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Posts tagged 'Australia'
Australia and COVID Zero: What Was The Long-Term Plan?
Five years or so ago I remember it was a popular social media poll question in this country to ask where one would live if they could not live in the US. I remember that Australia and New Zealand were often near the top of the lists. Which leads me to ask today -- would anyone, after watching the extraordinarily totalitarian response of these two countries to COVID, answer the same way today? I certainly would not. The country of Crocodile Dundee has morphed before our eyes into the country of some weird fascist version of piglet in the 100 acre wood.
I have wondered for a while what Australia was thinking of -- long-term -- with its COVID zero policy. Let's say they were successful in their country eliminating COVID cases. Now what? They would soon be a nation of non-immunes in a world that has largely come out the other side of the pandemic. This is particularly true now that we have a better sense that existing vaccines are more of a before-the-fact treatment to reduce the severity of the disease than they are absolute immunity to catching the thing, at least in some mild way that triggers an overly-sensitive test.
Were the Australians going to permanently wall themselves off from the rest of the Earth? Refuse to participate in the world economy? Because the one thing that is absolutely certain is that reservoirs of the disease would still exist -- heck, there are still small whooping cough outbreaks in the US, and a couple hundreds polio cases around the world each year. Perhaps they were hoping the disease would morph into something less deadly, as most viruses do (most all parasites will mutate over time to spread more easily but be less likely to kill their hosts). If this is the case, it is sure strange given that the people most in favor of extreme government interventions are the exact same people who seem unable to recognize the Delta variant as being less rather than more deadly.
Well, the sort of good news is that the Australian government has announced that it is willing to release the citizenry from its hostage status once 80% are vaccinated. I personally was vaccinated very early on (so early that I may soon not be counted as vaccinated) and would urge most adults without any unusual medical conditions get one as well. It is not going to stop you from testing positive at some point, but it very likely will keep you off a ventilator if you do get COVID. If you are in Australia, I certainly would recommend it as a small price to be released from captivity.
Tags: Australia
Category: COVID-19 | Comments Off on Australia and COVID Zero: What Was The Long-Term Plan?
Warmists and Skeptics Should Agree That This is The Real Scandal in Climate Science
Imagine that for some reason you desperately needed to be under a certain weight. I am old enough to think of the relatively obscure movie Vision Quest where a high school wrestler is trying to drop two weight classes. If you were in that situation, what is the first investment you would make? Exercise equipment? Nutrition guides? A personal trainer? No! You would invest in a good, accurate scale. Because without being able to measure the variable (in this case weight) you care about, everything else is worthless.
As trivial an observation as this may seem, the fact is that the world's governments have spent tens, perhaps hundreds of billions of dollars on global warming research and mitigation and have done almost zero to build out and improve a reliable temperature measurement system and historical temperature database. We have absolutely failed over the last 30 years to substantially improve our actual measurement of the warming we are so concerned about.
There are at least two problems with our temperature data, the first of which I have written about many times before -- our surface temperature measurement infrastructure is full of bad installations whose design and location bear no resemblance to best-practice standards. The most common problem is that temperature measurement stations are located in places that are subject to a lot of local biases, particularly urban development and heat islands. I wrote about a classic example I discovered right here in Arizona. And while the US has taken a few steps to eliminate the most egregious locations, many bad ones still exist. And problems with the US infrastructure are nothing compared to issues with the infrastructure in other countries. There still are only a handful of measurement locations in huge continents such as Africa and Antarctica, with quality problems equal to or greater than those in the US.
Parallel to the land surface data, we have a second temperature data set taken from satellites that has nearly as many issues. Satellite data eliminates some of the problems of the surface data set: it does not have large gaps in coverage and it is not subject to local biases, such as urban heat islands. It does have the problem of not actually measuring the surface temperature, but rather the lower troposphere, but this is exactly where computer models predict the largest global warming signal to occur, so it is still useful. But there have been many under-investment problems here, too. The history of temperature versions of the UAH satellite temperature data base has many ups and downs that must be corrected -- this satellite fell out of the sky and then this one has sensor drift and then this other one went off course. Despite the large and vocal role of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in climate research, the database they maintain is a surface temperature database and they seem to do little to support space measurement, leaving it to a few small groups to learn something from the satellites. It's as big mess, made worse by the political factor of the space temperature database getting lower warming rates and being maintained by a skeptic while the surface temperature databases show more warming and are maintained by folks more pessimistic about warming rates.
To this picture we can add substantial problems with the historical temperature record. The Hadley CRUT database is generally considered the gold standard in surface temperature records and is used by most researchers. There are some problems with the database that are hard to fix -- for example, for 1850 there is apparently only 1 temperature station in the database for the entire southern hemisphere, which means half the world's temperature is being extrapolated from one site in Indonesia. We can't get in a time machine and sprinkle the world in 1850 with more thermometers. But we can try to take some sort of estimate of the potential error induced by such spotty measurement, something I have never seen done in the CRUT database. The data in 1850 is always presented as just as solid as that in 1950 (see my last global temperature update).
Apparently, a PHD student in Australia recently audited the CRUT database as his thesis project. Before you get into his results, here is one thing to consider: Literally trillion-dollar decisions are being made based on this database and based on research which uses this database, and no one has bothered to do this previously until some random grad student in Australia gives it a shot? By the way, it should be noted that once he completed what should have been warmly welcomed by the climate community with a "Dang, can't believe we didn't do that already," he has instead gotten nothing but grief and criticism.
The thesis is paywalled, (just $8, I have bought a copy and am slogging through it now) but Anthony Watt summarizes:
HadCRUT4 is the primary global temperature dataset used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to make its dramatic claims about "man-made global warming". It's also the dataset at the center of "ClimateGate" from 2009, managed by the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at East Anglia University.
The audit finds more than 70 areas of concern about data quality and accuracy.
But according to an analysis by Australian researcher John McLean it's far too sloppy to be taken seriously even by climate scientists, let alone a body as influential as the IPCC or by the governments of the world.
The Hadley data is one of the most cited, most important databases for climate modeling, and thus for policies involving billions of dollars.
McLean found freakishly improbable data, and systematic adjustment errors , large gaps where there is no data, location errors, Fahrenheit temperatures reported as Celsius, and spelling errors.
Almost no quality control checks have been done: outliers that are obvious mistakes have not been corrected – one town in Columbia spent three months in 1978 at an average daily temperature of over 80 degrees C. One town in Romania stepped out from summer in 1953 straight into a month of Spring at minus 46°C. These are supposedly "average" temperatures for a full month at a time. St Kitts, a Caribbean island, was recorded at 0°C for a whole month, and twice!
Temperatures for the entire Southern Hemisphere in 1850 and for the next three years are calculated from just one site in Indonesia and some random ships.
Sea surface temperatures represent 70% of the Earth's surface, but some measurements come from ships which are logged at locations 100km inland. Others are in harbors which are hardly representative of the open ocean.
When a thermometer is relocated to a new site, the adjustment assumes that the old site was always built up and "heated" by concrete and buildings. In reality, the artificial warming probably crept in slowly. By correcting for buildings that likely didn't exist in 1880, old records are artificially cooled. Adjustments for a few site changes can create a whole century of artificial warming trends.
Details of the worst outliers
For April, June and July of 1978 Apto Uto (Colombia, ID:800890) had an average monthly temperature of 81.5°C, 83.4°C and 83.4°C respectively.
The monthly mean temperature in September 1953 at Paltinis, Romania is reported as -46.4 °C (in other years the September average was about 11.5°C).
At Golden Rock Airport, on the island of St Kitts in the Caribbean, mean monthly temperatures for December in 1981 and 1984 are reported as 0.0°C. But from 1971 to 1990 the average in all the other years was 26.0°C.
The last point about past thermometer adjustments is one I have run into before when I was looking at urban heat islands and their effect on temperature measurement (by the way this is a really great science fair project if you are looking for one). Past urban heat adjustments seem to imply (by cooling the past more than the present) that urban heat biases on measured temperatures have gone down over time, which defies all logic and experience.
There is a lot more of interest at the link, but it strikes me as shear madness, bordering on fraud, that there seems to have been so little effort put into data integrity of perhaps the single most important non-economic dataset in the world. I would presume that warmists, who constantly accuse skeptics of being "anti-science" would be the first to line up in favor of investing whatever is necessary in better, cleaner data. So far, there has only been criticism of the effort.
Postscript: The temperature adjustment issue is an important one. In short, as seen below, the magnitude of the temperature adjustments in the US temperature database equal the magnitude of the warming. In other words, the warming signal comes entirely from the adjustments. This does not mean the signal is being read incorrectly, but it does mean that getting the adjustments (and their error bars, which no one ever includes) correct is perhaps the single most important issue to a good historical database.
Tags: Arizona, Australia, Caribbean, CRUT, global warming, Indonesia, quality control, Romania, Southern Hemisphere, St Kitts
Category: Climate | Comments Off on Warmists and Skeptics Should Agree That This is The Real Scandal in Climate Science
Postmortem on SolarCity
Two years ago, I wrote about the acquisition of SolarCity by Tesla. I thought this represented near-criminal self-dealing at the time and there has been little since to convince me otherwise. As I wrote then:
This is honestly one of the weirdest acquisition proposals I have seen in a long time: Elon Musk's Tesla offers to buy Elon Musk's Solar City.
This makes zero business sense to me. This is from the press release:
We would be the world's only vertically integrated energy company offering end-to-end clean energy products to our customers. This would start with the car that you drive and the energy that you use to charge it, and would extend to how everything else in your home or business is powered. With your Model S, Model X, or Model 3, your solar panel system, and your Powerwall all in place, you would be able to deploy and consume energy in the most efficient and sustainable way possible, lowering your costs and minimizing your dependence on fossil fuels and the grid.
I am sure there are probably some hippy-dippy green types that nod their head and say that this is an amazing idea, but any business person is going to say this is madness. It makes no more sense than to say GM should buy an oil production company. These companies reach customers through different channels, they have completely different sales models, and people buy their products at completely different times and have no need to integrate these two purchases. It is possible there may be some overlap in customers (virtue-signalling rich people) but you could get at this by having some joint marketing agreements, you don't need an acquisition. Besides, probably the last thing that people's solar panels will ever be used for is charging cars, since cars tend to charge in the garage at night when solar isn't producing.
One might argue that some of the technologies are the same, and I suppose some of the battery and electricity management tech overlaps. But again, a simple sourcing agreement or a battery JV would likely be sufficient.
So what do these companies share?
I went on to discuss several possible reasons for the deal but settled on this one as the best explanation:
I have no inside information here, but this is the best hypothesis I can put together for this deal. SolarCity has huge cash needs to continue to grow at the same time its operating margins are shrinking (or getting more negative). They are having trouble finding investors to provide the cash. But hey! Our Chairman Elon Musk is also Chairman of this other company called Tesla whom investors line up to invest in. Maybe Tesla can be our investor!
The reason I call this two drunks propping each other up is that Tesla also is also burning cash like crazy. It is OK for now as long as it has access to the capital markets, but if it suddenly lost that, Tesla would survive less than 6 months on what it has on hand. Remember, SolarCity was a golden child just 3 years ago, just like Tesla is today. Or if you really don't believe that high-flying companies that depend on access to the capital markets can go belly up in the snap of a finger when they lose their luster with investors, I have one word for you: Enron.
Essentially, I saw the SolarCity deal as a bailout of Musk's and his friends' and family's investments in SolarCity by Musk-controlled Tesla. Nothing that has happened since has convinced me this is wrong. The most prominent evidence has been the dog that never barks -- SolarCity, or Tesla Energy as it is called, is almost never mentioned in conference calls and investor communications by Tesla any more -- certainly the rooftop business is not. The only thing that ever seems to get a mention are a few big standby battery installations in Australia. Turns out there was a reason (via Seeking Alpha):
This was a dying business when Tesla bought it an insiders all knew it.
Disclosure: I tend to short Tesla when it reaches the 350/360 level and cover when it drops into the 200's.
Update: Here is a great timeline of the whole sorry history of the SolarCity acquisition by Tesla. This paints an even worse picture than I was aware of.
Tags: Australia, cars, electricity, Elon Musk Tesla, JV, management, marketing, Maybe Tesla, Musk-controlled Tesla, Tesla Energy
Category: General Business | Comments Off on Postmortem on SolarCity
I Like to Hear This
August 1, 2012, 11:40 pm
In the past I have been critical of First Solar, like I have most solar companies, for having business models that were almost entirely dependent on huge government subsidies, particularly in Europe. When these go away, the businesses start to crash.
I have not had time to dig into their financials to look for shenanigans, and to parse out how much is still dependent in some way on either direct subsidies of solar projects or incentives that cause utilities to buy solar electricity at above market rates, but First Solar reversed their large losses to a profit in the last quarter. I am not sure if this is BS or not, but I like this attitude if true:
The company's cost per watt is the lowest in the industry, but it increased slightly during the quarter, to 72 cents per watt, because of the under utilization of its factories. If the factories had run more, the cost would have gone down, officials said.
Hughes said First Solar is making headway on its plan to target regions of the world with ample sunshine and a need for electricity, where solar power can compete without subsidies that make it cost-effective when compared with traditional energy sources.
Those places include Australia, India, the Middle East and other regions, he said.
That would be terrific. I would love to see a solar boom driven by real economics and not taxpayer largess.
Tags: Australia, electricity, Europe, First Solar, India, Middle East, solar, solar power
Category: Energy, The Corporate State | 17 Comments
Food Miles Silliness and the Virtue of Prices
I have written a number of times on the silliness of food miles and the locavore movement (here and here and here). For some reason the energy and resource intensity of foods is being judged merely on one component - transportation of the end product - which actually is only a tiny competent of food costs (and thus their resource use). Is it really more environmentally sensitive for us Phoenicians to grow our corn in the Arizona desert, where soils are unproductive and water must be imported from hundreds of miles away, rather than have it grown in the fertile soils of Iowa and trucked in?
Someone in the media, at least in Australia, finally notices:
TWO brands of olive oil, one from Australia, the other shipped 16,000 kilometres from Italy, sit on a supermarket shelf.
Most eco-friendly shoppers would reach for the Australian oil. But despite burning less fossil fuel to get here, it may not be better for the planet.
Contrary to popular belief, ''food miles'', or the distance food has travelled before we buy it, is a poor indicator of our food's total greenhouse gas emissions, or ''carbon footprint''.
More important is the way our food is farmed and produced, and how far we drive to buy it....
It turns out that stuff like economies of scale really matter
''Local food can often have a higher carbon footprint than food from afar,'' says principal researcher Brad Ridoutt.
He says even home-grown vegetables, with ''zero food miles'', do not necessarily have a smaller carbon footprint than those bought in the supermarket.
''With my veggies, I drive to Bunnings to buy fertiliser, and I go away for the weekend and forget to water them, and in the end I only harvest a few things that I can actually eat.
''By contrast, big producers, who can invest in the latest energy-efficient, water-efficient technology, and make use of all the parts of food, can be much more efficient,'' he says.
Of course, transporting food from producer to retailer still burns fossil fuels that release greenhouse gas emissions, in turn accelerating global warming. But freight emissions are only a fraction of those released during production, meaning even imported food, sustainably produced, can have a smaller carbon footprint than local alternatives.
Even the most rudimentary reading of economics should have given greenies a clue. In commodity products like most foods, prices tend to be driven down to a point that they reflect resources (and their relative scarcity) that went into the product. The cheapest foods tend to be those that use the least, and least scarce, resources in production. So buying locally grown food, which often tends to carry a price premium, should have been a flashing red light that maybe this was not the least-resource-intensive choice.
Tags: Arizona, Australia, Brad Ridoutt, carbon, carbon footprint, Food, food miles, gas, oil, TWO
Category: Economics, Environment | 24 Comments
I'd Walk A Mile for a Camel
This has gotten a fair amount of play around the Internet, but it's crazy enough to re-link in case you have not seen it. A proposal in Australia to earn carbon credits by shooting wild camels. Because when living, breathing creatures are dead, the environment is protected. Take that to its logical conclusion. All that time those folks were clubbing harp seals, they were saving Mother Nature!
Tags: Australia, carbon, Mother Nature
Category: Environment | 12 Comments
Great Moments in Anthropogenic Climate Theories
In the 1860's and 1970's, in the United States, there was a great post-war westward migration. Many settlers began to try to farm lands west of the 100th meridian. These normally very arid regions experienced a couple of decades of much greater rainfall during this period. We know today that this was merely a cyclical variation of the type that is constantly occurring in the climate. However, people of this time chose to believe that this was a permanent change, attributing the shift in rainfall to anthropogenic effects (any of this sound familiar?) The saying at the time was that "rain followed the plow."
The basic premise of the theory was that human habitation and agriculture through homesteading affected a permanent change in the climate of arid and semi-arid regions, making these regions more humid. The theory was widely promoted in the 1870s as a justification for the settlement of the Great Plains, a region previously known as the "Great American Desert". It was also used to justify the expansion of wheatgrowing on marginal land in South Australia during the same period.
According to the theory, increased human settlement in the region and cultivation of soil would result in an increased rainfall over time, rendering the land more fertile and lush as the population increased. As later historical records of rainfall indicated, the theory was based on faulty evidence arising from brief climatological fluctuations. The theory was later refuted by climatologists and is regarded as a serious error. In South Australia, George Goyder warned as early as 1865, in his famous report on farming in the state, that rain would not follow the plow. Despite this, until further droughts in the 1880s, farmers talked of cultivating cereal crops up to the Northern Territory border. Today, however, grain crops do not grow further north than Quorn.
The result was eventually disaster for thousands and many abandoned farms in places like Eastern Colorado. To some extent, the theory had a grain of truth - changes in land use do affect the climate. For example, the loss of snow on Kilimanjaro is generally attributed (by non Al Gore types) to deforestation in the area. But as is so often the case, the effects of man's land use tended to be more local (as with urban heat islands in cities) rather than regional, and ended up in this case being small compared to natural variations.
Tags: Australia, Climate, Eastern Colorado, George Goyder, Great American Desert, land use, migration, Northern Territory, South Australia, United States
Category: Climate | 8 Comments
Now He Tells Us -- Gore Figures Out Ethanol is Stupid
A little late Al -- some of us realized this way back when it could have done some good, like before we spent billions of tax dollars and subsidized a stupid industry into being:
ATHENS, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Former U.S. vice-president Al Gore said support for corn-based ethanol in the United States was "not a good policy", weeks before tax credits are up for renewal.
"It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for (U.S.) first generation ethanol," said Gore, speaking at a green energy business conference in Athens sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank.
"First generation ethanol I think was a mistake. The energy conversion ratios are at best very small.
"It's hard once such a programme is put in place to deal with the lobbies that keep it going."
He explained his own support for the original programme on his presidential ambitions.
"One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee, and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president."
Gore said a range of factors had contributed to that food price crisis, including drought in Australia, but said there was no doubt biofuels have an effect.
"The size, the percentage of corn particularly, which is now being (used for) first generation ethanol definitely has an impact on food prices.
"The competition with food prices is real."
A couple of thoughts here. First, many detractors like myself have made the link between Iowa's role in the Presidential nomination process and support for corn ethanol, but it is nice to see a supporter confirm the link. Second, I wonder how many other scientific opinions Gore holds where political expediency blinds him to the reality of the data? I can think of at least one big one....
Tags: Al Gore, ATHENS, Australia, biofuels, ethanol, green energy, Marfin Popular Bank, prices, Reuters Former, United States
Category: Energy | 15 Comments
Ditto Hamburgers
Apparently, the folks in France are at it again, valiantly trying to retroactively create trademark rights that don't exist. I saw this link below:
Which leads to this site, which says in part:
When it comes to wine, there is no ingredient more important than location. The land, air, water and weather where grapes are grown are what make each wine unique. That is why we, as wine enthusiasts, demand that a wine's true origin be clearly identified on its label in order for us to make informed decisions when purchasing and consuming wine. This ensures we know where our wine comes from and protects wine growing regions worldwide.
Use the form below to sign the petition to protect wine place and origin names:
I hereby sign the Wine Place & Origin Petition. In doing so, I join the signatories of the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin - Champagne, Chianti Classico, Jerez, Napa Valley, Oregon, Paso Robles, Porto, Sonoma County, Tokaj, Victoria, Walla Walla, Washington State and Western Australia - and a growing list of consumers in supporting clear and accurate labeling to better ensure consumers will not be misled by wine labels.
Some countries like Germany cannot use "champagne" or "Cognac" to describe similar products. Do you know why? These conditions were actually thrown in to the Treaty of Versailles at the end of WWI. Since the US never signed the treaty, it and its citizens and growers are not bound by this restriction.
In the same spirit I demand that: 1) Hamburgers only be made in Hamburg 2) Franfurters can only be made in Frankfort 3) Wiener Snitzel can only be made in Vienna 4) Hollandaise Sauce can only be made in the Netherlands 5) Boston baked beans can only be made in Boston. Obviously we consumers are all duped, thinking our hamburger was actually made in Germany. Had I only known!
Tags: Australia, Chianti Classico, france, germany, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Sonoma County, US, Walla Walla, WWI
Category: Uncategorized | 19 Comments
Pretty Good Climategate Summary
From Christopher Booker at the Telegraph via Anthony Watts
There are three threads in particular in the leaked documents which have sent a shock wave through informed observers across the world. Perhaps the most obvious, as lucidly put together by Willis Eschenbach (see McIntyre's blog Climate Audit and Anthony Watt's blog Watts Up With That), is the highly disturbing series of emails which show how Dr Jones and his colleagues have for years been discussing the devious tactics whereby they could avoid releasing their data to outsiders under freedom of information laws.
They have come up with every possible excuse for concealing the background data on which their findings and temperature records were based.
This in itself has become a major scandal, not least Dr Jones's refusal to release the basic data from which the CRU derives its hugely influential temperature record, which culminated last summer in his startling claim that much of the data from all over the world had simply got "lost". Most incriminating of all are the emails in which scientists are advised to delete large chunks of data, which, when this is done after receipt of a freedom of information request, is a criminal offence.
But the question which inevitably arises from this systematic refusal to release their data is "" what is it that these scientists seem so anxious to hide? The second and most shocking revelation of the leaked documents is how they show the scientists trying to manipulate data through their tortuous computer programmes, always to point in only the one desired direction "" to lower past temperatures and to "adjust" recent temperatures upwards, in order to convey the impression of an accelerated warming. This comes up so often (not least in the documents relating to computer data in the Harry Read Me file) that it becomes the most disturbing single element of the entire story. This is what Mr McIntyre caught Dr Hansen doing with his GISS temperature record last year (after which Hansen was forced to revise his record), and two further shocking examples have now come to light from Australia and New Zealand.
In each of these countries it has been possible for local scientists to compare the official temperature record with the original data on which it was supposedly based. In each case it is clear that the same trick has been played "" to turn an essentially flat temperature chart into a graph which shows temperatures steadily rising. And in each case this manipulation was carried out under the influence of the CRU.
What is tragically evident from the Harry Read Me file is the picture it gives of the CRU scientists hopelessly at sea with the complex computer programmes they had devised to contort their data in the approved direction, more than once expressing their own desperation at how difficult it was to get the desired results.
The third shocking revelation of these documents is the ruthless way in which these academics have been determined to silence any expert questioning of the findings they have arrived at by such dubious methods "" not just by refusing to disclose their basic data but by discrediting and freezing out any scientific journal which dares to publish their critics' work. It seems they are prepared to stop at nothing to stifle scientific debate in this way, not least by ensuring that no dissenting research should find its way into the pages of IPCC reports.
Tags: Anthony Watt, Australia, CRU, Dr Hansen, Dr Jones, GISS, Harry Read, temperature, Willis Eschenbach
I want to thank Tom Nelson for the pointer, because I usually don't hang out much at the Socialist Unity site. But I thought that this post was telling.
While it may be urgent that we create a red green alliance to
strengthen radical social action to stop climate change, our collective
problem is how are we going to do that?
The Climate Change Social Change Conference
held in Sydney Australia during April tried to tackle that
challenge.This was a bold attempt to bring together left and green
activists in order to locate a shared perspective around which we could
begin more consciously organize....
Foster and Perez urged the conference's participants to consider
socialism as the only viable solution to the climate emergency. This
was a persistent theme discussed throughout the three day event as
speakers were drawn from a range of environment movements and
organisations (such as the Australian Greens and Friends of the Earth)
as well as academic specialists "" who preferred solution packages which
were not consciously committed to a socialist transformation of
society..
Tags: Australia, Climate, climate change, socialism, Socialist Unity, speakers, Sydney, Sydney Australia, Tom Nelson
Category: Capitalism & Libertarian Philospohy | 5 Comments
Now I'm Really Mad at Ethanol Subsidies
January 4, 2008, 10:54 am
OK, I was mad at the waste of tax dollars for ethanol programs that do nothing for the environment or to reduce net fossil fuel consumption. I was mad that a technology that in no way reduces CO2 production but does introduce radical new land-use-related environmental problems could be sold as an environmental panacea, rather than the corporate welfare it truly is. I was mad we have decided it is more important to subsidize corn farmers than to continue to provide the world's poor with cheap food. And I was flabbergasted that Congress could call for production of more corn-based ethanol than is physically possible with our entire corn crop.
But I really am mad now that ethanol subsidies are making craft beers rarer and more expensive to make:
A global shortage of hops, combined with a run-up in barley prices, is
sending a chill through Arizona's craft-beer industry.
The hops shortage threatens to boost prices, cut into profits and close
down brewpubs. It could change the taste and consistency of treasured
local ales.
In Bisbee, "hop heads" already are weaning themselves from Electric
Dave's India Pale Ale. Dave Harvan closed his 7-year-old Electric
Brewing Co. in November, citing the scarcity and high cost of
So why aren't as many farmers growing hops and barley? Because the government is paying them ridiculous jack to grow corn so we can burn food into our cars:
Papazian attributed the barley prices to ethanol subsidies that have
raised the price of corn, the main ingredient in the alternative fuel.
As a result, farmers have switched to barley for livestock feed, which
has pushed up prices.
The hops situation is more complex. Years of overproduction and low
prices led farmers to replace hops fields with more profitable crops.
Add to that corn subsidies that have caused farmers to replace hops
fields with corn, a drought in Australia that affected yields and heavy
rains in Europe that ruined much of this year's crop.
Tags: Australia, Dave Harvan, Electric Brewing Co, ethanol, fuel, India, prices, Subsidies, welfare
Category: Environment | 6 Comments
Really? You Mean CO2 Reduction Has Costs?
New today from the new Australian government, who to date have placed themselves solidly in the catastrophic camp:
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd last night did an about-face on deep cuts to
greenhouse gas emissions, days after Australia's delegation backed the
plan at the climate talks in Bali.
A government representative at the talks this week said Australia backed a 25-40 per cent cut on 1990 emission levels by 2020.
But after warnings it would lead to huge rises in electricity prices, Mr Rudd said the Government would not support the target.
repudiation of the delegate's position represents the first stumble by
the new Government's in its approach to climate change.
Tags: Australia, climate change, electricity, gas, Government, Minister Kevin Rudd, prices, PRIME
It Really is a Smaller World
Anthony Watt has a pointer to a nice presentation in four parts on YouTube by Bob Carter made at a public forum in Australia. He walks through some of the skeptics' issues with catastrophic man-made global warming theory.
What caught my attention, though, were the pictures Mr. Carter shows in his presentation about about 1:30 into part 4. Because I took the pictures he shows, down at the University of Arizona, as part of Mr. Watts project to document temperature measurement stations. Kind of cool to see someone I don't know in a country I have (sadly) never visited using a small bit of my work. Part 4 is below, but you can find links to all four parts here.
Tags: Anthony Watt, Arizona, Australia, Bob Carter, global warming, pictures, temperature, warming
Category: Climate | 1 Comment
French vs. Anglo-American "Imperialism"
For some reason, a portion of our country has adopted France as the standard bearer of "anti-imperialism" (or at least anti-US imperialism). France publicly positions itself similarly, trying to make itself the leader and counterweight to US "Imperialism". I will leave aside for now the argument as to whether the US's recent actions constitute "imperialism". I will instead focus on the French as a role model.
The first thing that struck me was how long the French tried desperately to hold on to their colonial empire. Both the US and Great Britain either liberated or came to an acceptable living arrangement with their major colonies within a few years of the end of WWII. Both seemed to come to terms with the fact that the colonial era was over. The French, in contrast, were still involved in bloody conflicts in Indochina and Algeria to retain their empire through the late 50's and even into the early 60's.
So, I decided to do a little research to understand the relative success of French and Anglo-American colonies. Of course, when judging the success of a former colony, a lot of things come into play, and certainly the freed colony must take a substantial amount of responsibility for its own success and political freedom. However, after a bit of research, it is instructive to see how well prepared for independence Britain, France, and the US left their colonies. Did they leave the country with democratic systems in place and a capable local ruling class, or did they just suck the country dry and try to prevent any locals from gaining any capability.
To make this analysis, I have selected a number of each country's key colonies. Some of the smaller African and island nations have been left out. I also realize that I left off some of the ex-British middle eastern colonies, but I am too tired now to add them back in.
I have used two pieces of data to judge an ex-colony's success. First is GDP per capita, corrected for purchasing power parity, found in the 2003 CIA fact book via World Facts and Figures. The second is the Freedom index prepared by Freedom House.
Continue reading 'French vs. Anglo-American "Imperialism"' »
Tags: Australia, FR, Freedom Index, GB, GDP, India, influence, mexico, NR, US
Category: International Affairs | 26 Comments
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text:
'An iconic event': Silver Stick Tournament kicks off 2023 season in Port Huron
McKenna Golat
Port Huron Times Herald
Hockey players and fans will unite this weekend in Port Huron for the 2023 International Silver Stick Tournament.
Silver Stick will take place every weekend throughout January featuring 120 teams from across the United States and Canada. Businesses and restaurants downtown are excited to welcome the teams, their families and other spectators.
Port Huron City Manager James Freed said the tournament is a key economic event for Port Huron.
"Silver Stick is an iconic event," Freed said. "It's something the city looks forward to every year."
Freed said the tournament brings thousands of people to the area and puts Port Huron on the map as a destination.
The first games will take place simultaneously at 2 p.m. Thursday at Glacier Pointe Ice Complex, located at 4150 Dove Road in Port Huron Township, and at McMorran Place, located at 701 McMorran Blvd. in downtown Port Huron.
Businesses in Port Huron are preparing for the influx of people. Casey Harris, owner of Casey's, said while teh restaurant is usually busy on the weekends, the tournament will add to it. Additionally, he said Silver Stick helps businesses during the off-peak season.
"Silver Stick helps to fill the void and helps us to get nice numbers throughout January," Harris said.
Harris said he knows usual patrons may be hesitant to come out because they expect businesses to be busier than usual. However, Harris said that since it's a tournament, teams may leave once they're eliminated.
The DoubleTree Hotel will be full nearly every weekend because six teams will be staying there the entire tournament. General Manager Amber Graham said hotel staff is excited to welcome the teams.
"Without Silver Stick, things would be slow because its winter," Graham said. "We look forward to this every year and we always try to build a relationship with the teams that stay here."
Graham said all the staff at DoubleTree get involved and engage with the teams. She said the hotel wants to make it a fun and enjoyable experience.
The tournament will mostly take place in Port Huron. However, the games from Jan. 12 to Jan. 15 will take place in Canada.
According to Tournament Director Eric Beauchamp, the furthest teams attending are from New Jersey and South Dakota. He said the tournament brings together the best talent among youth hockey teams from the United States and Canada.
"We call it the Stanley Cup of youth hockey," Beauchamp said.
The Port Huron Flags are scheduled to play from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21. The full tournament schedule can be found at www.silverstick.org.
Port Huron has been the host of the Silver Stick Tournament since 1963. All games are free for the public to attend.
Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com or (810) 292-0122.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
«Дюна 2» () — майбутній науково-фантастичний фільм режисера Дені Вільнева, сиквел кінокартини «Дюна» (2021), частина франшизи, основою якої стали романи Френка Герберта. Робота над фільмом почалася в 2021 році. Прем'єра фільму запланована на 3 листопада 2023 року.

Сюжет
Літературною основою сценарію фільму стала друга половина науково-фантастичного роману Френка Герберта «Дюна». Відомо, що в сценарії буде приділено більше уваги персонажу Зендеї — Чані.

У ролях

Фільмування
Ще в ході роботи над фільмом «Дюна» Дені Вільнев заявив, що ця картина охопить лише приблизно половину однойменного роману Френка Герберта, а інша половина стане основою сценарію для продовження. Режисер пояснив, що «не погодився на екранізацію цієї книги в одному фільмі. Світ роману занадто складний, його сила в деталях». У листопаді 2019 року Джон Спейтс покинув пост виконавчого продюсера серіалу «Дюна: Сестринство», щоб зосередитися на написанні сценарію до «Дюни 2». У червні 2020 року оператор Ґреґ Фрейзер розповів: «Це повністю сформована історія, і їй є куди розвиватися. Це самостійний епічний фільм, від якого люди багато отримають, коли побачать його».

У грудні 2020 року Вільнев заявив, що через план Warner Bros. одночасно випустити «Дюну» в кінотеатрах і на HBO Max ця стрічка, можливо, не окупиться в прокаті, і це вдарить по планах зняти продовження. У лютому 2021 року Ерік Рот розповів, що створив сюжетну основу сиквела. У титрах на IMAX-показах перших десяти хвилин фільм «Дюна» був названий «Дюна: Частина перша», що підтвердило плани на подальше продовження. У серпні 2021 року Вільнев з оптимізмом висловився про продовження. Він підтвердив, що Чані матиме велику роль у сиквелі і що робота над продовженням вже почалася. На 78-му Венеціанському кінофестивалі Вільнев ще раз зазначив, що сиквел охопить половину першого роману.

Було відомо, що «Дюну 2» почнуть знімати навіть в тому випадку, якщо перший фільм циклу провалиться в прокаті. 21 жовтня 2021 року генеральний директор компанії Warner Bros. Енн Сарнофф підтвердила, що сиквел побачить світ.

Прем'єра
Прем'єра фільму запланована на 3 листопада 2023 р. Раніше він мав вийти 20 жовтня 2023 р. , а потім — на 17 листопада 2023 р., а потім перейти до поточної дати випуску, щоб пристосуватися до зміни в графіках випусків від інших студій.

Майбутнє продовження
Вільнев висловив зацікавленість у знятті третього фільму за мотивами «Месія Дюни» — другого роману в серії, додавши, що можливість створення фільму залежить від успіху «Дюни: Частина друга» .  Спайтс також повторив у березні 2022 року, що Вільнев планує зняти третій фільм, а також телесеріал. У березні 2022 року Спейтс також повторив, що Вільнев планує зняти третій фільм, а також серіал.

Примітки

Фільми США 2023
Фантастичні фільми 2023
Фільми Дені Вільнева
Фільми, дія яких відбувається в пустелі
Фільми Legendary Pictures
Фільми англійською мовою

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Make the most of your storage space with this flat packed shelving unit from Cambro.
The unit is made from a strong and durable fibre glass and resin composite material that gives it the durability to withstand constant use in any environment.
From walk-in freezers to staff rooms, the shelving unit can withstand a range of temperatures from as low as -38C up to highs of 88C.
The vented shelves ensure dry foods such as rice and potatoes get the right air circulation, increasing their shelf life for higher quality dishes.
The flat packed design allows you to set it up when you need it.
This makes it easier to install in small rooms or where access is a difficulty.
It also means the shelves can be customised to your liking, allowing you to store larger items at the bottom.
And with a 300kg capacity on each shelf, youll easily be able to store everything you need to.


text:
const {
  targets: listOfPolyfillsByTarget, // object with targets for each module
} = require(`core-js-compat`)({
  // get all polyfills necessary for IE11, chrome > 63 or safari < 12.1
  // This will give us a comprehensive list of all polyfills of legacy polyfills and modern polyfills.
  // Core-js will give us output like:
  //   "es.symbol.match-all": {
  //     "chrome": "64",
  //     "ie": "11",
  //     "safari": "3.1"
  //   },
  //   "es.symbol.replace": {
  //     "ie": "11",
  //     "safari": "3.1"
  //   },
  // With this matrix we can remove all modern polyfills like es.symbol.match-all from the exclude list so babel-preset-env
  // can still polyfill them for our users.
  targets: `IE 11, chrome > 63, safari <= 12.1`,
  filter: /^(es)\./,
})

const listOfLegacyPolyfills = []
Object.keys(listOfPolyfillsByTarget).forEach(polyfill => {
  const targets = listOfPolyfillsByTarget[polyfill]
  // only add a list of polyfills that are necessary for IE, we don't want to exclude promise.finally...
  if (!targets.chrome) {
    listOfLegacyPolyfills.push(polyfill)
  }
})

module.exports = {
  // Is imported inside the legacy polyfill file
  LEGACY_POLYFILLS: [
    `features/array/copy-within`,
    `features/array/fill`,
    `features/array/find`,
    `features/array/find-index`,
    `features/array/flat-map`,
    `features/array/flat`,
    `features/array/from`,
    `features/array/includes`,
    `features/array/iterator`,
    `features/array/of`,
    `features/function/has-instance`,
    `features/function/name`,
    `features/map`,
    `features/set`,
    `features/weak-map`,
    `features/weak-set`,
    `features/number/constructor`,
    `features/number/epsilon`,
    `features/number/is-finite`,
    `features/number/is-integer`,
    `features/number/is-nan`,
    `features/number/is-safe-integer`,
    `features/number/max-safe-integer`,
    `features/number/min-safe-integer`,
    `features/object/entries`,
    `features/object/get-own-property-descriptors`,
    `features/object/is`,
    `features/object/keys`,
    `features/object/values`,
    `features/string/code-point-at`,
    `features/string/ends-with`,
    `features/string/from-code-point`,
    `features/string/includes`,
    `features/string/iterator`,
    `features/string/pad-start`,
    `features/string/pad-end`,
    `features/string/raw`,
    `features/string/repeat`,
    `features/string/starts-with`,
    `features/string/trim-start`,
    `features/string/trim-end`,
    `features/reflect`,
    `features/regexp`,
    `features/symbol`,
    `features/promise`,
    `features/dom-collections`,
  ],
  // Will be used by preset-env to exclude already polyfilled features from the automatic polyfilling option
  CORE_JS_POLYFILL_EXCLUDE_LIST: [
    ...listOfLegacyPolyfills,
    `es.object.assign`,

    // These are added by default as the check in babel-preset-env isn't thorough enough
    // ex if .forEach is used it adds a bunch of iterator polyfills even if it has nothing to do with that
    `es.array.iterator`,
    `es.promise`,
    `es.symbol.description`,
    `web.*`,

    // core-js@3.7.0 added extra polyfill for reduce & reduce-right because of bug - we don't care about that bug, we're already on chrome 87
    `es.array.reduce`,
    `es.array.reduce-right`,
  ],
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Opinion | Letters
Letter: Don't let this football season go out with a whimper
By Lori Olson Billings
C'mon, Bison fans. Show your spirit and fire up! I had two relatives here this past weekend--one from Minnetonka, Minn., and one from Phoenix. Both had a ticket to Saturday's game, and both wore North Dakota State University gear.
Alas, I had to watch the game on television. When they returned, we asked how they liked the game. Both, from different parts of the country but with roots in Fargo, were excited to see the game in person. They were impressed with the team and their skills; plus they also enjoyed seeing the Fargodome for the first time. However, they both were disappointed with the fans.
It is as if the fans expected to win. As the Herd's score went up, they showed their complacency by leaving early and not reaching the famous sound level of the dome.
Things will be different as the coaching staff changes. Scores may not be what we are used to. So I ask that you, the fans, please don't let this extraordinary season go out with a whimper. Proudly wear your green and gold, and fire, fire, fire up! God bless our Thundering Herd!
Related Topics: FOOTBALLNORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
Letter: Give Fargo police officers and Chief Zibolski a break
Kaplan writes, "We should bear in mind that it is inherently in the psychology of the police to be fault finders, nitpickers and critics. No one has mentioned the most important factor: not what the police think of their job, but what do the citizens think of the police?"
By James M. Kaplan
Letter: Americans want abortion to remain safe, legal and accessible
They writes, "If Roe v Wade is overturned, state politicians will have the power to decide if abortion will remain legal or not. North Dakota is one of 12 states with a trigger law on the books. This would automatically ban abortion within 30 days if Roe v Wade is overturned."
By Dr. Erica Hofland
Letter: Quit falling for Republicans' socialism scare tactics
Slen writes, "... there isn't a Republican in Bismarck who wants to abolish socialism in North Dakota. They love socialism here."
By Rolf Slen
Letter: What about justice for the unborn?
Sims writes, "The Roe v. Wade decision created an imaginary "right" to abortion, superseding a baby's right to life. Under our Constitution, the rights of mother and baby are equal; neither should take precedence over the other."
By Ken Sims
Gov. Tim Walz's pitch for budget surplus includes $350 checks to Minnesotans
New private school set to open in Fargo this fall
Karl-Anthony Towns' battle with referees wages on, and Timberwolves suffer because of it
Metro Hockey Shootout, Stick it to Cancer events slated for Saturday in Fargo
Liquor commissioner votes against downtown Fargo license


text:
Q: Create & return a list on the fly with Data access layer? I end up creating a lot of business objects for a task as simple as

returning a list of years from database.

My current approach is to make a year class file then make a YearCollection:List<year>class file etc.

How can I return a list from a DAL method without creating
  separate class files for each task ?

A: You can return a List<int> from your DAL method
public List<int> GetYears()
{
    var years = new List<int>();

    //create the reader

    while(reader.Read())
    {
        years.Add(reader.GetInt32(0));
    }

    return years;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Celebrate Mid-Summer Nights with Live Music
Deleted Scenes: The Last Show
JJ Koczan
This past Friday, my now-former band played our last show at the Cake Shop in Manhattan. The weekend ensuing was full of me trying to shift from thinking about things related to the six years we were together in the past as opposed to the present tense. We were a band. We played this many shows, wrote this many songs. It was kind of a bummer.
Our reasons for calling it quits weren't epic: None of us is hooked on drugs, none of our wives threw down ultimatums demanding we end it. We have jobs, real lives, and we live far apart. Nobody makes a lot of money. It had been hard to get together to practice and write songs.
But even that's only half of the truth. Not that these things didn't matter, but really, I think we ended it because nobody gave a shit.
I don't hold that against anyone in the band or outside of it. How could I? I've been in the music industry for the better part of a decade in varying degrees and levels of involvement. That's long enough to know that nobody is going to care about your band just because you're in it and you know how great you are. Long enough to know there are a lot of great bands that are born, fizzle out and die without anyone taking notice. But knowing doesn't make the shows anymore fun when you're opening for hipster bands who've been around half as long, suck twice as much and draw three times as many people. Beer is expensive and it only does so much to hold back that bitterness, and I think ultimately that's what did us in.
The bitterness, not the cost of beer.
We were good at what we did. Occasionally, really good. There were some shows I came home from and said to myself, "This is fucking amazing," and I have little doubt that, as far as bands go, this will have been the best I'll ever join. But the kind of music we played—if I was to even name the genre, most people reading this wouldn't have heard of it, so I'll save us both the trouble—has a limited appeal, and our appeal within that was even more limited. Sometimes it felt like we were throwing dry spaghetti against the wall to see if it would stick.
I was working in the city when we recorded and put out our only album. I have good memories of leaving work to drive south on the Parkway to put my parts to tape, and better ones of seeing the finished product for the first time; staying home from work to meet the UPS guy when he showed up with the boxes of discs, most of which are still in the office upstairs at my house, unsold.
There are a lot of good memories. And some bad ones. I got drunk and was an asshole on more than one occasion—a lethal combination of alcohol and self-loathing. We lost our first drummer to lack of interest in what we were doing, and that didn't end particularly well. But we kept going. For the last year or so, I told myself I was doing it because I loved playing with these guys and I loved the songs, and both of those things were true. That likely would have been enough to keep me going. But there were four people involved.
The last show was a boon. Some people don't know their last show is their last, it just happens and then there isn't another. But we went out in righteous fashion: Loudly and among good friends. I couldn't have asked anything more of it than I got, and if that's really to be the last memory I make of that time in my life, then it's a good one. On the way into the city, we joked about why the band was breaking up. We laughed. We listened to Dozer, of whom you've probably also never heard.
In the end, "it's a thing and it ended" is all there really is to say about it. I know a lot of people out there have had similar experiences, and it's always going to be something you feel more when you're in it. Like any kind of grief. But knowing doesn't seem to be doing me much good tonight.
jj@theaquarian.com
bandcake shopdeleted scenesdozerjj koczankings destroymaegashirathe last showthe obelisk
Previous Reality Check: LAST NIGHT THEY SHOT JOHN LENNON
Next Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Son Of A Son?
Deleted Scenes: Bloopers
Claudia Morello
Deleted Scenes: The Ass The Door Hit
Deleted Scenes: Out Of Body
Deleted Scenes: Miracles
Deleted Scenes: The War Boner
Deleted Scenes: Amid Shenanigans


"Taken together, these mean-spirited actions constitute an attack on women's health, on those living with illness or injury, and on every American living paycheck to paycheck – month to month. Low-income people will lose their health care. Seniors who are not yet on Medicare will become more vulnerable, and those struggling to make ends meet will suffer unnecessarily. Make no mistake: This is the latest tactic of a piecemeal effort to strip away the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.


[SOLVED] Does over using a phone cause significant hardware degradation? | How to put apps in alphabetical order in kitkat?
Does over using a phone cause significant hardware degradation?
I have a LYF Wind 7 with a 1.3 GhZ Quad core snapdragon 210 and 2 GB RAM. The phone was snappy and slick when I got it. But now after 1.5 years, it has become so laggy that it's become impossible to use it. Whenever I open dialler, it takes 5-10 seconds. The back button responds 10 seconds later while inside WhatsApp or any other app. Even after factory reset, it runs fast for a day, but returns to being laggy. The firmware is the latest version. Tried force stopping all apps with greenify but nothing works. Internal memory is 3 GB free.
Now my confession is, I have overused the phone. I have often used the phone's hotspot with Jio as my primary data connection. Now is it possible that a phone's hardware can degrade this way? I'm planning to buy the Zenfone Max Pro M1 but will it get laggy like this phone if I overuse it by using it as hotspot?
How to put apps in alphabetical order in kitkat?
Why wont my LG G4 vibrate for notifications?
how can i reinstall google play service In my phone after unistalling it when i rooted my android?
Phone restarted itself today and now the dropbar, home button and notifications no longer work.
Why is there no sound coming out of my LG Tribute?
Has anyone gotten the Elephone M3 yet?
phone on silent alarm does not go off with sound just blinks.
on the Nextbook Ares 8 can I load movies and what app do I need to do this ?


text:
New Domains to Rule Over
Link: New Domains to Rule Over
Link broken? Try the Wayback Machine.
Plato argued in Republic that the best form of government was a benevolent dictatorship headed by an enlightened philosopher-king. For many years, the Internet had something very much like that in the late Jon Postel.
As the director of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), Postel was the founder and sole manager of the Internet's addressing system. Strictly speaking, he was more of a benevolent philosopher-postmaster than a king. But he probably had more influence on the Internet's governance than did any other single person.
For decades, Postel oversaw the process of handing out blocks of IP addresses (strings of digits that uniquely identify each computer attached to the Internet, such as 209.238.59.130). The more user-friendly domain name system, which replaces numeric IP addresses with easier-to-remember domain names (such as www.tweney.com), was managed by Network Solutions.
After Postel died in late 1998, the IANA morphed into the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, created by the U.S. government. Responsibility for both IP addresses and domain names shifted to the bureaucratic body, which is just about the closest thing we have now to Internet overseer. Unfortunately, ICANN was plagued with problems from the start: bureaucratic infighting, an abortive effort to tax domain name registrations, struggles to find a legitimate source of funding, and disputes with Network Solutions. It was almost a year before ICANN accomplished anything.
Now we're starting to see the effects of ICANN's work. Network Solutions's monopoly on domain-name registration has been replaced with a competitive system in which many registrars, such as Register.com, eNom.com, and Dotster.com, compete to sell you domain names. And just last week, ICANN decided to mix things up even more by creating a few new top-level domains (the suffixes attached to every domain name, such as .com and .net). By 2001, you should start seeing Web addresses with endings such as .shop, .union, .sucks, or .sex.
Trouble is, .com domain names are — and probably will continue to be — the most coveted Web addresses. It's also unclear whether trademarks give companies the right to own any and all related domain names (remember the legal battle between eToys and Etoy.com?). ICANN's new top-level domains won't change that.
Will the new domain names open up new territories for virtual homesteaders? Don't bet on it. Big companies will simply triple their domain-name expenditures (a trivial line item in any big corporation's budget) and snap up even more domains. Soon you may be able to get to Ford Motor Company at Ford.com, Ford.shop — and probably even Ford.union.
Here's the bigger question: How much will domain names matter in the near future? Sure, it's easier to fit a catchy, short domain name on a business card or a television commercial. But long domain names are just as easy to click on as short ones. Over the long haul, as devices wired for the Internet proliferate, we'll be doing a lot less typing of domain names and a lot more clicking — or even just asking the computer to connect us to Ford or Avis or wherever. And the Internet domain debate will become a moot argument.
Kinda makes you long for a benevolent philosopher to step in and straighten things out, doesn't it?
ICANN now has an "at-large membership" that will be able to vote on some ICANN issues. Anyone in the world who is over 16 and has an e-mail address and a postal address can sign up to be an at-large member onICANN's site.
eCompany Now
Cash for code
Linux Looks Good to Retail


Kemal Yıldırım won the "Unions of Exporters Grand Prize" with the design called Angledbox in the Office Furniture Professional Category at the "Eighth National Furniture Design Competition" organized by the Unions of Exporters of Turkey on 10 April 2015. Furthermore, he won "Second Prize" with the design called Life Bed at the "Furniture Design Competition for Saving Lives in an Earthquake" that was opened within the scope of the Fifth International Kocaeli Earthquake Symposium held on 11 June 2015. In addition, he won 6 each "A Design Awards" with the designs titled Angledshelf, V-Bookcase, Mybath, Hexbox, Filebox and SLant at the 2016-2018 A Design Awards, included among the most prestigious design competitions of the world organized in Italy. On April 28, 2018, he received the Bronze Design Award from the European Product Design Awards for his Pivotbox design.
Kemal Yıldırım is presently employed as a Professor at the Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey. Prof. Yıldırım has written over 100 national and international scientific articles in the field of Furniture and Interior Design.
*Işık, Z. ve Yıldırım, K., Dekorasyonda İnce Yapı: Temel Ders Kitabı (G.Ü. Yayın Komisyonu Karar No: 2001/320), Zirve Ofset Basın Yayın Matbaacılık San. Tic. Ltd. Şti., ISBN: 975-97378-0-9, Ankara, 2002.
Press Members: Request an exclusive interview with Kemal Yıldırım.


text:
Reviews 06-10-2001
Sweven
by Zero Ohms
Visit Zero Ohms Bandcamp Page
"Sweven" is a cross-cultural spiritual space fantasy from the deep exotic soundworlds of Zero Ohms, nee Richard J. Roberts. Richard uses his multi-instrumental virtuosity to tap into some deep esoteric messages from ethnic, scientific and sci-fi philosophies.
The resultant sound is floating and expansive minimalism. Richard's wind-synth is absolutely eerie and downright "Bach-ian." (That is, it brings to mind the scary images that are evoked by "Toccata and Fugue, the ultimate haunted house piece.) His ethnic instrumentation takes listeners to the realms of roads less traveled and inexplicable emotions.
Richard put tremendous effort into sequencing these tracks. The influences flow from the diverse inspirations flawlessly. Comparisons between a Cherokee mound, a NASA test vehicle, the laws of physics and sci-fi fantasies are about as close to 180 degrees apart as it gets. They are also about as centered and integrated as emotions allow.
This album, available as an mp3 D.A.M. CD, is a typical Zero Ohms project. Succinctly, it is awesome!
Reviewed by Jim Brenholts
Atma-Spheric Surfaces
Richard J. Roberts, a.k.a. Zero Ohms, is one very well rounded and well-read individual. His liner notes are full of valuable information that provides listeners with a guided tour of the intent of his compositions.
"Atma-Spheric Surfaces" is a melange of influences and inspirations from Richard's unique outlook on his personal experiences and observations. He has a totally original perspective on his intellectual intake. He releases that intake as highly emotional and deeply spiritual minimalism.
Richard uses many ethnic and exotic instruments to convey his personal messages and philosophies. His journeys are forays to both sides of the plane. There are some deep and dark passages as well as some very light and airy moments. Each piece has a distinct and direct meaning. Richard's musical diversity and virtuosity provide consistency and keep the disc even and grounded.
I am particularly drawn to "The Power of Nothingness." Richard postulates " &ldots; it is what you believe that you see." I have lived the last 5 or 6 years of my emotional, spiritual and intellectual lives by the credo "I'll see it when I believe it!" rather than the cynical inverse.
I have gained much inner peace from that philosophy. It appears that Richard has also!
Traveling Backwards
by Nightcrawlers
Visit Manikin Records Website
"Traveling Backwards," by Nightcrawlers, was released in 1997. The double CD set includes all three of their LP releases in their entirety.
This largely unheralded and often overlooked ensemble is firmly entrenched in the Berlin school of heavy sequences and dense atmospheres. Lost in that focus is the originality of their work. Peter D. Gulch, a frequent collaborator of Chuck van Zyl, headlined this synthesizer trio. David Lunt and Steve Gulch were also members. Peter, David and Steve placed some very expansive and experimental atmospheres among the Berlin electronics. These minimalist stylings gave this ensemble a unique sound that is still vital and viable in the new millennium.
Of course, the heavy sequences create outer space atmospheres that are very familiar and very apropos for the era (1980's). It is that style that draws favorable comparisons to the founders and progenitors of the Berlin school. (Further comparisons will not be made here.) For listeners looking for sequenced synthesizer excellence, this is a first rate choice. For listeners looking for a unique marriage of the Berlin school and minimalist atmospheres, this is a first rate choice.
The Gospel According to
by Kevin Keller
Visit Kevin Keller's website
"The Gospel According to Philip K. Dick" is a movie about the life and writings of - DUH! - PKD. Mark Steensland, author and reader of "Pale Unkempt Hours of Late Grey Afternoons" from "Mask of Memory," directed the film and commissioned the soundtrack from Kevin Keller. Since I am not familiar with Philip's writings and have not seen the film, I will concentrate on Kevin's music.
This is a different direction for Kevin, one that was signaled with "Iris by Night" and his live performances around that time (mid 2000). A very overt high tech rhythm track drives Kevin's deep atmospheres. At times, the rhythm goes all the way to techno trip hop. It is quite frenetic. It does not overshadow the atmospheres but it is a distinct and integral part thereof.
The rhythms create a sense of urgency and add confusion to Kevin's usual warmth. After reading Mark's essay in the liner notes and remembering a discussion that Kevin and I had about PKD, the project made sense. Philip appears to have been an oft-misunderstood individual. A movie about his life would have to be confusing, as would a soundtrack to accompany the film. Kevin's choice of rhythmic rather than minimalist ambience conveys that attitude boldly and brashly. The atmospheres that surround the rhythms reflect the introspection of Philip's religious experiences and convergence.
So, Mark threw down a challenge! Kevin, as per usual, was up to it and delivered a provocative and timely CD to match and exceed expectations. The disc works well as a stand-alone project. It is also an mp3.com D.A.M. CD so it is available at bargain prices.
Tales of the Twilight
"Tales of the Twilight" is a D.A.M. CD from Kevin Keller. Kevin is at his atmospheric zenith on this disc, spinning a musical adventure of time and space. As with most mp3 CD's the liner notes are sparse, in this case nonexistent. I had only the track titles and the music to guide me. At that, even the track titles are extraneous.
Kevin has long been a premier composer, arranger and performer. His deep atmospheres and subtle sequences provide ample direction. I recently watched the final episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" on video. It struck me that this CD could have been the soundtrack for that epic journey of time and space.
The atmospheres are expansive. Subtle "sounds" provide the outer space overtones. Light symphonic washes provide a recurring theme that holds the integrity of the disc together. As I listened, I found myself traversing the universe with Kevin as we followed Captain Jean-Luc Picard on his quest to save humanity from Q. The journey was fun and the pursuit of truth and beauty was glorious.
Take a trek over to Kevin's website or mp3.com and check out this (and other) bargain CD's out. Then exercise the Visa and add the disc to your collection!
Electric Caf�
by David Hastings
"Electric Caf�" is a tour de force of electronic, ambient, ethnic and world beat music from David Hastings. It is also the third release from Biff Johnson's Broad Vista label. David takes careful listeners on a tour of various electronic styles, overtones and undertones. Strategically placed symphonic synthesizer washes compliment the world rhythms and heavy sequences nicely. David's liner notes credit him with performing on analog synths and digital keyboards. Through his expert manipulation of those devices, he creates a soundscape of exotic proportions. There are no samplers listed, so listeners must assume that all the sounds are electronically generated. The rhythms are genuine and they carry the melodies gracefully and effortlessly. It sounds like David had a world class percussion section in the studio along with a sample collection worthy of Toby Marks or Richard D. James. He had neither. This is a fun album that demands listening! In whatever fashion listeners absorb it, toes will tap and listeners will grin!
Shrouded
by Ian Boddy
Visit Ian's website
"Shrouded" is an mp3 D.A.M. CD of Ian Boddy's first American concert. He performed at The Gathering on Saturday, May 6, 2000 in Philadelphia. By all accounts, it was a landmark event.
The CD features Ian's trademark European style sequences surrounding - and surrounded by - his minimalist soundscapes, ala "Continuum" and his recent releases on his own DiN label. A particular highlight, for me, is the long (by D.A.M. standards) and flowing "Gathering." (Ian gave me an excerpt of this piece, "Gamma Omicron," for the CD set accompanying my book.) The aforementioned sequences and minimalism are gathered in by some deep and mesmerizing rhythms.
The album also evokes emotional responses. And it is not darkness just for the sake of darkness. Ian intends to pull us into his soundworlds, to journey where the heart and soul take us. The pure minimalism is thought provoking and engenders existential qualities.
All in all, this CD is a gem and a bargain. At mp3.com prices, it is a must have!
by The Archipelago
Visit The Foundry
Bandcamp Website
The Archipelago is a consortium of San Francisco Bay Area musicians with similar biases that explore the outer boundaries of electronic music. Under the curation of Michael Bentley, founder and owner of The Foundry label, the artists have put together a series called "Islands." The set contains six three-inch CD's. Each CD is about 20 minutes long.
Rhomb's "Lunatic" is the first CD of the set. Rhomb is Michael Bentley and Nathan Kreisberg. Using experimental techniques and silence as an instrument, they have created an expansive minimalist atmosphere. The divergent backgrounds (classical, pure electronic and folk music) compliment deliciously as listeners traverse the seas and mountains on the lunar surface. The experimental production techniques create a comfortable setting for introspection.
CSERO's Pikoliftor is disc #2 of the set. Ian Stokes, Saul Stokes' brother, is CSERO. The CD is very avante-garde and totally experimental. Through the use of computerized and wildly manipulated sounds and silence, Ian has created a bizarre soundscape for the bravest of the brave.
Seofon, of Ambient Temple of I-magination fame, created "Immanent" for the series. His use of rhythms and psychotropic atmospheres creates a warm hyperactive vehicle for the discovery of new concepts. The new concepts are merely extensions of the origins of humanity and humanity's soul.
Thermal, nee Joshua Maremont, created the fourth installment, "Span." Joshua is Seofon's collaborator in A.T.O.I. This set uses the experimental sounds sparingly, relying more on conventional instruments for the sound design. Joshua does avail himself of the experimental production techniques used throughout the series. This CD features overt techno rhythms and dark atmospheres that are dense and expansive. Joshua performs on processed guitars and complex sound boards to deliver this soundscape, the most accessible of the six discs.
Dean Santomieri contributed "Crude Rotation" for the fifth installment. The manipulated sounds and samples are cool. They even have the poetic qualities to which Dean aspires. However, musically, the dissonance goes too far and the disc plays as noise for the sake of noise.
"Click Pop" by eM, nee Michael Bentley, is also very dissonant. Michael has placed his experimental sounds in a soundscape with some structure, albeit loose and undefined. He has also maintained some traditional elements of music. This CD is not for everyone. It is for lovers of avant-garde and experimental music.
Evolving Visions
by Numina
Visit Numina's Bandcamp website
"Evolving Visions" is a sonic d�nouement from Numina, nee Jesse Sola. The minimalist soundscape builds upon itself creating walls of integrated ambience. These walls represent many climactic and triumphant moments on the CD. The subtle sound design treats those events as passing fancies. The sound is not triumphant, the moments are.
Jesse's creativity and unique style merge on an expansive and desolate plane of sonic integrity. He spins a tale that invites listeners to curl up and embrace the inner self. The relaxing atmosphere caresses deep listeners with a gentle symphony of warmth and tenderness.
This album is first rate minimalism from the light side of the psyche. Listeners following the flow are compelled to examine the heavenly and angelic facets of their beings. This is introspective sombience with no edges. It has pillows, clouds and curves for relaxing meditation
by Mathias Grassow
and Klaus Wiese
Visit Mathias Grassow's
"Mercurius" is a collaboration between Mathias Grassow and Klaus Wiese (of Popol Vuh). Klaus recorded Tibetan Singing bowls over a ten year span (presumably 1988 - 1998). Mathias added electronics and overdubs between 1998 and 2000. The end result is a deep and dark atmosphere that envelops listeners for journeys across the universes of outer and inner space. The expansive minimalism has time suspension qualities and capabilities. Deep listeners experience a sense of time standing still as the drone of the bowls and synths take over. Mathias has been on a mission of discovery and integration for many years. This is an important step towards those goals. The singing bowls add spiritual depth to the mission.
The Sound Museum
by Chuck van Zyl, Peter D. Gulch
and Andrew Rath
"The Sound Museum" is a set of recordings from the late 1980's by Chuck van Zyl, Peter D. Gulch and Andrew Rath. It is mystifying that this music has been in the vaults for so long. Groove Unlimited has honored this synth trio by releasing the CD to the public. The sound design features some heavy Berlin school sequencing and some seriously dark expansive atmospheres. Those atmospheres dominate the set. Chuck, Peter and Andrew created this when such atmospheres, while not unknown, had not been explored to their fullest. (That might help explain the delay in releasing it.)
Taken in context of new millennium minimalism, this disc stands out as a winner and absolute classic. Chuck and Peter have been on the cutting edge of electronic music for years. Chuck, best known for his Starsend radio program and for hosting Gathering concerts, has some incredible music in his discography. Peter, through his work with The Nightcrawlers and a previous collaboration with Chuck, has demonstrated an ability to step up to new ideas and embrace them. The massive atmospheres use silence as an instrument to augment the electronics. Listeners will find this vehicle to the edges of outer and inner space a delight.
This CD further enhances Chuck's reputation as a leader in the genre. It also fuels the desire of his fans to witness a Gathering with him as the feature attraction!
Birth of a Black Hole
by Snydromeda
"Birth of a Black Hole" is a sci-fi mystery by Belgian synthesist Syndromeda, nee Danny Budts. The journey is pure space music as Danny spins a tale of an outer space phenomenon and efforts to stabilize or close it.
Ominous soundscapes tell the tale of danger and intrigue as stabilization attempts appear to succeed then, ultimately, fail. The very cool liner notes transmit sci-fi jargon worthy of a Star Trek adventure. The notes end with " ... we've got a problem."
The massive walls of atmospheric sequencer sounds reach a crescendo that heightens the mystery and danger. Some deep and dark minimalism provides the d�nouement as the danger comes to fruition. Choral chant samples compliment the atmosphere as the black hole envelops the explorers and the listeners.
This CD is an excellent integration of foreboding sequences and dark minimalism. Each style serves its purpose well. All in all, the CD is an absolute space music winner!
The Alien Abduction Phenomenon
by Syndromeda
"The Alien Abduction Phenomenon" features Syndromeda, nee Danny Budts, doing what he does best. This densely atmospheric and heavily sequenced CD is another sci-fi soundscape with massive walls of sound and expansive passages of dark minimalism. Danny weaves a tale of space exploration and the unknown dangers therein. Deep listeners will take the journey as well, carried by the rhythm. The rhythm is either overt (sequenced) or self-generated (minimal). It is always there. A deep synth drone provides continuity for the thematic integrity as listeners explore the mystic worlds of abduction. The dark minimalism forebodes mystery and, perhaps, danger lurking in the shadows. There is no crescendo, ergo, no d�nouement. The mystery and danger never materialize. They are present but they do not take over. Danny has created another space music essential. This is an early in 2001's top ten!
Loneflyer
by Victor Cerullo
"Loneflyer" is a CD inspired by Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull." Victor Cerullo's soundscape would serve well as a soundtrack for this fable about aspiring to be more and about nonconformity allowing the heart and soul to take the physical being beyond conventional reality.
Victor' soundscape includes symphonic synthesizer washes, subtle electric guitars and genuine seagull samples. Victor mixed and arranged the soundscape with great integrity and meticulous detail. The result is a crossover of symphonic sequences and pastoral ambience. Vintage instrument samples augment and integrate the sound design. It has a "new age feel" without pushing the envelope.
The CD is pure electronic fun! Victor has chosen to highlight the purity of Jonathan's quest to become more. The deep pastoral synth washes and manipulated samples maintain thematic integrity. The symphonic overtones create a grand crescendo. Deep rhythms and sequences provide the d�nouement. The CD closes with two tracks from "Ludus" as arranged for "E-Live 99." They serve well as a coda.
Da Capo - the Light Beyond
by Eric van der Heijden
"Da Capo - the Light Beyond" is Eric van der Heijden's second solo CD. It came out seven years after his first release. During that time he has been cutting his teeth with some of Europe's finest electronicians. He collaborated on several tracks for Groove's Truth series. He has also appeared in concert with Ron Boots, Kees Aerts, Ian Boddy and Harold van der Heijden (his uncle), among others. This CD is evidence that he has been paying attention.
The disc is primarily a symphonic synthesizer set with plenty of melodic and pastoral washes and a deep drone to augment the soundscape. While each of the eight tracks tells its own story about Eric's values, wants and needs, the subtle drone and the orchestral passages give the CD symphonic qualities. Thus, each piece is a movement. They represent unique stages in Eric's personal and artistic development.
The CD also represents the diversity of the Groove Unlimited catalogue. Their repertoire covers the gamut from heavy Berlin school sequences to atmospheric minimalism and to symphonic synthesizers. This is a worthy and integral piece of that discography.
The Shoreline of an End
by Jason Sloan
"The Shoreline of an End" is the soundtrack to an installation performance by Jason Sloan. Thematically, this is a journey seeking questions AND answers. Jason's atmospheres are massive and limitless. Listeners are left to define their own boundaries as the drift traverses their inner and outer selves. Jason's soundscape creates and defines itself continuously. AND there are still no defined edges! The minimalism is as smooth as silk. It is also gentle and comfortable. There are hints of dark ambience and traces of rays of light. The journey symbolizes hope. Deep listeners will experience the joys of hopefulness and the frustrations of entering the unknown. Jason helps with the questions. Listeners must provide their own answers.
Whispered with Water
Visit Jason's Bandcamp Page
"Whispered with Water" is a promotional release from performance artist Jason Sloan. Of the six tracks on the CD, two are new and one is an alternate version of a previously released piece. The other three tracks are from previously released CD's. All of the pieces feature Jason's expansive atmospheres and deep minimalism. The sequence flows as if the pieces were recorded for this format. The stark images of Jason's soundscapes are bleak and vivid. The ambience is neither dark nor pastoral. It is austere and existential. Jason does not seek to answer questions or to provide the means to answer them. He is asking deep questions about existence and purpose. Nature samples and electronic drones provide a backdrop to lonely acoustic piano dirges. Deep listeners will get lost in the gray areas. Continuous play is cool but only for experienced meditators.
Hydrythmix: Project
TWO Point ONE
by Ron Boots
and Bas Broekhius
"Hydrythmix: Project TWO Point ONE" is a heavy-handed sequencer set from Ron Boots and Bas Broekhius. Ron and Bas have demonstrated their improvisational skills before on other studio and concert collaborations. They are able to improvise within a loose structure. To quote Kees Aerts, in the liner notes, " two musicians; became one Project TWO Point ONE." This CD has loads of sequenced atmospheres and orchestral crescendos. They merge perfectly to create a unique soundscape that is both majestic and massive. It is evident that Ron and Bas had fun making this album. Ron has always been willing that fun with his listeners. That is a nice trait. This is a great CD!
Different Stories
and Twisted Tales
"Different Stories and Twisted Tales" is a documentary, of sorts, by Ron Boots. He has spun a yarn of about how tales become legends and how individual lives are, in and of themselves, tales and legends. Ron creates the story-telling mood by mixing Berlin school sequences with dense atmospheres. Track 3, "The Call," features a smoking electric guitar by Klaus Hoffman Hoock. The guitar is a dynamic compliment to the atmosphere. Ron's overall diversity allows for dark AND pastoral atmospheres. The darkness is heavy and overt. The pastorales are dense without relying on new age or symphonic textures. They rely on Ron's innovative use of sequences to create lightness. That unique texture is awesome and essential!


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Carrier to Provide State-of-the-Art Solution to Help Preserve Michelangelo's Frescoes in the Sistine Chapel
The Governate of the Vatican City State and Carrier today announced the start of the installation of a landmark heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for the Sistine Chapel, specially designed to address the challenges of protecting Michelangelo's masterpieces against deterioration. Carrier's groundbreaking system, developed by the company's expert global team of AdvanTE3C engineers and backed by its industry-leading research and development resources, is expected to be installed and commissioned by the third quarter of 2014. Carrier, the world's leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
The new system, which replaces a Carrier system installed in the early 1990s, is designed to deliver exceptional performance with twice the efficiency and three times the capacity of the previous system. The custom-engineered solution uses first-of-its-kind energy-saving technologies, as well as industry-leading approaches to minimize noise and limit air motion around the frescoes. In order to ensure outstanding reliability, highly controlled temperature and humidity levels, and optimal airflow management, the design team completed extensive modeling using a specially developed application. Once installed, the system is designed to be virtually unnoticeable to visitors.
In addition, the Governate of the Vatican City State and United Technologies Corp. (UTC) have entered into an agreement to ensure the protection and safety of the Vatican Museums' artwork, spaces and visitors through the deployment of building technologies from UTC companies. According to the terms of the agreement, the parties will work together on integrated solutions spanning HVAC, elevators and escalators, fire detection and alarm, fire suppression and safety, electronic security, access control, video surveillance services and related software solutions, from brands such as Carrier, Otis, Lenel, Kidde, Chubb and Marioff.
Antonio Paolucci, Director of the Vatican Museums stated: "We are confident that Carrier's HVAC system will enable us to realize our goal of ensuring the preservation of Michelangelo's masterpieces in the Sistine Chapel while allowing visitors to continue to behold the frescoes for years to come."
Rev. Rafael García de la Serrana Villalobos, Director of the Vatican Technical Services said: "The Carrier solution is the right response to our urgent need to establish a highly controlled microclimate as well as an effective reduction of pollutants. Our fruitful collaboration with Carrier has brought us to request a larger technical agreement with UTC and its other building solution brands."
Geraud Darnis, President and CEO of UTC Building & Industrial Systems confirmed: "This exceptional project, integrating systems and resources from across our lines of business, demonstrates not only UTC's commitment to preserving the world's cultural heritage, but also our ability to provide world-class levels of engineering and design expertise. These same values and capabilities provide the foundation for our new technology and innovation relationship with the Vatican Museums."
Didier Da Costa, President of Carrier Europe declared, "We are proud to have been called upon again to develop and manufacture this high-performance HVAC system leveraging Carrier's and UTC's global resources and shared technical know-how. The new solution responds to the evolving requirements of one of the world's most famous—and most visited—monuments, and is designed to provide exceptional reliability and scalability for future needs."
Work will begin immediately with disassembly of the existing system; in the interim, a temporary system will provide cooling to the chapel throughout the summer.
About Carrier
Carrier is the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy efficient products, building controls, and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, and transport and food service customers. Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier improves the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.


When nerd deluxe, Melvin Junko, fell into the vat of Grossolium 90, the world, and especially Tromaville, was never the same again. That's because the awful toxic waste transformed Melvin into Toxie, a hideously deformed creature with superhuman strength and a kind heart.
Toxie's a cult movie star (as the Toxic Avenger), and he has his own cartoon show. Now he cleans up the NES in Toxic Crusaders by Bandai.
Toxic Crusader is an above average, side-view, horizontally-scrolling, action/adventure game. Toxie's out to defend Tromaville, and the rest of the U.S., from the polluting ways of Dr. Killemoff and his Radiation Rangers. As an added challenge, he has to rescue his mutant pals, the Toxic Crusaders, from Killemoff's corrosive clutches.
If you're a fan of the cartoon show, you'll groove to this game's graphics and sound. The pixs are straight-out of the toob, and they're good 8-bit quality. The rendition of the Toxic Crusader theme song will bring a tear to the eyes of real Toxic Crusader fans... or is that the smog?
Toxie's solo quest takes him through six levels of sludge, slime, and goop.
He's got to make a clean sweep of Tromaville and some of its most famous sites, such as Tromaville High School, Tromaville Factory, Tromaville Highway, Tromaville Sewer, and Island City. If you beat the level bosses, you'll eventually find all the Toxic Crusaders -Nozone, Major Disaster, Headbanger, and Junkyard. Even Toxie's girlfriend Yvonne and, of course, Mom are there. Out to turn you into sewer sludge are the Toxic Crusader bad guys that everyone loves to hate: Psycho, Bonehead, Mayor Grody, and Dr. Killemoff.
Toxic Crusaders dish out a satisfying dosage of hop and bop action...well, actually mop and sock is more like it. Toxie's only moves are a jump and a punch. However, for powerful cleanup chores, he can swing a mean Mop when he finds it.
The best way to progress through Level 2 is to power up the Mop to Power Level Three. It will then attack like a boomerang. You can power up by smashing Cans in Level 2's very first section. It's almost worth it to restart the level if you don't.
Remember, with the Mop at Level Three power, you can punch while it's flying through the air.
The solid, responsive Controls match Toxie's spartan moves. However, it's a breeze to make Toxie do your bidding. That's good, because Toxic Crusaders will sprain your thumbs and drain your brain!
Beat Boss Polluto at the end of Level 1 by standing in front of his gross belly. When he's about to puff his cheeks to blow slime at you, jump and punch his snout.
Don't expect to wipe the place up with this game. In fact, it will probably make novice gamers and little kids cry. The Radiation Rangers and the disgusting level bosses show no mercy and they attack you relentlessly. There's radioactive slime and goo everywhere. Toxie's even got to ride a skateboard through one level. At least completing a level rewards you with a password, which is some relief from the traumas of Tromaville.
Use a close-in attack to beat Radiation Rangers. They won't fire their guns or toss their buckets of slime if you're too close to them. However, some will jump at you.
When Bonehead tries to drive his bike over you at the end of Level 2, jump over him and punch his noggin'. Then move away from him to the edge of the screen. That way his noxious splashes can't hit you.
Stay alert when you walk by windows. Also, for a mutant, Toxie's fragile. You get three lives with eight Hearts per life, but you'll need every edge you can find. Your Mop's your only weapon, but you'll have a tough time holding onto it as the Radiation Rangers pummel you.
Rolling cans, which contain power items, roll in threes across three parts of the screen - top, middle, and bottom. Walk down the middle of the screen and you can always smash the first one. Usually, only one of them holds the helpful item.
Toxic Crusader is a gem in the goo. Ninja Gaiden and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it ain't, but it's darn near the next best thing. Toxie fights a tough fight and looks pretty good doing it, too. Toxic Crusader fans will definitely want to mop up Dr. Killemoff and clean up Tromaville, but they'd best be prepared for a fierce fight.
This game's better than you might expect. With a name like "Toxic", it's gotta be good!
Take the role of Toxi, out to stop the dastardly plans of Dr. Killimoff. Use your trusty mop in the ultimate battle against evil. Get ready, because it's clean up time!
Tromaville is in a trashy trouble and a trio of mop-slinging heroes must try to clean up the city. Choose to play as any of the three Toxic Crusaders in this one-player, side- scrolling adventure that's packed with dirty fun. Glide through Tromaville on your skateboard, but you'll have to hoof it over trains and other grimy grounds. All you wanted to do was visit your blonde babe, Yvonne, but the slimy slugs that parachuted their way into town are big trouble. Now it's up to you to mop up this toxic mess.


Minimum wage in Russia, April, 2019: For that indicator, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation provides data for Russia from 2000 to 2019. The average value for Russia during that period was 3574.61 currency units with a minumum of 132 currency units in January 2000 and a maximum of 9489 currency units in January 2018. Click on the following link to see the values of Minimum wage around the world.