathering views on draft Fire Safety Guidance for Specialised Housing (and other supported domestic accommodation). We will use the responses to further develop and refine the guidance.
The Guidance has been drafted to deliver on the sixth recommendation from the Review of the Fire Safety Regime for High Rise Domestic Buildings in Scotland. The Review's other recommendations relate to fire safety in high rise domestic buildings and were agreed by the Scottish Government Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety that was set up following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower. The sixth recommendation "Introduction of Scottish guidance concerning Fire safety in specialised housing" is not specific to high rise domestic buildings but also agreed by the Ministerial Working Group.
Why Specialised Housing and supported domestic accommodation?
The Scottish fire regime review found there are no major gaps in the Scottish legislation but it did identify a lack of guidance related to the consideration of the needs of vulnerable people. It advocated a "person-centred" approach to meet the needs of all individuals that may need additional help in terms of fire safety.
What is Specialised Housing and what else does the guidance apply to?
Most specialised housing is provided for older people, who, with advancing age, may require a degree of care and support. This includes sheltered and very sheltered or extra-care housing. Other forms of specialised housing have evolved for people with specific needs, including housing for adults with physical, sensory, mental health or cognitive impairments who live, to varying degrees, independently within the community in group home environments. In some cases, such residents may require significant care and support (known collectively as "supported housing").
It is also recognised that some people will be receiving home care services in what might be referred to as "general needs" housing. Therefore, the guidance has been drafted with a "person-centred" approach and aims to meet the needs of all individuals that may need additional help in terms of fire safety in the home. The guidance is also applicable to very small, domestic care homes, akin to supported housing.
Who is this consultation for?
The Guidance is primarily to be used by people that provide the housing or care/support services, and those regulators who ensure resident and tenant safety is adequately addressed. However, everyone who lives in specialised housing (or other supported domestic accommodation) and those with fire safety responsibilities are encouraged to respond to the consultation. This includes:
Residents / tenants
Independent/private sector housing providers
Housing associations
Local authority housing providers
Managing agents or facilities managers
Care and support providers
Local authority service commissioners
Enforcement Officers in local housing authorities
Enforcement Officers and Community Safety staff of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Advice agencies
Consultants/contractors carrying out fire safety risk assessments
Other people with responsibility for Fire Safety
Anyone else with views including relatives of people who live in specialised housing
We would very much like your thoughts and comments on the draft Practical Fire Safety Guidance for existing Specialised Housing (and other supported domestic accommodation) (the Guidance). It is intended to provide consistent, easily accessible fire safety guidance.
For most domestic premises to which the guidance applies, it is 'good practice' advice and not a legal requirement. The Guidance gives further information on those domestic type premises to which fire safety law does apply for example, small, domestic care homes, licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation and some other forms of supported housing.
While there are no plans to extend the range of premises covered by fire safety legislation, we will consider making it a legal requirement if further support is needed. This will be done in part by monitoring and evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the Guidance.
Read the consultation paper.
Who is the Guidance for?
The Guidance can help everyone to be clear on what is needed for fire safety in specialised housing and other supported domestic accommodation. This includes premises that are council, housing association or privately owned/rented. It is primarily to be used by people that provide the housing or care/support services, and those regulators who ensure resident and tenant safety is adequately addressed.
Please read the Fire Safety Guidance before answering the questions in this section. They ask about the Purpose, Clarity and Implementation of the Guidance. The findings from the consultation will improve the Guidance and inform implementation.
We will analyse the responses and these will help to refine and develop the guidance document.
Equality, Welfare and Rights


text:
jQuery.noConflict();
jQuery(document).foundation();
jQuery(document).ready(function(jQuery){
    "use strict";
    /*Layer slider trigger*/
    jQuery("#layerslider").layerSlider({
        responsive: false,
        responsiveUnder: 1280,
        layersContainer: 1280,
        skin: 'noskin',
        hoverPrevNext: false,
        skinsPath: '../layerslider/skins/'
    });
    //login register click
    jQuery(".loginReg").on("click", function(e){
        e.preventDefault();
        jQuery(this).next().slideToggle();
        jQuery(this).toggleClass("active");
    });

    //search bar
    jQuery(".search").on("click", function(){
        if(jQuery(this).children().hasClass("fa-search")){
            jQuery(this).children().removeClass("fa-search");
            jQuery(this).children().addClass("fa-times");
        }else{
            jQuery(this).children().removeClass("fa-times");
            jQuery(this).children().addClass("fa-search");
        }
        jQuery(this).toggleClass("search-active");
        jQuery("#search-bar").slideToggle();

    });

     //Premium carousel
    jQuery('.owl-carousel').each(function(){
        var owl = jQuery(this);
        jQuery(".prev").on('click', function () {
            jQuery(this).parent().parent().parent().parent().next().trigger('prev.owl.carousel');
        });

        jQuery(".next").on('click', function () {
            jQuery(this).parent().parent().parent().parent().next().trigger('next.owl.carousel');
        });
        var loopLength = owl.data('car-length');
        var divLength = jQuery(this).find("div.item").length;
        if(divLength > loopLength){
            owl.owlCarousel({
                dots : owl.data("dots"),
                items: owl.data("items"),
                slideBy : owl.data("slideby"),
                center : owl.data("center"),
                loop : owl.data("loop"),
                margin : owl.data("margin"),
                nav : owl.data("nav"),
                autoplay : owl.data("autoplay"),
                autoplayTimeout : owl.data("autoplay-timeout"),
                autoWidth:owl.data("auto-width"),
                autoHeight:owl.data("auto-Height"),
                merge: owl.data("merge"),
                responsive:{
                    0:{
                        items:owl.data("responsive-small"),
                        nav:false
                    },
                    600:{
                        items:owl.data("responsive-medium"),
                        nav:false
                    },
                    1000:{
                        items:owl.data("responsive-large"),
                        nav:false
                    },
                    1900:{
                        items:owl.data("responsive-xlarge"),
                        nav:false
                    }
                }
            });

        }else{
            owl.owlCarousel({
                dots : false,
                items: owl.data("items"),
                loop: false,
                margin: owl.data("margin"),
                autoplay:false,
                autoplayHoverPause:true,
                responsiveClass:true,
                autoWidth:owl.data("auto-width"),
                autoHeight:owl.data("auto-Height"),
            });
        }
    });

    //grid system
    jQuery(".grid-system > a").on("click", function(event){
        event.preventDefault();
        var selector = jQuery(this).parent().parent().next().find('div.item');
        var classStr = jQuery(selector).attr('class'),
            lastClass = classStr.substr( classStr.lastIndexOf(' ') + 1);
        jQuery(selector)
        // Remove last class
            .removeClass(lastClass)
            // Put back .item class + the clicked elements class with the added prefix "group-item-".
            .addClass('item group-item-' + jQuery(this).attr('class') );
        if(jQuery(this).hasClass("current")!== true)
        {
            jQuery('.grid-system > a').removeClass("current");
            jQuery(this) .addClass("current");
        }
    });

    //back to top
    var backtotop = '#back-to-top';
    if (jQuery(backtotop).length) {
        var scrollTrigger = 100, // px
            backToTop = function () {
                var scrollTop = jQuery(window).scrollTop();
                if (scrollTop > scrollTrigger) {
                    jQuery(backtotop).addClass('show');
                } else {
                    jQuery(backtotop).removeClass('show');
                }
            };
        backToTop();
        jQuery(window).on('scroll', function () {
            backToTop();
        });
        jQuery('#back-to-top').on('click', function (e) {
            e.preventDefault();
            jQuery('html,body').animate({
                scrollTop: 0
            }, 700);
        });
    }
    //newsTicker
    jQuery('#newsBar').inewsticker({
        speed       : 2500,
        effect      : 'fade',
        dir         : 'ltr',
        font_size   : 13,
        color       : '#fff',
        font_family : 'arial',
        delay_after : 1000
    });

    //show more and less
    jQuery('.showmore_one').showMore({
        speedDown: 300,
        speedUp: 300,
        height: '165px',
        showText: 'Show more',
        hideText: 'Show less'
    });

    jQuery(".reply").each(function(){
        if(jQuery(this).parent().next().length > 0){
            jQuery(this).html('Hide replies ');
        }
    });
    //comments reply hide show
    jQuery(".reply").on('click', function(){
       if(jQuery(this).parent().next().length > 0){
           jQuery(this).parent().nextAll().slideToggle();
           //jQuery(this).html(jQuery(this).text() === 'Hide replies' ? 'Show replies' : 'Hide replies');
           if(jQuery(this).hasClass('hide-reply')){
               jQuery(this).removeClass('hide-reply');
               jQuery(this).html('show replies ');
           }else {
               jQuery(this).addClass('hide-reply');
               jQuery(this).html('Hide replies ');
           }
       }
    });

    //register form
    jQuery( "div.social-login" ).mouseenter(function() {
        jQuery("i.arrow-left").addClass("active");
    })
    .mouseleave(function() {
        jQuery("i.arrow-left").removeClass("active");
    });
    jQuery( "div.register-form" ).mouseenter(function() {
            jQuery("i.arrow-right").addClass("active");
        })
        .mouseleave(function() {
            jQuery("i.arrow-right").removeClass("active");
        });

    //vertical thumb slider
    var thumb = jQuery('.thumb-slider .thumbs').find('.ver-thumbnail');
    jQuery(thumb).on('click', function(){
        var id = jQuery(this).attr('id');
        //alert(id);
        jQuery('.image').eq(0).show();
        jQuery('.image').hide();
        jQuery('.'+id).fadeIn();
    });
    var $par = jQuery('.thumb-slider .thumbs .thumbnails').scrollTop(0);
    jQuery('.thumb-slider .thumbs a').click(function( e ) {
        e.preventDefault();                      // Prevent defautl Anchors behavior
        var n = jQuery(this).hasClass("down") ? "+=200" : "-=200"; // Direction
        $par.animate({scrollTop: n});
    });

    //tab panel
    jQuery('[data-tab]').on('click', function (e) {
        jQuery(this).addClass('active').siblings('[data-tab]').removeClass('active');
        jQuery(this).siblings('[data-content=' + jQuery(this).data('tab') + ']').addClass('active').siblings('[data-content]').removeClass('active');
        e.preventDefault();
    });

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Почему вылетает NullPointerException при использовании do while? Задача сохранить в файл все ссылки в указанном URL. Во время чтения через BufferedReader вылетает NullPointerException при использовании цикла do while в строке if (buffer.indexOf ("<a ")> 0) } ,а при использовании for все работает, хотя по идее оба цикла выполняют одно и то же. Подскажите почему так. Ранее без проблем использовал как один, так и другой цикл.
Вылетает:
  public static void getLinks(String link, String file) {

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

    try {
        URL url = new URL(link);
        HttpURLConnection connect = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();

        BufferedReader input = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(connect.getInputStream()));
        String buffer = "";
        String text = "";

        do {
            buffer = input.readLine();

            if (buffer.indexOf("<a ") > 0) { // NullPointerException
                if (buffer.indexOf("</a") > 0) {
                    sb.append(buffer.substring(buffer.indexOf("<a "), buffer.indexOf("</a") + 4))
                            .append(System.lineSeparator());
                    text = "";
                } else {
                    text = buffer.substring(buffer.indexOf("<a "));
                }
            } else if (text.length() > 0) {
                if (buffer.indexOf("</a") > 0) {
                    sb.append(text).append(text + buffer.substring(1, buffer.indexOf("</a") + 4))
                            .append(System.lineSeparator());
                    text = "";
                } else {
                    text += buffer;
                }
            }
        } while (buffer != null);

    } catch (IOException e) {
        System.out.println(e);
    }

    try (ObjectOutputStream links = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(file))) {
        links.writeObject(sb.toString());
        System.out.println("File " + file + " was saved!");
    } catch (IOException e) {
        System.out.println("Error save file!");
    }
}

Работает:
public static void getLinks(String link, String file) {

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

    try {
        URL url = new URL(link);
        HttpURLConnection connect = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();

        BufferedReader input = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(connect.getInputStream()));
        String buffer = "";
        String text = "";

        for (; (buffer = input.readLine()) != null;) { // работает

            if (buffer.indexOf("<a ") > 0) {
                if (buffer.indexOf("</a") > 0) {
                    sb.append(buffer.substring(buffer.indexOf("<a "), buffer.indexOf("</a") + 4))
                            .append(System.lineSeparator());
                    text = "";
                } else {
                    text = buffer.substring(buffer.indexOf("<a "));
                }
            } else if (text.length() > 0) {
                if (buffer.indexOf("</a") > 0) {
                    sb.append(text).append(text + buffer.substring(1, buffer.indexOf("</a") + 4))
                            .append(System.lineSeparator());
                    text = "";
                } else {
                    text += buffer;
                }
            }
        }
    } catch (IOException e) {
        System.out.println(e);
    }

    try (ObjectOutputStream links = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(file))) {
        links.writeObject(sb.toString());
        System.out.println("File " + file + " was saved!");
    } catch (IOException e) {
        System.out.println("Error save file!");
    }
}

A: Ваш do-while работает не так же, как for: в for перед каждой итерацией проверяется, что считанный buffer не равен null. В do-while же эта проверка происходит после того, как buffer уже был использован, и, по сути, поэтому проверка лишена смысла, так как если buffer равен null, то об этом станет известно уже в строке if (buffer.indexOf("<a ") > 0) про проброшенному NullPointerException, и до while дело не дойдёт.
Имеет смысл do-while заменить на while:
while ((buffer = input.readLine()) != null)

При использовании Java 8 можно пройтись по всем строкам с использованием for-each.
Например, так:
Stream<String> stream = input.lines();
for (String buffer : (Iterable<String>)stream::iterator) { ... }

Или хотя бы так:
for (String buffer : input.lines().collect(Collectors.toList())) { ... }

A: Построчное чтение файла предполагает чтение строки и проверку на каждой итерации:
while (true) {
  buffer = input.readLine();
  if (buffer == null) break;
  // ...
}

Или:
do {
  buffer = input.readLine();
  // buffer может быть null здесь, поэтому обязательна проверка:
  if (buffer == null) break;
  // ...
} while (buffer != null); // Из-за проверки выше, проверка здесь не имеет смысла. Выражение всегда true

Как верно заметил @Regent, этот код также можно записать как:
while ((buffer = input.readLine()) != null) {}

Хотя на самом деле, ваш цикл for является полным ему аналогом - for(;cond;); эквивалентен while(cond);
Однако многие styleguides прямо запрещают использование оператора присваивания в условиях.
Если чтение первой строки считать инициализацией цикла, то можно записать этот код как:
for(buffer = input.readLine(); buffer != null; buffer = input.readLine()){
  // ...
}

Однако здесь, очевидно, налицо дублирование кода.

В Java, когда нам нужно перебрать элементы некоторой коллекции(например, строк в файле) мы описываем итератор.
Давайте попробуем:
public class BufferedReaderIterator implements Iterable<String> {
    private BufferedReader input;
    public BufferedReaderIterator(BufferedReader input) {
      this.input = input;
    }
    @Override
    public Iterator<String> iterator() {
        return new Iterator<String>() {
            @Override
            public boolean hasNext() {
                try {
                    input.mark(1);
                    if (input.read() < 0) return false;
                    input.reset();
                    return true;
                }
                catch (IOException e) {return false; }
            }
            @Override
            public String next() {
                try { return input.readLine(); }
                catch (IOException e) {return null; }
            }

            @Override
            public void remove() {throw new UnsupportedOperationException(); }
        };
    }

И вот как теперь будет выглядеть первоначальный цикл:
for(String buffer: new BufferedReaderIterator(input)){
  // ...
}

Мы избавились и от дублирования, и от присваивания.

В качестве альтернативы можно воспользоваться готовым решением, например:  org.apache.commons.io.LineIterator.
Правда с ним придётся обрабатывать исключения.


text:
Q: "The anti-forgery token could not be decrypted" I am running IIS 8.5 on a load-balanced (two-node) web farm.  We are getting sporadic errors:
System.Web.Mvc.HttpAntiForgeryException (0x80004005): The anti-forgery
token could not be decrypted....

I have tried/checked various solutions:

*

*At the server-wide level, I created explicit validation and decryption keys as described here, and have synchronized them across both nodes.  One thing to note is that for now, I left "Generate a unique key for each application" unchecked.

*The token is only generated once per page to avoid the problem described here.

But the errors persist.
What can I do next to troubleshoot?

EDIT:
Controller code:
[HttpGet]
public ActionResult Index()
{
    var model = new LoginModel();
    return View(model);
}

Relevant view code:
@using (Html.BeginForm())
{
    @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
    @Html.ValidationSummary(true)

Log In

    <fieldset>
        Email
        @Html.TextBoxFor(model => model.Username)
        Password
        @Html.PasswordFor(model => model.Password)
        <input type="submit" />
    </fieldset>
}

A: I had same exact issue many people gave suggestions of changing machine key or it might happen if you have included anti forgery taken more than once in form. My issues didn't happen for any of the reason, it happened for one simple stupid reason and it's improper div placement. I mean if you close a div inside the MVC form that is opened outside, then you will likely to get this issue.


Ericast.com Podcasts - DWEEB THOUGHTS: Ericast 43 - "Salvaging from AOL"
Inspired this week by the wanton waste of resources embodied in AOL CD mailers... and the hope -- the naive, shining hope -- that somehow, someday, they might find a new use.
I know you can make a lamp out of the CDs, but what do you do with the mailers?
Obviously, I talk about more than just that in this week's Ericast... but, to be honest, 2005 ends with a whimper rather than a bang.
Ericast 35 - "Admiring Carrie Fisher"
Ericast 34 - "Back from EduCAUSE!"


text:
Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington's Budding Bromance Is a Sight to Behold
Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington at TIFF 2016
September 9, 2016 by Britt Stephens
Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington attended a press conference for their new film The Magnificent Seven at the Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday. The two sat next to each other during the panel, and in between answering questions, Denzel and Chris shared a few laughs and looked to be having so much fun together, it's like director Antoine Fuqua wasn't even right beside them. After the conference, the pair continued to show off their cute bond at the movie's red carpet premiere, where they cracked each other up while posing for photos.
The actors are already garnering praise for their onscreen chemistry in the action flick, which is a remake of the 1960s Western and stars Denzel and Chris, along with Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Lee Byung-hun, as gunslingers who are seeking vengeance against a villainous Peter Sarsgaard. Not only are we excited to catch the movie when it hits theaters on Sept. 23, but we're also glad to see that Denzel loves Chris just as much as we do.
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Tag Archives for greenhouse
The government is miscounting greenhouse emissions reductions
Some projects shouldn't be receiving funding from the government. Yet, lack of proper monitoring has caused huge amounts of wasted money.
www.goodfreephotos.com
Tim Baxter, University of Melbourne
The Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), established in 2014 with funding of A$2.55 billion, is mostly spent. With just A$200 million left to be allocated, the Climate Change Authority this week released a report on the fund's progress that can be best described as magnanimous.
The federal government claims that 189 million tonnes of emissions have been diverted or prevented from entering the atmosphere under the scheme. But research I have done with a co-author from Melbourne Law School has found serious issues, from giving unnecessary funds, to counting decade-old projects as new emissions "reductions".
While the Authority made 26 recommendations for improvement, each is relatively low-impact. Most of the recommendations go towards increasing the fund's transparency or removing barriers to participation. While these are laudable aims, there are deeper problems.
How should the fund work?
At its most basic, the ERF gives private companies and individuals a cash incentive to avoid or sequester greenhouse gas emissions. These businesses or people compete for funding by putting their projects forward at reverse auctions.
Read more: How does today's Direct Action reverse auction work?
The fund is unique in Australia's climate policy, in that the legislation that supports it has strong bipartisan support. Even if a change of federal government leads to a new policy for curbing emissions, it's very likely that the basic ERF structure will be carried forward.
But despite the fund's importance, there has been surprisingly little detailed academic analysis of it to date. In an effort to redress this, a colleague and I have a paper forthcoming that examines the underlying logic and effect of the fund. The paper focuses specifically on the path into the ERF for landfill operators, although the conclusions stretch further than just those projects.
Our conclusions are simple. With A$2.55 billion, the fund has considerable potential to crop the low-hanging fruit of Australia's emissions profile. However, there are serious flaws in how some projects are assessed for funding.
Where support is granted to projects that would proceed without it, there is no benefit to the government's intervention. Rather than lopping the low-hanging fruit, we are instead throwing money at the fruit that is already sitting in a bowl on the kitchen bench.
How to avoid redundancy
In the language of offsetting schemes, assessing a project to see if it needs extra funding to be commercially viable is known as an "additionality" test. The legislation that underpins the ERF contains three such tests, which are actually very strong:
Newness: is a project new? Has work on it already begun? If it has, the project is ineligible, because it is considered already commercially viable.
Existing regulations: is a particular project or emissions abatement already required by law? If so, the project is ineligible for ERF funding.
Other government funding: does a project have access to other sources of government funding? If it does, the proponent should use those funds instead.
Read more: Australia's biggest emitters opt to 'wait and see' over Emissions Reduction Fund
If these three tests were mandated for all projects submitted to the ERF, it would be filled with projects that truly deliver new environmental benefit. But they're not – and it isn't.
There's a simple reason why these tests aren't used in all cases: there are 34 different ways of abating emissions recognised by the ERF (technically referred to as "methodologies"), from the destruction of methane from piggeries using engineered biodigesters, to avoiding deforestation.
Because these activities are so diverse, the legislation that underpins the ERF allows the Department of Environment and Energy to create methodology-specific tests instead, in consultation with industry stakeholders. They are then subject to ministerial approval.
In most cases, the replacements merely finesse the tests to make them more appropriate to the specific circumstances. For example, the existence of a conservation covenant (basically a promise to protect land) is not an obstacle to participation under the avoided deforestation methodology, despite these covenants being legally binding on present and future users of the land.
The case of landfill gas
Other instances are much less innocuous. One such area is landfill, where the gas created by decomposing rubbish can be captured and burned to create energy.
Read more: Capturing the true wealth of Australia's waste
In the most egregious examples of "regulatory slippage" that either myself or my co-author have ever seen, the tests for whether landfill-related schemes should get ERF money have been completely neutered.
One of the largest Australian companies in this area is LMS Energy. Their Rochedale landfill gas project should, under the tests in the Act, be thrice barred from participation.
First, it predates the ERF by a full decade. Second, the capture and disposal of methane from landfill sites is required by Queensland's air pollution laws. Finally, it receives renewable energy certificates under the Commonwealth Renewable Energy Target, as power is often created by methane burned to drive a steam turbine.
Nevertheless, this project is funded by the ERF. It should be noted clearly that there is no suggestion that the project is engaged in any deception. Its operators are absolutely complying with regulations. The issue is that the regulations themselves have been watered down to a ludicrous degree.
Two of the three tests (no funding from other government programs and not legally required) have been replaced by an unbelievably tautological requirement that landfill gas and combustion projects fulfil the legislative definition of a landfill gas and combustion project. That is, in order to pass the tests, a landfill gas capture and combustion project must merely be a landfill gas capture and combustion project.
The newness requirement permits projects that were previously registered under schemes that predate the ERF, which includes most of the larger sites for the capture and combustion of landfill methane in Australia.
Read more: Explainer: how much landfill does Australia have?
Because this project already existed, its contributions are captured in measurements of Australia's baseline emissions. While there's a good argument for rewarding ecologically responsibly companies, that is not actually the point of the ERF. To state the obvious, we should not be paying to maintain the status quo, and then claim to be reducing emissions.
The Climate Change Authority has unfortunately not taken the opportunity to address these underlying problems, or the potential for similar issues in future legislation.
More immediately, we must take the government's claim to have abated 189 million tonnes of emissions with a hefty grain of salt. The reality is that the scheme's effect on Australia's total emissions is considerably smaller.
Tim Baxter, Researcher – Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne
December 13, 2017 by particularkev	Categories: Australia, Climate Change, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gas Emissions	| Tags: Australia, Climate Change, emissions, global warming, government, greenhouse, greenhouse gases, miscounting, reductions | Leave a comment
Fossil fuel emissions hit record high after unexpected growth: Global Carbon Budget 2017
Pep Canadell, CSIRO; Corinne Le Quéré, University of East Anglia; Glen Peters, Center for International Climate and Environment Research – Oslo; Robbie Andrew, Center for International Climate and Environment Research – Oslo; Rob Jackson, Stanford University, and Vanessa Haverd, CSIRO
Global greenhouse emissions from fossil fuels and industry are on track to grow by 2% in 2017, reaching a new record high of 37 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to the 2017 Global Carbon Budget, released today.
The rise follows a remarkable three-year period during which global CO₂ emissions barely grew, despite strong global economic growth.
But this year's figures suggest that the keenly anticipated global peak in emissions – after which greenhouse emissions would ultimately begin to decline – has yet to arrive.
Read more: Fossil fuel emissions have stalled: Global Carbon Budget 2016
The Global Carbon Budget, now in its 12th year, brings together scientists and climate data from around the world to develop the most complete picture available of global greenhouse gas emissions.
In a series of three papers, the Global Carbon Project's 2017 report card assesses changes in Earth's sources and sinks of CO₂, both natural and human-induced. All excess CO₂ remaining in the atmosphere leads to global warming.
We believe society is unlikely to return to the high emissions growth rates of recent decades, given continued improvements in energy efficiency and rapid growth in low-carbon energies. Nevertheless, our results are a reminder that there is no room for complacency if we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, which calls for temperatures to be stabilised at "well below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels". This requires net zero global emissions soon after 2050.
After a brief plateau, 2017's emissions are forecast to hit a new high.
Global Carbon Project, Author provided
The most significant factor in the resumption of global emissions growth is the projected 3.5% increase in China's emissions. This is the result of higher energy demand, particularly from the industrial sector, along with a decline in hydro power use because of below-average rainfall. China's coal consumption grew by 3%, while oil (5%) and gas (12%) continued rising. The 2017 growth may result from economic stimulus from the Chinese government, and may not continue in the years ahead.
The United States and Europe, the second and third top emitters, continued their decade-long decline in emissions, but at a reduced pace in 2017.
For the US, the slowdown comes from a decline in the use of natural gas because of higher prices, with the loss of its market share taken by renewables and to a lesser extent coal. Importantly, 2017 will be the first time in five years that US coal consumption is projected to rise slightly (by about 0.5%).
The EU has now had three years (including 2017) with little or no decline in emissions, as declines in coal consumption have been offset by growth in oil and gas.
Unexpectedly, India's CO₂ emissions will grow only about 2% this year, compared with an average 6% per year over the past decade. This reduced growth rate is likely to be short-lived, as it was linked to reduced exports, lower consumer demand, and a temporary fall in currency circulation attributable to demonetisation late in 2016.
Trends for the biggest emitters, and everyone else.
Yet despite this year's uptick, economies are now decarbonising with a momentum that was difficult to imagine just a decade ago. There are now 22 countries, for example, for which CO₂ emissions have declined over the past decade while their economies have continued to grow.
Concerns have been raised in the past about countries simply moving their emissions outside their borders. But since 2007, the total emissions outsourced by countries with emissions targets under the Kyoto Protocol (that is, developed countries, including the US) has declined.
This suggests that the downward trends in emissions of the past decade are driven by real changes to economies and energy systems, and not just to offshoring emissions.
Other countries, such as Russia, Mexico, Japan, and Australia have shown more recent signs of slowdowns, flat growth, and somewhat volatile emissions trajectories as they pursue a range of different climate and energy policies in recent years.
Still, the pressure is on. In 101 countries, representing 50% of global CO₂ emissions, emissions increased as economies grew. Many of these countries will be pursuing economic development for years to come.
Contrasting fortunes among some of the world's biggest economies.
Nigel Hawtin/Future Earth Media Lab/Global Carbon Project, Author provided
A peek into the future
During the three-year emissions "plateau" – and specifically in 2015-16 – the accumulation of CO₂ in the atmosphere grew at a record high that had not previously been observed in the half-century for which measurements exist.
It is well known that during El Niño years such as 2015-16, when global temperatures are higher, the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to take up CO₂ (the "land sink") diminishes, and atmospheric CO₂ growth increases as a result.
The El Niño boosted temperatures by roughly a further 0.2℃. Combined with record high levels of fossil fuel emissions, the atmospheric CO₂ concentration grew at a record rate of nearly 3 parts per million per year.
This event illustrates the sensitivity of natural systems to global warming. Although a hot El Niño might not be the same as a sustained warmer climate, it nevertheless serves as a warning of the global warming in store, and underscores the importance of continuing to monitor changes in the Earth system.
The effect of the strong 2015-16 El Niño on the growth of atmospheric CO₂ can clearly be seen.
Nigel Hawtin/Future Earth Media Lab/Global Carbon Project, based on Peters et al., Nature Climate Change 2017, Author provided
No room for complacency
There is no doubt that progress has been made in decoupling economic activity from CO₂ emissions. A number of central and northern European countries and the US have shown how it is indeed possible to grow an economy while reducing emissions.
Other positive signs from our analysis include the 14% per year growth of global renewable energy (largely solar and wind) – albeit from a low base – and the fact that global coal consumption is still below its 2014 peak.
Read more: World greenhouse gas levels made unprecedented leap in 2016
These trends, and the resolute commitment of many countries to make the Paris Agreement a success, suggest that CO₂ emissions may not return to the high-growth rates experienced in the 2000s. However, an actual decline in global emissions might still be beyond our immediate reach, especially given projections for stronger economic growth in 2018.
To stabilise our climate at well below 2℃ of global warming, the elusive peak in global emissions needs to be reached as soon as possible, before quickly setting into motion the great decline in emissions needed to reach zero net emissions by around 2050.
Pep Canadell, CSIRO Scientist, and Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project, CSIRO; Corinne Le Quéré, Professor, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia; Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research – Oslo; Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research – Oslo; Rob Jackson, Chair, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, globalcarbonproject.org, Stanford University, and Vanessa Haverd, Senior research scientist, CSIRO
November 18, 2017 by particularkev	Categories: Climate Change, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gas Emissions	| Tags: 2017, article, Climate Change, emissions, fossil fuel, gas, Global Carbon Budget, global warming, greenhouse, Greenhouse Gas, growth, high, record, unexpected | Leave a comment
Global stocktake shows the 43 greenhouse gases driving global warming
A wide range of industrial processes have released greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Paulo Resende/Shutterstock.com
Pep Canadell, CSIRO; Cathy Trudinger, CSIRO; David Etheridge, CSIRO; Malte Meinshausen, University of Melbourne; Paul Fraser, CSIRO, and Paul Krummel, CSIRO
The most comprehensive collection of atmospheric greenhouse gas measurements, published today, confirms the relentless rise in some of the most important greenhouse gases.
The data show that today's aggregate warming effect of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) is higher than at any time over the past 800,000 years, according to ice core records.
Building on half a century of atmospheric measurements by the international research community, we compiled and analysed the data as part of a group of international scientists, led by Malte Meinshausen from the University of Melbourne in collaboration with CSIRO.
Together, the data provide the most compelling evidence of the unprecedented perturbation of Earth's atmosphere. They clearly show that the growth of greenhouse gases began with the onset of the industrial era around 1750, took a sharp turn upwards in the 1950s, and still continues today.
Research has demonstrated that this observed growth in greenhouse gases is caused by human activities, leading to warming of the climate – and in fact more than the observed warming, because part of the effect is currently masked by atmospheric pollution (aerosols).
The new collection of records comes from measurements of current and archived air samples, air trapped in bubbles in ice cores, and firn (compacted snow). The data cover the past 2,000 years without gaps, and are the result of a compilation of measurements analysed by dozens of laboratories around the world, including CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology's Cape Grim Station, NOAA, AGAGE and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, among others.
These data include 43 different greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from dozens of human activities and industrial processes. While CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O are on the rise, some other greenhouse gases such as dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) are slowly starting to decline as a result of policies to ban their use.
Author provided
The greenhouse gases
Most of us know that CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O are among the principal causes of human-induced climate change. They are found in the atmosphere in the absence of human activity, but the increases in their concentrations are due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture (livestock, rice paddies, and the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers). They are all from biological or fossil fuel sources.
But there is much more when it comes to greenhouse gases. Our analysis features a further 40 greenhouse gases (among hundreds that exist), many of them emitted in very small quantities. Although many might play a small role, dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) and trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) are the third and fifth most important greenhouse gases respectively, in terms of their overall contributions to global warming.
Most of these gases are emitted exclusively by humans, the so-called synthetic greenhouse gases, and have been used variously as aerosol spray propellants, refrigerants, fire-extinguishing agents, and in the production of semiconductors, among other industrial applications.
Synthetic greenhouse gases include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), most perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and others. Several, most famously CFCs, also deplete the ozone layer and are regulated under the Montreal Protocol. Others, such as HFCs, were actually first produced in large quantities to replace the ozone-depleting substances, but unfortunately turned out to be potent greenhouse gases too.
Importantly, all 43 greenhouse gases offer opportunities to tackle climate change, either by reducing their emissions or, in the case of synthetic gases, finding non-greenhouse alternatives.
Not all greenhouse gases are the same
How much a greenhouse gas contributes to warming depends on three factors. The first is how much gas is emitted. Second is how much a kilogram of that gas will warm the planet once it's in the atmosphere. And third is how long the gas will remain in the atmosphere.
CO₂ is the most important greenhouse gas in warming the planet, despite being the weakest greenhouse gas per unit of mass. Its contribution to warming comes from the sheer scale of emissions (40 billion tonnes emitted each year), and the fact that a large part effectively hangs around in the atmosphere for hundreds or thousands of years after emission. The resulting concentration makes CO₂ responsible for about 65% of all warming due to greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
This makes CO₂ the most important factor in determining future global warming. Unless we can cut CO₂ emissions to zero by the second half of this century, primarily by finding alternatives to fossil fuels, the world will continue to warm beyond the 2℃ target of the Paris Agreement, not to mention the aspirational 1.5℃ goal.
Provided by University of Melbourne http://climate-energy-college.org/more-climate-spirals.
Methane (CH₄) is the next most important greenhouse gas, with current concentration contributing about 15% of overall human-induced warming.
Most synthetic greenhouse gases have very high global warming potentials. The one with the highest current emissions is the refrigerant HFC-134a, which is 1,300 times more potent than CO₂ (per mass unit emitted). Other synthetic greenhouse gases have even more extraordinary warming potentials, with CF₄ (used in the semiconductor industry) and SF₆ (from industrial electricity transformers) being 6,500 and 23,400 times more potent than CO₂, respectively.
CFC-12, a former refrigerant, is both a potent ozone-depleting substance and a powerful greenhouse gas. Although its emissions and atmospheric concentrations are now declining thanks to global compliance with the Montreal Protocol, it is still the third most important greenhouse gas and responsible for 6-7% of all warming since the beginning of the industrial era.
What are these GHG data good for?
Our new compilation of greenhouse gas data is the most complete and robust picture to date showing the main drivers of climate change, and how we humans are altering the Earth's atmosphere. Global temperature is now about 1℃ warmer on average than pre-industrial temperatures.
The new database also serves as an accurate measure of greenhouse gas concentrations resulting from past human and natural emissions, which will in turn help to improve the performance of climate models. Building trust and confidence in climate projections starts by testing and running models with real data during historical periods. The new climate projections will feed in the next major report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, due to be released in 2021.
Continued greenhouse gas monitoring, including significant contributions by Australia, is crucial to understand how the planet reacts to human interference, and to better plan for adaptation to a changing climate. Global and regional greenhouse data can help nations to track the long-term global targets under the Paris agreement, and to inform actions needed to stabilise the climate.
Pep Canadell, CSIRO Scientist, and Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project, CSIRO; Cathy Trudinger, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO; David Etheridge, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO; Malte Meinshausen, A/Prof., School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne; Paul Fraser, Honorary Fellow, CSIRO, and Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO
June 5, 2017 by particularkev	Categories: Climate Change, Global Warming, Greenhouse Gas Emissions	| Tags: article, Climate Change, driving, gases, global warming, greenhouse | Leave a comment
New coal plants wouldn't be clean, and would cost billions in taxpayer subsidies
Frank Jotzo, Australian National University
Following a campaign by the coal industry, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has argued for new coal-fired power stations in Australia. But these plants would be more expensive than renewables and carry a huge liability through the carbon emissions they produce.
Major Australian energy companies have ruled out building new coal plants. The Australian Energy Council sees them as "uninvestable". Banks and investment funds would not touch them with a barge pole. Only government subsidies could do it.
It may seem absurd to spend large amounts of taxpayers' money on last century's technology that will be more costly than renewable power and would lock Australia into a high-carbon trajectory.
But the government is raising the possibility of government funding for new coal plants, with statements by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg. The suggestion is to use funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. For this to happen, presumably the CEFC's investment mandate would need to be changed, or the meaning of "low-emissions technologies" interpreted in a radical way.
It should come to nothing, if minimum standards of sensible policy prevailed.
But an ill wind is blowing in Australia's energy and climate policy debate. The situation in parliament is difficult, and the Trump presidency is giving the right wing in the Coalition a boost.
Definitely not 'clean'
Proponents of new coal plants call them "clean coal". They have appropriated a term that normally means burning coal in power stations with carbon capture and storage, a technology that filters out most of the carbon dioxide. But this is expensive and has made little progress.
Turnbull and others are simply suggesting Australia build the latest generation of conventional coal-burning plants. They are not clean – merely marginally less polluting than the old plants running now.
A new high-efficiency coal plant run on black coal would produce about 80% of the emissions of an equivalent old plant. An ultra-supercritical coal plant running on black coal emits about 0.7 tonnes of CO₂ per megawatt hour of electricity, or about 0.85 tonnes using brown coal. That is anything but clean.
For comparison, typical old "dirty" black coal plants in operation now emit around 0.9 tonnes, so the improvement from replacing them with the latest technology is not large. Gas plants produce between 0.4-0.6 tonnes, much less than the suggested new coal plants. Gas has the added benefit of being able to respond flexibly to demand. A plant with carbon capture and storage might emit around 0.05 tonnes, and renewables zero.
The Australian grid average right now is around 0.8 tonnes and gradually falling. New coal would tend to keep that average higher over the long term.
A single typically sized new coal plant could blow out in the order of 5 million tonnes of CO₂ each year – about 1% of Australia's current annual emissions – and would have an expected lifetime of 40-60 years. It would also pollute the air locally, as all coal plants do, causing damage to people's health.
If we wanted to make up for the extra coal emissions by doing more in industry, transport or agriculture, then this would come at a cost in those parts of the economy. In-depth research has shown that decarbonisation of Australia's economy needs to have zero-carbon electricity supply at its core.
What if we don't care about the climate?
Building coal power plants is expensive. The average lifetime cost of producing power with ultra-super critical plants in Australia is estimated at around A$80 per megawatt-hour. This assumes financing is available at standard interest rates and that the plant runs at high capacity.
Given the risk that the plants will be liable under stricter carbon limits in the future, the financing costs are bound to be higher, probably north of A$100 – and may be as much as A$160. If the plant is not fully utilised, as is already the case for existing coal plants, average costs will be even higher.
By comparison, wind farms now get built at an average cost of A$75 per megawatt-hour, and solar parks at around A$110. Both are expected to come down to perhaps A$50 by 2025. New coal plants take many years to prepare and build, so 2025 is the relevant comparison.
In fact, the overall comparison costs for renewables are even lower. This is because wind and solar built in 2025 would be replaced in the 2050s with even cheaper systems.
There are extra costs associated with wind and solar – for instance, through pumped-hydro storage or more gas-fired power plants to balance supply. But these costs are far less than the underlying cost of renewables.
So renewables including system integration costs will be cheaper than new coal plants, perhaps by quite a margin. Let's say, very conservatively, that renewables are A$20 per megawatt-hour cheaper. For the coal plant that'd be an extra cost of A$150 million per year, or A$6 billion over 40 years. The extra cost could be much higher if the plant was retired before the 2060s or not run at full capacity.
The subsidy required would be potentially billions of dollars for each plant. That's billions of dollars from the taxpayer or electricity user, in order to supply power with high carbon emissions that are then locked in for half a century. It should not happen in a country that prides itself on rational economic policy.
Instead, government should set its sights on the long-term economic opportunities for Australia in a low-carbon world, and chart a path for the transition of the energy system.
Turnbull referred to Australia's position as a coal exporter. But a revolution is under way in energy technologies. While coal will continue to be used in existing plants, the times of growing coal use are over. Already more than 70% of the world's annual power sector investment goes to renewables.
Australia is lucky in that there are no limits to the amount of renewable energy that could be produced. New industries can be built around it. We should invest in the industries of the future, not sink more money into the technologies of last century.
Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University
February 2, 2017 by particularkev	Categories: Australia, Climate Change, coal industry, Electricity, Global Warming, Renewable Energy	| Tags: article, Australia, clean, clean coal, Climate Change, Coal, electricity, emissions, gas, global warming, greenhouse, industry, Renewable Energy | Leave a comment
Australia can stop greenhouse gas emissions by 2050: here's how
Anna Skarbek, Monash University
To avoid dangerous climate change there is a finite amount of greenhouse gas emissions, in particular CO2, that we can add to the atmosphere – our global carbon budget. If we use our budget wisely, we have until about 2050 to transition to zero net emissions. But how do we get there?
For Australia to play its role, we'll also need to get to zero net emissions by 2050. In a recently launched website from ClimateWorks, we've created an online tool to demonstrate that there are various ways to get there. You can create your own way of getting to zero net emissions by 2050.
Internationally the world has agreed to limit warming to 2C. To keep under this limit, globally we can emit around 1,700 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (measured in CO2-equivalent) between 2000 and 2050. This would give us a 67% chance of limiting warming to 2C or less.
Just over a third of this budget was already used up between 2000 and 2012, leaving approximately 1,100 billion tonnes – this is the remaining global carbon budget.
Global emissions are currently projected to rise without further actions, putting us on a pathway to exceed this carbon budget and experience temperature rises of 4C or more.
Australia's carbon budget
The Climate Change Authority has calculated Australia's equitable share of the global carbon budget as 10.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent for the period 2013 to 2050. If we continue to emit at our current rate, we will exceed our carbon budget by 2028 – that's just 13 years from now.
If we are to live within our carbon budget, we must begin to reduce emissions now. This will allow us to use our remaining budget over a longer period of time and enable a smoother transition to a low carbon Australia. If we delay, the transition will need to be faster, meaning more cost and more disruption.
The following infographic produced by ClimateWorks shows the latest science behind the carbon budget.
ClimateWorks Australia
Balancing our carbon budget
The good news is Australia can balance its carbon budget. Research by ClimateWorks and Australian National University has found that Australia can achieve zero net emissions by 2050 and live within its recommended carbon budget, using technologies that exist today, while still growing the economy.
This pathway relies on four "pillars" of action:
Ambitious energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport
Low carbon electricity, either through 100% renewables or a mix of renewables and other technologies
Electrification where possible of transport and energy-using equipment in buildings and industry where possible, and elsewhere switching to low carbon fuels
Reducing non-energy emissions through improvements in industrial processes and agricultural practices, and offsetting residual emissions through carbon forestry.
Choose your own pathway
This research is explained in our interactive 2050 Pathways website.
Australia is fortunate to have an abundance of energy and natural resources, providing us with a diversity of choice in reducing our emissions. This means that there are many ways Australia could balance its carbon budget.
The online 2050 Pathways Calculator allows users to create their own pathways to net zero emissions by 2050, staying within our carbon budget.
The levels of activity in each area of abatement can be changed from level one (business-as-usual) to level four (maximum reasonably feasible). Users can change the extent to which each emissions reduction opportunity is pursued and see the impact on demand for energy, on energy supply and on greenhouse gas emissions.
On business-as-usual, we'd blow the carbon budget by 2028.
ClimateWorks
As would be expected, increasing the level of effort in some of the opportunities decreases the effort required from other areas of action to stay within the carbon budget.
For example, maximum effort in energy efficiency could enable less reliance on emerging technologies such as geothermal, wave and tidal energy production, or a slower shift away from coal.
Or, if technologies such as batteries or biofuels improved faster than expected, less effort would be required in other areas.
Increasing nuclear in the energy system could help meet the carbon budget.
The calculator can help users to understand the limitations, trade-offs and inter-dependencies involved in meeting our carbon budget.
In Paris later this year, more than 190 countries including Australia will meet to confirm their commitment to reducing emissions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Some countries have already announced their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to emissions reductions.
The European Union has pledged a 40% reduction in domestic emissions by 2030 and the United States has announced a 25-28% reduction by 2025. China has pledged to reduce the emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65% by 2030.
Many global businesses are taking the lead through co-ordinated business groupings such as RE100 and We Mean Business.
A few examples:
Ikea plans to use 100% renewable energy by 2020, and has 1 billion Euros to tackle climate change, including investing in 700,000 solar panels and 314 wind turbines
Google has established agreements to fund over $2 billion in renewable energy projects
100% of Apple's US operations are powered by renewable energy, with plans to roll this out globally
Mars is building a wind farm in Texas that will create enough electricity to power half of all of Mars' US operations.
Australia's contribution to balance its share will be reviewed internationally by our allies and trading partners.
An article recently published by the Lowy Institute argued that failure to engage constructively with international climate change negotiations could affect our ability to achieve our national interests in our relations with other countries.
The consequences of not addressing climate change will also be felt at home. Exceeding 2C warming will have serious consequences for our health, agriculture, water supply, natural landscape and lead to an increase in extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and bushfires.
Like our national budget, failing to balance our carbon budget will be felt well beyond the current fiscal cycle and would place an unreasonable burden on future generations. The good news is that this is a budget we know we can balance, if we get started now.
Anna Skarbek is CEO at ClimateWorks Australia at Monash University.
July 7, 2015 by particularkev	Categories: Australia, Climate Change, Global Warming	| Tags: 2050, Australia, Climate Change, emissions, gas, global warming, greenhouse | Leave a comment
New analysis: Australia can halve emissions by 2030
Anna Skarbek, Monash University and Amandine Denis, Monash University
Australia can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030, according to analysis by ClimateWorks.
The federal government is currently considering what Australia's post-2020 emissions target should be, and is expected to announce its decision in the coming weeks.
Many other countries have already announced their pledges, and various groups in Australia have called on the government to commit to a strong target.
Building on our Pathways to Deep Decarbonisation in 2050 project, our analysis shows that we can strongly reduce emissions using existing technology and while still growing the economy.
Australia's emissions reduction potential
Australia emitted 535.9 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year to September 2014. Our analysis shows we can reduce emissions to 300 million tonnes by 2030 – the equivalent of a 51% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels.
We have used the year 2005 as a reference level given that it is the baseline year used by the United States and Canada. Australia's current unconditional target is 5% below 2000 levels by 2020. If we used the year 2000 as a reference, our results are equivalent to a reduction of 46% below 2000 levels by 2030, as emissions were 50 million tonnes higher in 2005 than in 2000.
Many countries have already announced their post 2020 emissions reduction targets. For instance, the US post-2020 target is 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. If we convert other targets to 2005 levels by 2025, we find the European Union reduces emissions by 23%, the United Kingdom by 41% and Canada by 24%.
If Australia is to match the United States emissions reduction target in 2025, it would need to be doing over 85% of the proposed abatement actions.
How Australia can achieve strong emissions reductions
Our analysis identifies major opportunities to reduce emissions across five key sectors – electricity, agriculture and forestry, transport, industry and buildings.
It shows that doing cost effective energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport would bring Australia's emissions back to 2005 levels by 2030.
Then, switching to renewable energy in the electricity sector and using this zero emissions electricity to replace fossil fuels in other sectors would help further reduce emissions to 25% below 2005 levels.
Carbon forestry and agricultural improvements can achieve a similar amount of abatement and bring emissions down to around 45% below 2005 levels.
Further actions to switch fossil fuels to biofuels and gas, as well as reduce industrial non-energy emissions can bring Australia's emissions down to 50% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Importantly, meeting a 50% reduction target by 2030 is achievable entirely within Australia and without the need to buy carbon permits overseas. Undertaking these actions would also set Australia on a path for net zero emissions by 2050 and fulfil our international obligations to contribute to limit global warming to 2 degrees.
How each sector contributes to reducing emissions
The analysis shows that each sector can contribute a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions:
The electricity sector can achieve 137 million tonnes of greenhouse gas abatement by shifting away from coal-fired power stations and accelerating the uptake of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy, as well as wind and other renewables, and through improving the efficiency and emissions intensity of the remaining fossil fuel generation.
Agriculture and forestry can achieve 111 million tonnes of abatement by reducing deforestation and increasing carbon farming on less profitable agricultural land, as well as by implementing best-practice agriculture.
Transport can achieve 72 million tonnes of abatement by improving energy efficiency in new passenger and freight vehicles, increasing the uptake of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles, and by switching to gas and bioenergy for freight transport.
Industry can achieve 71 million tonnes of abatement by improving the energy efficiency of industrial practices, assets and equipment, shifting industrial equipment and processes from fossil fuels to electricity, gas and bioenergy, and developing carbon capture and storage and implementing best practice to reduce industrial process and fugitive emissions.
Buildings can achieve 39 million tonnes of abatement by ensuring new buildings are as efficient as possible, improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings, appliances and switching building equipment from gas to electricity.
This analysis shows Australia can achieve an ambitious emissions reduction target without major structural changes to its economy or lifestyle. What is required, however, is a major uptake of technologies right across the economy to drive strong emissions reductions.
*The lead image has been updated.
Amandine Denis is Head of Research, ClimateWorks Australia at Monash University.
June 27, 2015 by particularkev	Categories: Australia, Climate Change, Global Warming	| Tags: 2030, article, Australia, Climate Change, emissions, global warming, greenhouse | Leave a comment
Just 90 companies are responsible for two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions
The climate crisis of the 21st century has been caused largely by just 90 companies, which between them produced nearly two-thirds of the greenhouse gas emissions generated since the dawning of the industrial age, new research suggests.
The companies range from investor-owned firms — household names such as Chevron, Exxon, and BP — to state-owned and government-run firms.
The analysis, which was welcomed by the former Vice President Al Gore as a "crucial step forward," found that the vast majority of the firms were in the business of producing oil, gas, or coal. The findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Climatic Change.
"There are thousands of oil, gas, and coal producers in the world," said climate researcher and author Richard Heede at the Climate Accountability Institute in Colorado. "But the decisionmakers, the CEOs, or the ministers of coal and oil if you narrow it down to…
November 24, 2013 by particularkev	Categories: Climate Change, Global Warming	| Tags: article, Climate Change, companies, emissions, gas, global warming, greenhouse, world | Leave a comment


Well, you can't win 'em all, right? The Chicago Cubs dropped today's matinee against the San Diego Padres, thus ending their win streak at eight, but they can start a new one tonight in Game 2 of the day-night double dip at Wrigley Field.
John Lackey will go for the Cubs in the nightcap in search of his fifth win of the season. He threw seven solid innings of two-run, six-hit baseball in his most recent start last Thursday against the Nationals.
The Padres will counter with left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who's been throwing extremely well as of late. In his last two starts, he's given up only one run on four hits and struck out 10 in 12 combined innings. He'll face a Cubs lineup that does not include the red-hot Ben Zobrist or Addison Russell. Tommy La Stella will man second base while Javier Baez takes over at shortstop.
The Chicago Cubs still haven't lost back-to-back games this season and would obviously avoid that with a win in tonight's series finale. Here's everything else you need to know.


A method of choosing a gemstone which is growing in popularity is by association with the day of the week upon which you were born. Some people however, prefer to keep all seven stones and to use the appropriate gemstone for each day of the week.
The days of the week were named after the planets by the Ancient Egyptians. The Ancient Romans named the days of the week after the Sun, Moon and the five known planets: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Each day of the week was considered sacred to the god associated with it's planet. The names of the days of the week in many Latin based languages are derived from the Ancient Roman names. In English, Sunday and Monday are still named after the Sun and Moon but the remaining five days are named after Norse gods.


Before you start to pack, you should make a list so you remember everything that you need. Try to bring versatile pieces of clothing that you can use for a few different outfits to avoid packing too much. You do not need to have a different pair of jeans for every day, but it is a good idea to have at least one or two pair. Roll your clothes to fit them into your suitcase to save space. Bring a few accessories like scarves that help you add variety to your outfits.
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Today, March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day, a day to celebrate people with Down Syndrome and how they play a vital role in our lives and communities. Check out the video 50 Moms/50 Kids/1 Extra Chromosome and grab your tissue.
This poem was published by Dear Abby, and written by Edna Massimilla of Hatboro, Pennsylvania., the widow of a pastor, when their daughter, a child with Down syndrome, was born.


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For many people, following a low-speed, rear-end car collision, within 24 to 48 hours, their neck starts hurting, affecting their range of motion. Those are classic symptoms of whiplash, which often takes a day or two to cause pain after an accident.
For most people, whiplash symptoms resolve within a few weeks, but for some individuals, the effects are long-lasting and debilitating. If you believe you have whiplash after an accident or injury, a Pinellas County whiplash injury doctor can help with diagnosis and treatment. Contact an experienced doctor today to schedule a consultation.
Whiplash is not an official medical term. It gets its name from the whip-like action of the head and neck producing the resulting neck strain or sprain. Whiplash is described as a collection of symptoms that occur when the neck jolts or snaps after an accident or injury.
The accident may harm not only muscles and ligaments, but cervical disks, intervertebral joints, and nerves.
Any neck pain resulting from a traumatic injury requires immediate medical attention. Patients experiencing problems with balance and coordination should also see a Pinellas County whiplash doctor as soon as possible.
Whiplash can make it difficult for a patient to work or carry on with normal, daily tasks.
A Pinellas County whiplash injury doctor conducts a thorough physical examination, as well as taking the patient's medical history and a history of the accident leading to the condition. Other diagnostic tools may include X-rays, MRIs and CAT scans. Whiplash often responds to conservative treatment, including icing, heat therapy, neck exercises recommended by the doctor, over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen, and massage. The doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants for some patients or sleep aids or antidepressants for those dealing with these issues.
If the patient does not improve within a few months, stronger measures are necessary for pain relief. These may include a full-fledged physical therapy regimen, injections of steroids into the affected area for long-term pain relief or the use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). The latter is a device transmitting gentle electric current to the neck or another area to soothe pain.
Whiplash patients often suffer neck pain recurrence. The doctor will devise an individualized program for each patient designed to prevent neck pain down the road. If you have been rear-ended in a motor vehicle accident or suffered another type of whiplash injury, call a Pinellas County whiplash injury doctor today and make an appointment for an examination.


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Social Security: Setting the Record Straight
By Gail BucknerFOXBusiness
Did you notice that youre paying 2% less in Social Security tax this year? Me neither. Lets see, for a middle income family living on a $50,000 gross income, that works out to $1,000 or a whopping $19.23 per week. Not even enough to feed four at a fast-food joint. Of course, if youre among the nearly 14 million Americans who are unemployed, youre not saving a dime: you dont pay payroll tax if youre not on anyones payroll.(1)
None the less, some of the brainiacs in Washington that we elected thought this was a brilliant idea. Last December it made for excellent headlines: Just the kind of warm and fuzzy gift politicians like to bestow around the holidays. Plus, with elections coming up next year, it has the added benefit of playing well on the campaign trail even though its stupid economic policy. Telling those who are lucky enough to have jobs to send less money to Social Security, which is already battered by sharply lower collections from three years of high unemployment, is a fabulous idea, wouldnt you agree?
According to the Center for Retirement Research (CRR) at Boston College, last year the recession-induced decline in payroll taxes and surge in benefit claims caused Social Security to pay out more than it collected and that pattern will continue. Not for another year, or even a couple of years. Forever. Where did the extra money come from? The Social Security Trust Fund.
As most of us know, the Trust Fund doesnt really have any funds, i.e. cash. As predicted years ago by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynahan (as well as now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, ironically), the trillions of dollars in the Trust Fund proved to be too big a temptation for our elected officials. Over the years, Congress borrowed the money for all sorts of pet projects, replacing the cash with special bonds from the Treasury.
To make up for the shortfall in tax revenue, last year Social Security began tapping the interest on the Treasury bonds held by the Trust Fund. In the words of CRR director Alicia Munnell, this occurred sooner than anticipated. Starting in 2023, Social Security will have to start redeeming the bonds themselves. By 2036, $2.7 trillion in the Trust Fund will be exhausted. At that point, its projected that payroll taxes will cover roughly 75 cents of every dollar in benefits owed.
Of course, theres the question of how the Treasury Department is going to come up with the money to refund the bonds as Social Security cashes them in. However, thats not a Social Security problem--at least not directly--thats a federal government problem!
While were at it, lets dispel the notion that baby boomers are the cause of Social Securitys fiscal problems. The 76 million individuals who make up this generation arent exactly a surprise. In fact, 30 years ago, folks in Washington were already talking about the fact that an unprecedented number of retirees would become eligible to receive full benefits starting this year. [Full disclosure: I am a baby boomer.]
However, contrary to a widely-held belief, in 1981 President Ronald Reagan did not appoint a blue ribbon panel (headed by future Federal Reserve Chief Alan Greenspan) solely to save Social Security for baby boomers who would be retiring 30 years in the future. Instead, the problem was more immediate: earlier that year, the Trustees report had warned there was a real danger that Social Security might not have sufficient income to pay benefits to current retirees as early as the following year. (2)
Congress eventually enacted legislation incorporating most of the panels recommendations. Among other things, they included:
- Accelerating the already-scheduled increase in the Social Security tax rate. (Since 1990 employers and employees have each contributed 6.2% apiece.)
- Gradually raising the age at which you can collect full Social Security benefit;
- Requiring federal and non-profit workers to join and pay into the system;
- Requiring that retirees pay income tax on up to 50% of their Social Security benefits if their income exceeds a certain threshold.
To repeat: the Greenspan Commissions goal was to slightly increase the current cushion in the Trust Fund in order to ensure that Social Security could afford to pay benefits both in 1982 and during future cyclical downturns. Based on interviews with panel members as well as research into written records, Congressional testimony and the methods employed by the panel, Charles Blahaus, who authored the book Social Security: the Unfinished Work, convincingly argues that the accumulation of nearly $3 trillion dollars in the so-called Social Security Trust Fund was an unintended result.(2) Commission members neither foresaw this nor meant the Trust Fund to be a way for Baby Boomers to pre-pay their own retirement benefits. Instead, they envisioned that raising the tax rate to 12.4% (6.2% each from workers and employers) would enable Social Security to continue to successfully operate on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Blahaus also points out that, unfortunately, the mathematical approach used by the Greenspan Commission was flawed. Moreover, it was not aimed at solving the shortfall that- even back then- Social Security was projected to face over the long-term. (3) According to the Commissions 1983 report, the actuarial imbalance was 1.80% of taxable payroll. In other words, if employers and employees each kicked in another 90 cents on the dollar, Social Securitys financial future would be secure for the next 75 years.
Since politicians hate to utter the words raise taxes, this did not happen. Which is why were 30 years down the road and Social Security is still facing a long-term financing deficit.
Next week: why the solution is less onerous than you might imagine.
1. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last month the nations unemployment rate stood at 9.1%. The share of the eligible population holding a job declined to 58.1%, the lowest since July 1983.
2. Remember where the country stood economically around the time Reagan took office: gas lines and double digit inflation had been the hallmarks of the 1970s; interest rates were in the mid-teens (and killing the housing market); the country had slipped into a recession in the first half of 1980; unemployment averaged more than 7%.
3. The 2011 Trustees Report states that the trust fund has a balance of $2.7 trillion.
4. Read more at http://www.hudson.org/files/publications/1983_Social_Security_Reforms.pdf
Ms. Buckner is a Retirement and Financial Planning Specialist at Franklin Templeton Investments. The views expressed in this article are only those of Ms. Buckner or the individual commentator identified therein, and are not necessarily the views of Franklin Templeton Investments, which has not reviewed, and is not responsible for, the content.
If you have a question for Gail Buckner and the Your $ Matters column, send them to: yourmoneymatters@gmail.com, along with your name and phone number.
Tax season 2020: The IRS' biggest problems and how they may affect you


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PPP Update
Kate Serpe
SBA Releases Names of All PPP and EIDL Recipients
On Tuesday evening, the SBA released the names of the remaining recipients of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) along with the recipients of loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program that were funded by the CARES Act. In early July, the names, demographic information, and loan amount range of PPP recipients that had borrowed greater than $150,000 were released. As of December 1st, loan amounts, names, and demographic information for all PPP loan recipients is now open to the public, along with information on 3.65 million EIDL loans issued totaling approximately $194 billion.
Many sources cite the concern over fraud and abuse of the programs and the need for transparency related to taxpayer funds as reasons for the release of all data.
PPP Loan Necessity Forms – What are they and do they impact loan forgiveness?
On November 6, 2020, the SBA released Forms 3509 and 3510, Paycheck Protection Program Loan Necessity Questionnaire for for-profit (3509) and non-profit (3510) borrowers. The questionnaires are currently being sent directly to lenders for distribution to borrowers who, alone or together with their affiliates, received PPP loans in excess of $2 million. The purpose of the form is to gather supplemental information to be used by the SBA to evaluate the good-faith certification made on the original loan application. On April 28, the Treasury and SBA jointly announced that all PPP loans in excess of $2 million would be reviewed. These forms appear to be the start of that process.
The questionnaires consist of approximately 8 pages of questions and are broken into the following sections:
Business/Non-Profit Activity Assessment – includes gross revenue/receipts, expenses, shut down orders, changes in operations, and capital improvement questions.
Liquidity Assessment – includes cash/investment balance, distributions/dividends, restrictions, debt, employee compensation, endowment funds, equity, ownership, and additional CARES Act funding questions.
While the answers to the listed questions will have clear dollar value and yes/no answers, it is important to note that there are many opportunities to include narratives on the form to assist in painting a picture of the whole story to supplement answers.
Approximately 30,000 of the 5.2 million PPP loans were for $2 million or more.
PPP Review Period
It is important to remember that all PPP loans, regardless of the amount received, are subject to potential review by the SBA and the Department of the Treasury. While loan recipients of $2 million or more are guaranteed to be reviewed, the remaining borrowers may still be selected for review. As noted on the PPP application forms, borrowers must retain supporting documentation in their files for at least six years after the date the loan is forgiven or repaid in full.
PPP Loans – The IRS doubles down on their position on the tax treatment of covered expenses
Generally, when loans are forgiven or canceled, the canceled amounts are includable as income. When the CARES Act established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Congress specifically included language that PPP loan forgiveness would be excluded from gross income, thus creating an exemption for PPP loan forgiveness. Sounds good…so far. Continue reading this blog article.
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