Monday, March 28, 2011

A pretty Pug and the mighty Porsche

Having seen the new Peugeot RCZ in the flesh, I now concede that there is a car to challenge the Porsche 911 for the title of world's best-looking auto. Still, it's a subjective exercise and a bit like comparing Heidi Klum to Elle Macpherson. You wouldn't kick any of them out on the street. Alias: Frank Satyr

Where did my paragraph breaks go?

I would like to find out why the paragraph breaks in my 'Carbon Dioxide is a Gas' blog didn't appear as typed. Is there a bug in the system, or did someone deliberately mess with my words?

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Carbon Dioxide is a Gas

The temporary Prime Minister of Australia decided to tax carbon dioxide last month, after promising during her election campaign that she would not do any such thing. Apparently, the fact that Australia is emitting a tiny 1.5% of all the industrially-liberated carbon dioxide in the world - and has bugger all effect on anything - escapes the PM. (She is the plaything of the Greens, which might be the true reason for her sudden urge to cripple Australian industry, destroy our competitive advantage and alienate her working-class base. Did I mention that she used to be a lawyer?) I don't know whether or not Australia's PM is a simpleton. I care little for her or her colleagues. I change the channel when she has anything to say about any subject at all, because you cannot be sure whether or not her pronouncements are actually lies. Still, I would humbly suggest that if you are going to tax only one kind of gas, you are perhaps missing revenue opportunities. The Satyr has identified several other light options: Oxygen! (Shallow breath - 10% tax; deep breath - 20% tax.) Helium! (Tax it before it floats away.) Methane! (Farts attract a Supertax.) Argon! (Why not? Nobody likes argon, not even its mother. Damn you, argon!) Yes, yes, yes. Alias: Frank Satyr