The electric vehicle scam: wait for maturity

The electric vehicle myth / reality - hydrogen or bust?

First published August 2022 but being continuously updated.

UPDATED - 31AUG23

Large lithium Ion batteries are being superceded in fixed applications (grid level storage) - possibly leading to a Lithium supply glut that might cut the price for EV and "untethered" use.  The liquid metal battery was first announced in Donald Sadoway's original TED talk from March 2012. 10 years is a long time in tech, but electro chemistry cannot (yet) easily be reliably simulated and emulated in software. It's a part of the real world of reactive chemistry that still requires hands-on experimentation and observation.

Prof. Donald Sadoway is a prominent scientist renowned for his breakthroughs in materials chemistry and renewable energy. As a professor at MIT, he's acclaimed for developing the innovative "liquid metal battery" a potential game-changer in renewable energy storage. Donald's work has earned him prestigious awards and recognition, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering.

There an engaging disussion of the progress of this breakthrough in an interview with Kryten on the Everything Electric Show.... so is it the power storage breakthrough we have all been wating for? Quite possibly. Will this technology find its way into EV applications? Unlikely, but it should relieve demand for the components of mobile lithium batteries - and delieverd in 40foot container format, it should support the creation supercharger sites in remote locations plus reliable backup power solutions across the grid.

21JUL23 Draft 0v5

The Nickel Hydrogen battery seems to have a lot going for it: proved in space for many years. Relatively abundant materials; maintenence free over 20 years. Scalable... but only in speciality applications.

  09JUL23 Draft 0v4

Oh dear oh dear... the EV depreciation by Geoff discsused in this video makes everything else you have ever heard about the economics of buying an EV irrelevant...

07JUL23 Draft 0v3

Geoff nails more of the inconvenient truths around current EV ownership and discusses the news that EV repair costs are far higher than ICE repairs. Get his merch - a Mug printed "Save the planet by driving old cars". Will common sense ever get back in fashion? 

06JUN23 Draft 0v3

Mr Bean points out the Lithium Emperor is becoming threadbare: Just keep vehicles longer, use synthetic fuels and don't fall for NetZero

YouTuber Geoff Buys Cars read the Rowan Atkinson Telegraph article, so you don't need to...

APRIL23: Toyota has a new Hydrogen format ready to deliver... and it is well worth a close look...

This is awkward news for the "carbon lobby" that has driven the growth of wind and solar power just as the considerable downsides of disposing of worn out windmills and solar panels are emerging.  We are still going to require clean tyrant-free electrical power for all other "non transport" power requirements - just not nearly as much of it, and our needs will be more flexible.

Toyota is an industry giant that has been relatively subdued in the race to replace fossil fuels - but it has been cooking up something radically new. We're talking about a brand new, revolutionary hydrogen vehicle! So, you may have heard about the Mirai, the hydrogen-powered Toyota vehicle that uses fuel cells to generate electricity - not too exciting in many ways but this new hydrogen combustion engine  ticks all the boxes.

1. Uses the most abundant fuel in the universe
2. Only emission is water
3. No lithium battery gotchas - messy mining, disposal problems
4. No overload of electricity generation infrastructure
   
5. Faster refuel, longer range 
6. Not dependent on China and other tyrannies for rare earth metals, motors and batteries
   
7. Familiar (good old fashioned!) ICE-engineeering - from 5 to 12 cylinders configurations
8. Suitable for boats and aircraft ..?
9. Scope for less invasive software platforms and control. Just about feasible for 2nd and 3rd party industry to emerge that can operate without being 100% beholden to manufacturers.
   

Downside? Hydrogen recharge infrastructure is very thin on the ground - but building charge points is simple - no 200A cables carrying vast current are required. Hydrogen charger points can be tanker re-fuelled, and in the future, onsite hydrogen generation is not impossible. Vehicles can be "field refuelled" from tankers in an emergency.

But we won't retiring earlier posts on the subject of next gen motoring ...just yet.

Feb 2023

The mounting problems of EV ownership...

Here's a recent wake-up tale of ransomware by Porsche, who want to charge an owner £1500 to reinstate a feature that Porsche deleted during a software update... remember "you will own nothing and be happy" ?

This "remote control" applies to ALL EV ownership, and requires governement and politicians to be much better engaged with all the issues - including CO2 misdirection.

Back to the nitty gritty...

The idea that the UK is going to be ready and able to switch to mostly electric vehicles by 2030 is so fanciful that it's difficult to know where to start. According to https://versinetic.com/:

"As it stands, the UK is on a slow trajectory to support these EV rollout plans, with a significant deficit to the current charging network. Indeed, the ongoing rate of growth allows for only one quarter (76,849) of the required public charging points to meet expected demand from EV drivers by 2032. The target is significantly higher, at 325,000 required electric vehicle chargers.

To mitigate this gap between the forecast and requirement, £1.3 billion of funding will be poured into charging projects by the UK government. The intention is to cover costs for planned road networks, home owners, local councils, and building owners, alongside regulatory changes."

The question of the folly of lithium ion fueled electric-vehicle assumptions continues to crop up. Social media "mind control" bots are busy scanning for any posts that may undermine the "narrative" of the efficacy of the plunge into overpriced electric vehicles, and vehicle burnouts attributed to lithium ion "bombs" come under close scrutiny.

So this story from Paris is more inconvenient truth for green fanatics.

 

Rivian is is an EV maker in the US in which Ford has invested, but Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently suggested that the supply chain for EV batteries is still far behind where it needs to be to achieve many of the goals pushed by Western governments, the WSJ reported.

“Put very simply, all the world’s cell production combined represents well under 10% of what we will need in 10 years,” Scaringe said last week. “Meaning, 90% to 95% of the supply chain does not exist.”

If this green conspiracy/madness continues, we had all better get used to cycling,  unless the hydrogen alternatives have come a very long way.

Autocar has produced a pretty good guide to home charging - and starts by summarizing the problem:

There are effectively two options when it comes to home charging - you can either use the slow charger provided with the vehicle or have a wallbox installed. The former uses a standard 3-pin plug to take power from your domestic supply, plus is simple to use and extremely portable. However, with battery sizes increasing all the time these units can take over 24 hours to deliver a full charge and as a result manufacturers recommend they are only for ‘emergency use’. A better bet, especially if you’re committed to everyday EV use, is a wallbox charger. Installed on the side of your house or in a garage, it is capable of delivering faster charging times safely and reliable. It’s also easier to use and doesn’t require numerous cables running from the house. 

Most wallbox units are fast chargers, delivering electricity at 7kW, although there are simpler and cheaper 3kW slow chargers available

To put this in perspective, 7kW is 30A which is a large cooker, 3 times most electric heaters, 2-3 times a kettle. The cost of which just doubled!

3kW is 12.5Amp - using just about all the rated power from a regular 13A socket. Sucking large currents through domestic wiring is likely to show up weak spots - where corroded or loose connections introduce resistance that causes heating - leading to arcing (the problem that led to the Grenfell Tower blaze); all such circuits should really be connected to a separate supply feed with no splits or junctions.

So, like all UK energy policy and strategy over the past 30 years, the situation is shambolic.

EV capable Lithium batteries are expensive, heavy, dangerous and nigh-on impossible to efficiently recycle and need recharging with monotonous regularity.  Lithium batteries are serious fire hazards; when fully charged, the energy they contain equates to a small bomb. And a fast charger requires twice the average domestic supply capacity; there is just not sufficient mains supply capacity available!

Lithium is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in vacuum, inert atmosphere or inert liquid such as purified kerosene or mineral oil. When cut, it exhibits a metallic lustre, but moist air corrodes it quickly to a dull silvery gray, then black tarnish. It never occurs freely in nature, but only in (usually ionic) compounds, such as pegmatitic minerals, which were once the main source of lithium. Due to its solubility as an ion, it is present in ocean water and is commonly obtained from brines. Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.

So let's leave EV Lithium here for now and look at the alternatives. The limitations of lithium EV technology are currently contained by the realities of chemistry and physics, where significant breakthroughs are unlikely.

It makes limited sense, like much of the "Carbon bad" mantra. But using the EV battery as part of a household power saving and backup scheme (cf Tesla powerwall) might be a sensible way through the basic muddle.

So let's use Hydrogen - the fuel of the stars!

Powering with Hydrogen is an interesting alternative that uses the most abundant element in the universe - stars are powered when two hydrogen atoms "fuse" to create helium.

H + H → He + ENERGY.  Gosh, that looks easy, eh?

But Hydrogen "in the wild" on earth is always going to be combined in compounds like water (H20) and the numerous hydrocarbons (many are combustible  *ane energy sources) where the hydrogen needs extracting. Overall, it is the most likely long term solution, since even if the much anticipated fusion generation eventually results in fabulously cheap electricity, it does not solve the problem of "off grid" storage and portability, and lithium batteries may yet turn out to be a minor sideshow.

Hydrogen can be produced by simple electrolysis using electricity, and there are many websites discussing the challenge. The range of complex process options is vast - suggesting that there will be steady progress towards various solutions. The US Department of Energy's site is a good place to start.

Hydrogen on its own is not energy dense and is tricky to store; it leaks easily because hydrogen atoms are bloody small!  But using hydrogen to create combustible compound fuels - like easily liquified classic propane C3H8 - will not satisfy the carbon lobby - the result of combustion will include C02 in most practical cases.

  

Using bottled oxygen to reduce CO2 is just not practical - liquid hydrogen and oxygen is basically rocket fuel and rather too dangerous to directly power the family runabout.

There has been a lot of work being carried on fuel cells that convert hydrogen to electricity and Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) should be making an appearance in numbers ... but they aren't. However, the work may have been shelved somewhat clumsily by accountants just as the latest global energy crisis was about to break. There may be a comeback soon.

Physics Girl produced a very elegant fuel cell video in 2021 as a guest of Toyota which suggests they are closer to prime time than any think. It is simply a matter making the fuelling infrastructure available. At the end of the day, Hydrogen is omnispresent throughout the universe. There are no awkward waste products.

Let's not forget Hydrogen was once a major component in 'town gas', as many students doing chemistry and in the 50s and 60s may recall the mains gas once created from coal at the "gas works" that was ubiquitous in most UK towns and used widely throughout Britain before the discovery of North Sea gas in the 1960s. Up to 60% of the gas (by volume) being used by consumers was hydrogen.

And now here is a really interesting real world "practical" Hydrogen Video - it could be nearer than we all thought... maybe nervy times for those betting the farm of Lithium power? 

Autocar observes:

Hydrogen fuel cells make electricity by causing a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, of which the only by-product is water. However, to make hydrogen without using fossil fuels, you have to do the reverse, and that takes a lot of electricity. Ideally, that electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind, otherwise the point of FCEVs is lost.

The BEV argument is that you save a lot of energy by putting that clean electricity straight into a battery. The FCEV counterargument is that there might not be enough batteries to store renewable energy when it’s being generated; for example, on a windy night.

The most pragmatic solution is for UK to resume North Seas oil and gas exploration, bring fracking online and buy another ten years (at least) of sanity while a real effort to advance fusion generation is made. 

Also build nuclear plants using the new generation of compact reactors, and last but not least let's also build the wash barrier project ... "Using the tide to generate power is one of the greenest and most dependable sources of sustainable energy. The Barrier has the capacity to generate over 1GW of electricity, equivalent to the output of two nuclear power stations!"

The wash itself can be used as storage facility by dividing it into lagoons where water is pumped in using surplus renewable energy that would not otherwise be storable. There is a major additional benefit of this idea, avoiding the problem of East Coast erosion, which will otherwise lead to inundation of substantial adjacent areas of mostly productive farmland.  Something else that the Ukrainian invasion has reminded us is in short supply.

Increasing the height of the current sea defences would prevent inundation. However, every metre of bank has to be raised: this amounts to over 200km when tidal river banks are included! There are no additional benefits gained from doing this. The sea in front of the defences will get deeper and most of the marginal salt marsh, mudflats and sandbanks will be lost to the sea. Greater erosion of the sea defences will result, causing higher maintenance costs.

If the height of the current sea defences is not raised, then the sea will breach the defences. Initially this will be occasional, not repeated for maybe 10 years, but progressively the frequency will increase.

Any land contaminated by salt water will take three or more years and tons of chemicals to return to full productivity. Areas of fen below sea level may never be drained again. Eventually, all the fen area from Cambridge to Skegness and beyond will become tidal mudflats. Over many centuries, in areas protected from the worst tides, rushes and sphagnum moss will slowly re-establish freshwater fen, similar to that which existed before drainage.

Today's bottom line is that solving the vehicle energy conundrum wearing Carrie Johnson's net-zero blinkers at this precise moment is likely to end up in yet more bad decisions. But politicians have an opportunity to undertake an intelligent solution for less than the cost of HS2 - which could engage the imagination of the public during a time when we have very little else to look forward to - largely thanks to 30 years of energy policy mismanagement. 

The redoubtable Gene Beards, Chief Gloomologist at the Maverickstar YouTube channel - observes and analyses the bigger picture of climate and the (very real) magnetic pole shift - has analysed the electric greed of EV users that has helped put up the price of electricity for all of us. An EV family uses 8.3 times as much electricity as one that doesn't - and the supply system is just not ready to cope. So allowing the price to shoot up and reduced demand is a crude but effective way to cover the embarrassment of the government's fundamental energy deficiency.

Now you need to know how the earth's magnetic field originates and operates - and there is no better explanation on YouTube than this one from PBS....  "Is Earth's Magnetic Field Reversing?"

There is a transition point when the magnetic pole drifts passes 40 degrees south, since the theory is that the weakening field lines will offer progressively less resistance to further migration - until it flips. This is covered in more detail here.  

All of which leads into this rather fine reality check from TheCarGuys.tv...

" What is the BIG EV Lie? 

Will electric vehicles save the planet if we all buy them? Are cars definitely the worst causes of Global Warming? And if not, what is? This week it’s the long-awaited EV episode, and I’m afraid, it might not be what you were expecting… 

When we first embarked on a whole episode about EVs, we thought it would be easy. Take the piss out of electric cars and their owners, add in some amusing movie clips for comedic effect, do some impressions, use that clip of Greta Thunberg a lot, and Bob’s your uncle. But the deeper we dug, the more we found, and it became simply impossible to be… well… funny. 

You see there are some huge issues to deal with here, and it would seem, a lot of misinformation. 

Yes, it’s easy to criticise EVs for range anxiety, charging waiting times, the upfront cost of the vehicles, and in one case - that autopilot mode. But forget all that short-term guff and explore with us what will happen in the future – do we have the energy and raw materials to cope with mass EV adoption? 

And perhaps more importantly, is electricity actually all that green anyway? This episode has been a year in the making, and whilst it’s not two old guys wise-cracking in a supercar, we still felt it needed to made. We hope you enjoy it..."

Collision considerations..

The problems of EV weight in accidents is explored in this video by the redoubtable (and breathless) Scotty Kilmer, where he addresses the fact that an EV battery combined with EV acceleration means kinetic energy that is going to cause more impact damage than the traditional internal combustion vehicle, that has been refined towards improved safety over 100 years.

And then there the issues around  autopilot compromise. It is a complete mystery to the writer why this aspect of motoring has been so readily accepted.  The suspicion is that (increasingly authoritarian) governments have been lured by the prospect that they are going to be able to start and stop every vehicle remotely, and inexperienced technocrats have lost sight of the detail and the reality.

And finallyu, strap in for a force of nature discussion cares and much else. Turbo powereed common sense, shtick and exasperation : Here's What I Really Think of Joe Biden and What He Just Did for America

 

 

WORK IN PROGRESS updated 0v14 July 27th 2022 - this will be continuously updated and links added . When I am happy I have reached basecamp, I will declare version 1.0. I will be using external links in the way Tim Berners Lee intended at the start of the web, but that has now become much less popular with site creators who want to cling jealously to their visitors, and not risk sending them away down a "competitive" rabbit hole.

//under continuous revision and extension

 

 

 

Nadine Dorries - the scorned woman quits and goes postal on Sunak...

26AUG23

I confess I have not been a fan of Nadine Dorries in her DCMS role. But I have been deeply unimpressedd with just about every Culture Secretay and DCMS Minister since the £120m fiasco of Festival *UK 2022 was allowed to waste its opportunity to be "the Festival of Brexit", in the style of the 1951 Festival of Britain - and was instead allowed to become a confused kaleidoscope of mindlessly woke nonsense, with no relevance to anything and no discernible legacy. It was a woefully wasted opportunity to celebrate Britain's return to the world stage. And Oliver Dowden, Nads and the rest did bugger-all to drag it back on course once it was obviously going to fail.

But this valediction is worthy of note and worth including here as the UK staggeres towards a general election which will almost certainly result in siesmic electoral reform as the collapse from Boris has exposed a civil service and judiciary that is out of democratic control, and doing just what just elite subversives have been in post to do since Blair created the most poisonous pills that UK politics has ever had to swallow.  

Nadine Dorries Blasts Rishi in Resignation Letter – Guido Fawkes

Dear Prime Minister,

It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life to have served the good people of Mid Bedfordshire as their MP for eighteen years and I count myself blessed to have worked in Westminster for almost a quarter of a century. Despite what some in the media and you yourself have implied, my team of caseworkers and I have continued to work for my constituents faithfully and diligently to this day. 

When I arrived in Mid Bedfordshire in 2005, I inherited a Conservative majority of 8,000. Over five elections this has increased to almost 25,000, making it one of the safest seats in the country. A legacy I am proud of.

During my time as a Member of Parliament, I have served as a back bencher, a bill Committee Chair, a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State before becoming Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care during the Covid crisis, after which I was appointed as Secretary of State at the department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. The offer to continue in my Cabinet role was extended to me by your predecessor, Liz Truss, and I am grateful for your personal phone call on the morning you appointed your cabinet in October, even if I declined to take the call. 

As politicians, one of the greatest things we can do is to empower people to have  opportunities to achieve their aspirations and to help them to change their lives for the better. In DHSC I championed meaningful improvements to maternity and neonatal safety. I launched the women’s health strategy and pushed forward a national evidence-based trial for Group B Strep testing in pregnant women with the aim to  reduce infant deaths. When I resigned as Secretary of State for DCMS I was able to thank the professional, dedicated, and hard-working civil servants for making our department the highest performing in Whitehall. We worked tirelessly to strengthen the Online Safety Bill to protect young people, froze the BBC licence fee, included the sale of Channel 4 into the Media Bill to protect its long-term future and led the world in imposing cultural sanctions when Putin invaded Ukraine.

I worked with and encouraged the tech sector, to search out untaught talents such as creative and critical thinking in deprived communities offering those who faced a life on low unskilled pay or benefits, access to higher paid employment and social mobility. What many of the CEOs I spoke to in the tech sector and business leaders really wanted was meaningful regulatory reform from you as chancellor to enable companies not only to establish in the UK, but to list on the London Stock Exchange rather than New York. You flashed your gleaming smile in your Prada shoes and Savile Row suit from behind a camera, but you just weren’t listening. All they received in return were platitudes and a speech illustrating how wonderful life was in California. London is now losing its appeal as more UK-based companies seek better listing opportunities in the U.S. That, Prime Minister, is entirely down to you. 

Long before my resignation announcement, in July 2022, I had advised the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, of my intention to step down. Senior figures in the party, close allies of yours, have continued to this day to implore me to wait until the next general election rather than inflict yet another damaging by-election on the party at a time when we are consistently twenty points behind in the polls. 

Having witnessed first-hand, as Boris Johnson and then Liz Truss were taken down, I decided that the British people had a right to know what was happening in their name. Why is it that we have had five Conservative Prime Ministers since 2010, with not one of the previous four having left office as the result of losing a general election? That is a democratic deficit which the mother of parliaments should be deeply ashamed of and which, as you and I know, is the result of the machinations of a small group of individuals embedded deep at the centre of the party and Downing St.

To start with, my investigations focused on the political assassination of Boris Johnson, but as I spoke to more and more people – and I have spoken to a lot of people, from ex-Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers both ex and current through all levels of government and Westminster and even journalists – a dark story emerged which grew ever more disturbing with each person I spoke to.

It became clear to me as I worked that remaining as a back bencher was incompatible with publishing a book which exposes how the democratic process at the heart of our party has been corrupted. As I uncovered this alarming situation I knew, such were the forces ranged against me, that I was grateful to retain my parliamentary privilege until today.  And, as you also know Prime Minister, those forces are today the most powerful figures in the land. The onslaught against me even included the bizarre spectacle of the Cabinet Secretary claiming (without evidence) to a select committee that he had reported me to the Whips and Speakers office (not only have neither office been able to confirm this was true, but they have no power to act, as he well knows). It is surely as clear a breach of Civil Service impartiality as you could wish to see. 

But worst of all has been the spectacle of a Prime Minister demeaning his office by opening the gates to whip up a public frenzy against one of his own MPs. You failed to mention in your public comments that there could be no writ moved for a by-election over summer.  And that the earliest any by-election could take place is at the end of September. The clearly orchestrated and almost daily personal attacks demonstrates the pitifully low level your Government has descended to.

It is a modus operandi established by your allies which has targeted Boris Johnson, transferred to Liz Truss and now moved on to me. But I have not been a Prime Minister. I do not have security or protection. Attacks from people, led by you, declared open season on myself and the past weeks have resulted in the police having to visit my home and contact me on a number of occasions due to threats to my person. 

Since you took office a year ago, the country is run by a zombie Parliament where nothing meaningful has happened. What exactly has been done or have you achieved? You hold the office of Prime Minister unelected, without a single vote, not even from your own MPs. You have no mandate from the people and the Government is adrift. You have squandered the goodwill of the nation, for what? 

And what a difference it is now since 2019, when Boris Johnson won an eighty-seat majority and a greater percentage of the vote share than Tony Blair in the Labour landslide victory of ’97. We were a mere five points behind on the day he was removed from office. Since you became Prime Minister, his manifesto has been completely abandoned. We cannot simply disregard the democratic choice of the electorate, remove both the Prime Minister and the manifesto commitments they voted for and then expect to return to the people in the hope that they will continue to unquestioningly support us. They have agency, they will use it. 

Levelling up has been discarded and with it, those deprived communities it sought to serve. Social care, ready to be launched, abandoned along with the hope of all of those who care for the elderly and the vulnerable. The Online Safety Bill has been watered down. BBC funding reform, the clock run down. The Mental Health Act, timed out. Defence spending, reduced. Our commitment to net zero, animal welfare and the green issues so relevant to the planet and voters under 40, squandered. As Lord Goldsmith wrote in his own resignation letter, because you simply do not care about the environment or the natural world. What exactly is it you do stand for?

You have increased Corporation tax to 25 per cent, taking us to the level of the highest tax take since World War two at 75 per cent of GDP, and you have completely failed in reducing illegal immigration or delivering on the benefits of Brexit. The bonfire of EU legislation, swerved. The Windsor framework agreement, a dead duck, brought into existence by shady promises of future preferment with grubby rewards and potential gongs to MPs. Stormont is still not sitting. 

Disregarding your own chancellor, last week you took credit for reducing inflation, citing your ‘plan’. There has been no budget, no new fiscal measures, no debate, there is no plan. Such statements take the British public for fools.  The decline in the price of commodities such as oil and gas, the eased pressure on the supply of wheat and the increase in interest rates by the Bank of England are what has taken the heat out of the economy and reduced inflation. For you to personally claim credit for this was disingenuous at the very least.

It is a fact that there is no affection for Keir Starmer out on the doorstep. He does not have the winning X factor qualities of a Thatcher, a Blair, or a Boris Johnson, and sadly, Prime Minister, neither do you. Your actions have left some 200 or more of my MP colleagues to face an electoral tsunami and the loss of their livelihoods, because in your impatience to become Prime Minister you put your personal ambition above the stability of the country and our economy. Bewildered, we look in vain for the grand political vision for the people of this great country to hold on to, that would make all this disruption and subsequent inertia worthwhile, and we find absolutely nothing.

I shall take some comfort from explaining to people exactly how you and your allies achieved this undemocratic upheaval in my book. I am a proud working-class Conservative which is why the Levelling Up agenda was so important to me. I know personally how effective a strong and helping hand can be to lift someone out of poverty and how vision, hope and opportunity can change lives. You have abandoned the fundamental principles of Conservatism. History will not judge you kindly. 

I shall today inform the Chancellor of my intention to take the Chiltern Hundreds, enabling the writ to be moved on September the 4th for the by-election you are so desperately seeking to take place. 

Yours sincerely,

Nadine Dorries

The decline and Fall of the West...

The decline and Fall of the West...

A Guest Post from MH 24AUG23

A friend who escaped iron curtain Czechoslovakia and set up a successful technology business in Melbourne is a close observer of western decay. He offers this insight... 

" ... India will take a long time to rise, it has many internal problems. They can now land on the moon, but most of their population lives in poverty, their cities are dirty, and the Indian mindset is difficult to do business with. China is a totally different story, demonstrably lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, building futuristic cities with amazing infrastructure, leading in many technological and scientific fields, constructing space stations. 

Exporting marvellous infrastructure to the world that we in the West no longer know how to build. The right way for the West to react to China would be embracing fair competition and lifting our own game. 

Unfortunately much of the West is too lazy for that and the US is no longer the leading beacon of (flawed) democracy we used to know and love. It is now a failing plutocracy almost at a war with itself. It has lost much of its former “soft power” due to its export of loonie ideologies, bizarre culture wars, failed armed conflicts and unsuccessful attempts at regime changes of other nations. 

China doesn’t have this baggage. Their primary goal is to dominate through business. Some media still call China “communist”, but it's a misnomer. 

Much of Chinese industry is privately owned and free market capitalism reigns in the country. Basically, the Chinese managed An incredible sleight of hand trick, having co-opted their former ideological enemy, free-market capitalism, as their primary economic tool. 

The Chinese Communist Party is now communist in the name only. It rules through a system of technocratic meritocracy similar to that of Singapore - arguably the most successful autocracy the world has ever had.

While China has admittedly lost much of the world’s sympathy recently, mainly due to Covid, it is slowly coming back on track because everyone can see how they are advancing fast, building great modern and safe cities and infrastructure, while American cities are crumbling and infested with crime and violence. If handled properly, this new competition between the two superpowers could be a great thing. 

Frankly, I am less worried about the Chinese than the Americans. The American instinctive reaction to rising China seems to be that of destructive propaganda and sabotage rather than reinventing itself, lifting its game and embracing competition and cooperation. For me, with my anti-communist past, it’s frustrating for me to see how far the pendulum of history has swung to the opposite direction. We are now in a real danger of becoming the bad guys...

And oh, the Chinese are not interested in obliterating the Western culture. They are in fact embracing it, as a visit to any major modern Chinese city reveals. Sadly, and paradoxically, the same can not be said about some Western cities!

Most of the CCP top brass are engineers (Xi himself is a chemical engineer). Most of the US leadership are lawyers. What does it tell you...?

That the Chinese will build the future while the Americans will keep arguing about it. "

 

truth or consequence

Truth or consequences...      https://bit.ly/45r0qVu

20aug23 0v26 continuously updating

Here's a radical idea for the "post truth" age, where the manipulation of everything by artificial intelligence has obliterated the distinction between reality and imagination.

We need to update the Spanish Inquisition to establish a modern interpretation of Truth or Consequences.  The religion demanding unquestioning obedience has evolved beyond Catholicism, and is now the cult of climate change.

* (Plus the UK's highly fallible NHS... follow the shocking story of the whistle blowing "de-frocked" surgeon @peter_duffey )

We are currently wasting time, effort, money and angst as the wheels are being slowly prised off the various fraud and conspiracy bandwagons - so let's untangle the global web of lies and deceit. And do it FAST in the name of freedom of (unspun) information.

The conspiracy industry is not getting to the uncontested truth and resolving anything, so do we need to get serious with polygraphs, sodium Pentothal, thumb screws and tooth extraction tools -  in other words the old "proven methods" to get to the truth as fast as possible?

It is obvious we have recently been sold many bills of goods by politicians and big medical interests, and just about everyone else who has been making obscene money from the current omnishambles of this round of "disaster scare capitalism". And how many are making money from feeding off the misfortune of the Ukraine?

It will be interesting to get suggestions for the questions to ask - many of which will probably come from insider whistle-blowers. Get those proton email accounts ready; intercepted "secure private messaging" is probably the quickest way to send a warning message to the Illuminati that the people are coming for them.

Those with questions to answer have now cost the world many trillions in psyops and misdirection - so up first are the Bidens, Zelensky, Putin, Fauci, Schwab, Sunak, Johnson, Trudeau, Arden, Sturgeon, Von der Leyden, all the other WEF aligned "leaders".

And we will use their own favourite riposte when they protest about having the truth extracted : "well then, what have you got to hide...?"

Hide this... compliance with the "approved narratives" can be rewarding. 

Not forgetting our own Jonathan Van-Tam is now clocking on at Moderna. Oh Dear.

Mainstream media manipulators have big questions to answer. It's time to get answers from the BBC, CNN, Fox, and other manufacturers of propaganda. The individual civil servants at media regulators such as Ofcom are traditionally allowed to hide in the shadows whilst contriving the most influential and controversial policies that shape what we are "allowed to be told" "and what journalists are allowed to convey".  Ever since Enoch Powell arguably inadvertently triggered modern cancellation culture, there is great uneasiness that populists with the "wrong messages" can rabble rouse and send mobs waving pitchforks and flaming torches to the gated communities in which the elite enclaves have hidden themselves. And after Greenpeace zealots "lit up" the PM's gaff, the chances are that public figure security will double down - for the good of us all, of course.

To what extent does Ofcom operate under strict political direction - or are they able to make policy on key matters of subjectivity, such as "content bias"?  Is Ofcom subject to the hive mind of the civil service - which has progressively and demonstrably lost objectivity as the scope for media manipulation becomes ever more influential?

The "cult of woke", as practised by the self-absorbed unelected intellectual elites that have shaped education and the legal professions (especially) since Blair's  1997 regime politicized most public service, even to the extent that one Scottish police car in 2001 wore a "vote labour" sticker. Generally the fog of woke provides a cloak of invisibility that deprecates populism, and consistently seeks to suppress populists who represent the views of what "Whitehall elites" regard as the great unwashed.

Conspiracies in plain sight...

Former KGB officer Yuri Bezmenov's gave an interview in 1984 that was a seminal warning on how the West would be subverted from within - without a shot needing to be fired, using a process of social engineering with carefully constructed "narratives", in the form of carefully engineered propaganda created for and by the "elites" that is intended to close down all those with potentially awkward populist appeal. Remember - the most effective propaganda is 99% truth and 1% carefully implanted misdirection ... 25 years of the internet has shrunk attention spans and made the public susceptible to the basic psyops techniques needed to bend reality.

https://youtu.be/yErKTVdETpw

Suspicion of manipulative malpractice has long since moved beyond Whitehall to include the World Economic Forum and its many acolytes, especially founder Klaus Schwab.  WEF has become a focus of hate amongst populists for the reason that the WEF has shown time and again by the action of its disciples like the Canadian and Dutch Governments, that it hates empowering the people. There are many unloved politicians associated with its aims and objectives, and there is a networking organisation for public administrators known as Common Purpose that has that is closely aligned with WEF objectives, and has drawn sharp criticism from Epose  News with a less severe view from the BBC where many CP "alumni"are to be found. The BBC explored common purpose  in 2009 but let it off lightly, possibly because many BBC staff are alumni! But one of its longest term and most voluble critics is Brian Gerrish of the UK Column - an alternative citizen journalism project that has been doing its best to walk the lines between conspiracies since 2006.

The fact that the WEF is based in Switzerland, famous for secretive banking, money laundering, and colourful stories of Nazi gold, is entirely coincidental.

However, "populism" apparently now includes the idea that British taxpayers should be consulted about major decisions that shape the demography and future of their nation. Heaven forfend!

Beyond the politicians and their appointed servants, the extensive supporting cast includes the Bilderbergers, big pharma bosses, WHO, social media and tech bosses that have been gaslighting everyone for years and colluding with governments. Not forgetting the general "lurkers" we would all like to question, including Blair, Gates, and those funding eco-terrorism with agendas in the new energy industries.

All this "truthing" clearly raises many awkward questions of national and international security. Who decides what to "redact" and why? Should we be told if extra-terrestrial (aliens, time travel) influence is present on the planet? With all the implications for  disturbance of established religions.

So far the inquisition list has not directly included the legal "profession" - which has traditionally managed to manoeuvre itself into positions of immunity.  It was not by chance that Shakespeare wrote "The first we do, let's kill all the lawyers" ( Henry VI, part 2, act IV, scene 2).

Lawyers are basically actors that are paid to "reimagine versions of the truth".  A perceptive joke amongst lawyers concerns a lecture cruise fronted by Tony Blair for a hundred lawyers.

One of the passengers leans too far over the rail and falls in to shark infested waters. Tony Blair sees this and jumps in immediately after.  To the amazement of onlookers, all the sharks keep their distance, while Tony and the clumsy passenger are pulled clear with a rope.

"What just happened..?" asks a bemused onlooker.   "Professional etiquette. Tony saw him first .."

Not clear  how to tackle Russia and China, but we can flush their sympathisers embedded in western politics, media and governments, and ask them probing questions...

It's also an excellent opportunity for those who believe they are being persecuted - notably Donald Trump - to step up and volunteer to be first and prove innocence. Polygraph and pentathol should be sufficient for openers. We'll reserve the physical persuasion techniques for later.

Obviously there will be much wailing: "What about our human rights?"

PRECISELY... the people who have been paying for this perfidious pantomime of the pompous over the years are long overdue their right to be told just what has been going on, and end the wasteful speculation.

This is the people's mission...

"You and your cabal will tell us the truth, and we will be happy, Klaus ..."

Imagine the value of the live TV rights? They could pay to convert South Georgia into a penal colony to keep the penguins company....

 

South Georgia Island: Photos that Will Make You Want to Visit!
- Anna Everywhere

And once we get to the truth at the bottom of controversies such as the efficacy of mask wearing in the prevention of virus transmission, we may need bigger padded cells for all those who have been rendered mentally incapable by our failure to root out and prosecute all those promoting the disaster scare industry, that is helping WEF acolytes psyops get a stranglehold on energy, travel and food. 

Central Bank digital currencies must be resisted at all costs if you don't want your existence and ability to function to be dependent on the commissars' whims. Maybe bring back the Gold Standard... 🤔

Financial Fairy Land

Financial Fairy Land - largely citing the YT content of Manec 64 

** Ponder this: The current US deficit is $228 billion for the month of June 2023. This is a $139 billion increase from the deficit of $89 billion that was recorded in June 2022. The deficit for the fiscal year 2023 is projected to be $1.5 trillion.V0.4

....probably the best daily commentary for those who want a dose of refreshing reality, with alternative takes to the "narratives" put out by governments and controlled medi - and of course, the usual suspects of discredited banking institutions. Playback x1.5 with no loss of info.  Note that Mario is not a fan of crypto ponzi scheme. He is a fan of "real money" - silver and gold bullion.

Update 11aug23 v0.6

"Today we will look at why a 2% CPI is a tool of Central Bankers and politicians to extract wealth from the general public for those at the top.

In a fiat currency regime wealth inequality always increases as those at the bottom of the economic ladder have no way against protecting their financial well-being against inflation.

In this report, I will show you how the inflation of the last 30 years plus has led to wealth disparity between the 0.01% and the bottom 50%.

I will also give you my view on how inflation or currency debasement can be stopped.

Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989: https://www.federalreserve.gov/releas...Today we will look at why a 2% CPI is a tool of Central Bankers and politicians to extract wealth from the general public for those at the top.

In a fiat currency regime wealth inequality always increases as those at the bottom of the economic ladder have no way against protecting their financial well-being against inflation.

In this report, I will show you how the inflation of the last 30 years plus has led to wealth disparity between the 0.01% and the bottom 50%.

I will also give you my view on how inflation or currency debasement can be stopped.

Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989: https://www.federalreserve.gov/releas...

 

https://youtu.be/ANqp8cOd9k8

Update 28july23 v0.5

" Today we will revisit Japan and the yen one more time as the Bank of Japan struggles to keep the House of Cards from collapsing. We have seen that in the last 24 hours financial markets around the world experienced a bout of volatility as the Japanese Central Bank met to announce its new monetary policy stance. The debt problem is not just a Japanese problem but also a worldwide one and Japan is central to keeping this debt Ponzi system going."

https://youtu.be/vv2eZmVF__Y 

Here's an occasional fundamentals backgrounder from 14jul23 that you should absorb..

Mario speaks with Francis Hunt a.k.a The Market Sniper. We looked into the US and UK economies, the bond market, and much more. Francis thinks that the whole system is in peril as bond or debt markets continue to trade south as interest rates move a lot higher than most think. His conclusion is that having tangible assets like gold and silver outside the system will help investors weather the coming financial storm.  The familiar point that inflation is the only way for our immoral governments to write down debt is made once again... which is funded from devaluing all cash savings. Not a good thing...

https://youtu.be/sjYS2Dw38e4

 

Update 26july23 v0.5

And today Robin Monotti laid his claim to be part of the financial awakening wih this excelent tweet, text repeated below.There are many excellent comments on teh twitter thread that are worth reading.

"...What we are experiencing at this time is a gigantic act of desperation, probably the biggest that has ever occurred in the whole history of mankind.

"The cause of this act of desperation, is that the system to which the digital-financial system owes its existence, can no longer be kept alive with the previous business model. It was very close to its demise already during the world financial crisis of 2007-8. If governments back then had not mobilized huge amounts of tax money and the central banks instructed oodles of money to be created out of nothing the system would have collapsed there and then.

But salvation was only temporary.

The amounts of money had to be continuously increased over a period of 12 years and the interest rates had to be reduced several times. So, the system was made ever more unstable. In the long term that could not go well. And last year it was to the point that the next collapse was threatening. And this collapse has been postponed through a final feat of strength namely the reduction of interest rates to zero and the injection of billions and billions for one final time.

With that however, a qualitatively new situation has come about. A further deferral would require interest rates to be dropped into the minus range, and this would destroy the foundation of the current banking system. Banks cannot operate long-term with negative interest rates. This means that a further deferral with the previously used approach will not be possible. In the present situation one can inject billions and billions into the system at maximum one more time. However, with the result that the already strongly growing rate of inflation will further overhead and will be driven into hyperinflation.

The situation in which the digital-financial complex finds itself is between the alternatives of, on one side the final collapse and hyper-inflation on the other side. So, the total loss of value of money. That means, historically we’ve arrived at a point in which the digital-financial complex, in the framework of the existing system, only still has the choice between two various forms of collapse.

So, what can they do?

Quite clearly, they have, in this situation, chosen to install a new system and a double strategy. On one side, in the background and away from public view, they are preparing a new system. And on the other side, they are using the end phase of the present dying system, to plunder it using all tricks at their disposal. This is exactly what we’ve seen since March 2020. The quite deliberate and premeditated destruction of the world economy, for the exclusive expansion of the digital-financial complex, with simultaneous preparation via the central banks of a new system and in collaboration with the IT corporations. And we already know how this system will look. It is about the complete removal of cash and banks in their previous form, and the introduction of digital money from central banks. The end goal as it appears, is that we will all have just a single account through which all transactions run. And this account will not reside in a business or high-street bank but with the central bank.

The background to this plan is the following: Digital central bank money is programmable, and because central banks can create unlimited money out of nothing, one can indeed operate in this way with negative interest rates without having to destroy the system. But that is furthermore, not the only feature of digital central bank money. It will allow governments to watch over all transactions made.

To assign us various tax rates and impose upon us individual fines. Governments can also place an expiry limit on a part of our money and require that we spend certain amounts within certain time periods. But it can also require the money to be used for specific purposes, and require that specific amounts be paid only for certain products, or that they be sourced only from certain regions. Above all, government will be in the position to cancel our ability to make all transactions with a single mouse click, and so, shut us down financially. Digital central bank money would be the most efficient tax collection method for society that has ever occurred in the whole history of man, and with that, nothing more and nothing less than the realization of an all-encompassing dictatorship brought about through money.

However, the whole thing has a huge snag. Namely, the expected resistance from the public. One can be very certain that a large proportion of people won’t accept this form of disenfranchisement. So, the introduction of digital central bank money would be expected to produce huge social unrest. And it is exactly this problem that the digital-financial complex has quite obviously thought about, to reverse the process of introducing this (digital) currency. So, they won’t try to make this switch to digital currency gradually, but and thereby risking huge resistance will do it exactly the other way around. They will drive society into chaos, in order to present the introduction of digital central bank money as the solution to all problems. Namely, in the form of a Universal Basic Income (UBI)."

August 2021 presentation given by Ernst Wolff.

Focus on Gold...

10Jul23 from YT Maneco64

 

Today we will look at the news that Central Banks around the world are and plan to continue repatriating their gold from institutions like the Bank of England and the New York Fed. In this report, I will go over why this move towards repatriation could basically end the LBMA/Comex price suppression scheme and what that would mean for the price of gold. Central banks move gold back home after freeze on Russian assets (FT Article):

V0.3 10Jul23

Today we will look at why, in [Mario's] opinion, QE (quantitative easing) or money printing, has been an utter failure.

https://youtu.be/MRJohF2zIyk?t=169

Unfortunately, humans never seem to learn from the mistakes of the past and the same applies to our Central Bankers and politicians. The economic malaise we are now experiencing is payback for the madness of Central Bankers and one in particular called Ben Bernanke.

My conclusion is that centuries from now historians will remember Ben Bernanke as the 21st Century version of John Law.  Deflation: Making Sure "It" Doesn't Happen Here by Ben Bernanke: https://www.federalreserve.gov/BOARDD...

V0.3 09Jul23
More news of our Mickey Mouse money...

"Today we will have Clive Thompson on and we will be covering many topics but the focus will be on the announcement that the BRICS will be announcing a gold-backed trade settlement mechanism. What kind of system could be ushered in eventually is up for debate. Could it be backing national currencies with a certain weight of gold or having a BRICS gold-backed currency pegged to national currencies at a fixed rate?"

V  0.2 30Jun23
"Currency Collapse All But Certain As Societal Madness Intensifies...."

Mario Innecco continues to focus on observations of the UK and US financial scene with his engaging style of bemusement, as markets continue to defy logic and gravity.

"Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Rafi Farber of @endgameinvestor about what is going on not only in the economy and markets but also in overall society. I have spoken about the symptoms of hyperinflation or the crack-up boom many times before, and today I wanted to have Rafi's take on where we are in terms of this process. The conclusion, according to Rafi, is that currency collapse is not just an economic phenomenon but also a psychological event in which bad money drives people and society mad."

V  0.1 29Jun23 - focus on Gold

This blog has avoided getting caught up in economics thus far, given that the basis of the UK and world economy has been obviously unsustainable for the past 30 years from the time of the 2008 crash when fairyland lending practises on mortgages in the USA (Bill Clinton buying votes) and the UK with Blair buying "feelgood" votes.

This observer (Mario Innecco) is one of the best daily vloggers covering the headline issues. He believes in "real money" ie gold and silver, and happily plugs away, dismissing governments and banks trying to discourage private ownership. His healthy suspicion of the conventional "city" view that gold is not a good hedge investment seems justified. The banks are clearly terrified that their monopoly of printing money might be undermined before they get to turn the ultimate screw of central bank digital currencies - CBDC.

A simple view is that a CBDC offers all the potential for the ponzi insanity of Bitcoin, coupled to direct control and monitoring by politicians - and total control over all your income and spending.

But is it possible banks and governments are trying to downplay the traditional haven value of gold and silver to allow them to build up reserves so that a CBDC option might be a cryptocurrency with a precious metal reserve value?

Whatever... there is an interesting axiom in the jewellery business that says a gold Rolex watch will get its owner a first class air ticket home from anywhere in the world for a family of 5.

A quick look on the web for previously owned Rolex watches that probably cost the owner £6k 25 years earlier suggests this one is now worth £12k. The gold melt value is about £5k.  This may not outperform the stock market - but if you keep it in a safe place and take care when wearing in public, then when politicians introduce wealth taxes...

Having made the Daytona watch by Rolex famous, Paul Newman’s actual watch sold at auction in October of 2017 for $17.8 million. This price makes it the most expensive Rolex watch ever sold to date.

Chat GPT revises my Solar Cycle post

Wow. Talk about brutal. Chat GPT (the especially woke one) reviews and mauls the post at https://poelposition.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-emperors-suit-of-climate-clothes.html...

Title: Unraveling the Complexities of Climate Change and Solar Influence

Author's Note: This essay aims to explore various perspectives on climate change, solar activity, and their potential interactions. While opinions may differ, it is essential to engage with credible scientific research for a comprehensive understanding of these complex topics.

---

Introduction:

The intricate web of factors that contribute to climate change and solar behavior is a subject that invites careful examination and scrutiny. The following discourse seeks to delve into these matters with the seriousness they deserve, exploring scientific theories, societal influences, and the ever-evolving nature of our understanding.

The Sun's Influence and Earth's Climate: Unveiling the Connection

As we gaze skyward, it becomes evident that our closest star, the sun, plays a crucial role in shaping Earth's climate. It is well-established that variations in solar activity, such as sunspots and solar flares, can impact our planet's climate to some extent. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the consensus among climate scientists attributes the recent rapid warming to a significant degree to human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2).

Navigating the Solar Dynamics: Insights and Intricacies

Over the years, researchers have probed the intricate relationship between planetary gravity and the sun's dynamo, the process responsible for its magnetic activity. A study dating back to 1972 proposed that the gravitational pull of Jupiter and Saturn could contribute to the 11-year sunspot cycle. Further observations and studies in the 1980s have lent support to this hypothesis, suggesting that planetary influences indeed play a role in shaping the sun's magnetic field and, consequently, sunspot formation.

While these findings provide intriguing insights, it's important to recognize that the exact mechanisms through which planetary gravity affects the solar dynamo remain a subject of ongoing research and debate. Some scientists posit that these gravitational forces may induce turbulence in the sun's magnetic field, leading to sunspot formation. Others suggest that the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn could impact the sun's magnetic field orientation, influencing the occurrence of sunspots.

Navigating Complex Terrain: Climate Change and CO2

The essay rightly questions the prevailing narrative surrounding the role of CO2 in climate change. While CO2 constitutes a mere 0.04% of Earth's atmosphere, its greenhouse effect is a fundamental aspect of our climate system. It is vital, however, to engage with rigorous scientific research that accounts for the intricate interactions between various components of the atmosphere.

Critically, this discussion does not negate the importance of other factors contributing to climate change. Indeed, solar activity, cosmic rays, and other planetary influences hold significance, but they are considered secondary drivers compared to the overwhelming impact of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

Seeking Balance and Understanding Amidst Complexity

The essay raises valid concerns about the need for balanced discourse regarding climate change. While disagreements are inherent to scientific inquiry, it is essential to approach the subject with respect for rigorous research and established scientific principles. It is possible to acknowledge various factors that contribute to climate variability without undermining the well-supported understanding of anthropogenic influences.

Concluding Thoughts: Embracing Nuance and Robust Dialogue

As we navigate the complexities of climate change, solar activity, and their interconnectedness, let us remain committed to thoughtful, evidence-based discourse. Acknowledging the multifaceted nature of these phenomena does not diminish the importance of addressing human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. Rather, it enriches our understanding of the intricate web of factors shaping our planet's climate.

In a world characterized by competing narratives and fervent ideologies, embracing nuance and seeking a balanced perspective is essential. By engaging with the collective wisdom of scientific research and fostering constructive dialogue, we can foster a deeper understanding of the forces that mold our climate and contribute to a more informed and responsible approach to environmental stewardship.

Further Reading:

For those eager to explore the broader spectrum of perspectives and research on climate change and solar activity, the following sources provide valuable insights:

• The CO2 Coalition website
• Clintel.org
• A list of books by scientists delving into the complexities of climate science
• A compilation of over 200 peer-reviewed papers offering diverse viewpoints on climate change
• A collection of scientific summaries to aid in comprehensive understanding
• Reference to a well-regarded French website covering climate questions

By engaging with a diverse range of resources and perspectives, we can continue to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between human activities, solar dynamics, and the climate system