The virgin, the genius and the robot

It’s coincidental, but synchronous, that yesterday’s Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix occurred in the same 24-hour period as EH10. Environmentally the GP and EH10 are diametrically opposed. Yet governments compete to host a car race that’s ruinous to their credibility on global warming and climate change. Maybe their focus groups show that punters don’t, or can’t, connect the dots. It’s all stupid. Talking of stupid, though F1 holds itself out to be at the automotive technology’s cutting edge, three days ago the geniuses in Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Racing team discovered their cars’ fuel tanks were 13 litres too small for the cars to complete the race without refuelling. Ho hum.
Talking of geniuses, as I wrote here I’ve long been captivated by robots; and I’ve admired the people who make them. Tonight’s the first Seder – the ceremonial dinner that starts the Jewish festival of Passover. An important element in the ceremony is Ma Nishtana, i.e. the asking of four key questions. Traditionally the youngest person present asks these questions. Tonight I’m not hosting or attending a Seder. I’ll be alone, and so the youngest person here. I won’t say, or sing, Ma Nishtana; but I’ll play this YouTube clip – courtesy of the geniuses in the Research and Development Institute for Intelligent Robotic Systems, Computer Science Department, The College of Management Academic Studies. COMAS is Israel’s leading academic college. This clip shows why. Happy Passover to you.

farmdoc's blog post number 671

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. I read that Australia could generate all its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020 if we spent A$40B a year, or 3-3.5% of GDP, on green energy [1]. We should go for it. We’d lead the world and show all other countries what’s possible.

2. the federal Treasurer Mr Swan delivered the Government’s 2010 intergenerational report, Australia to 2050: future challenges [2] The IGR3 expects health spending to increase from 4% of GDP in 2009-10 to 7.1% in 2049-50. The major factors are population ageing, increased demand, and new technologies. What a frightening statistic.

3. Sir Richard Branson warned peak oil will occur before 2015 [3]. As his Virgin Group has airline, rail and space travel and F1 interests, he’s making peak oil happen much earlier than it would’ve otherwise.

4. a new bill was introduced to the US Congress aiming for 10 million solar roofs and 200,000 solar hot water heaters over the next 10 years [4]. That’d save the power produced by 30 nuclear power plants. I’d adore to see it happen.

5. Nutrition Diva told us where to store bread (for home-made bread, at room temperature for 2-3 days), and how to turn leftover bread into crostini that’ll keep for two weeks [5]. Sounds, and tastes, good to me.

6. a research report showed that among women at least a year diagnosed with breast cancer, aspirin use was associated with a much lower risk of distant recurrence and breast cancer death [6]. Aspirin is nothing if not a wonder drug.

7. smoking cigars and/or pipes was shown to reduce lung function, i.e. to be a risk factor for chronic lung disease [7a]. As Yul Brynner said: ‘Don’t smoke’ [7b].

8. Sweetheart Vivienne did a marvellous interview on ABC Central West NSW [8]. I’m so pleased for, and proud of, her. She’s great talent – in more ways than one.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

farmdoc's blog post number 308

Lewis Carroll coined the word portmanteau meaning a word derived from combining two separate words. The homepage of Richard Branson’s Virgin Corporation has links to Responsible Business Practice that ‘ensures that we manage our impact on society and the environment’, the Virgin Earth Challenge that was launched because ‘A solution is needed of the utmost urgency To Save the Earth’, the Virgin Green Fund that was established ‘to invest in companies in the renewable energy and resource sectors in the US and Europe’, and the Virgin Unite not-for-profit charity ‘to improve the social and environmental lives of others’. Reading that, you’d believe Virgin’s an environmentally aware corporation. I did too. Until I read this week it’s made a bid to buy Honda’s Formula 1 team. Currently the sale’s not finalised. But the mere fact Branson’s been sniffing around F1 has obliterated his environmental credibility – crushed it to zero – notwithstanding all Virgin’s environmental initiatives. It renders them pure greenwash (i.e. a portmanteau word). Nothing more than clever marketing to increase Virgin’s profit by pretending environmental concern. Prima facie, motor racing’s environmental lunacy. Undoubtedly you’d know that, Richard. Consider yourself an environmentalist, do you? Lewis Carroll wrote: ‘When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less’. And, Richard, remember the fate of the character saying those words: Humpty Dumpty.