“The police didn’t believe me at all when I explained what my daughter on Utøya had told me. They informed me the children had only to call the police themselves if that was the case, even after I begged them to take me seriously,”

Johnsen had to wait four minutes for his call to be answered. He snapped after spending two or three minutes in “frustrating” conversation with the police operator.

“I think I said something like ‘There was not much help available today, you f*cking bitch.’ I was then told that I should not call her a bitch, and I realized that there was no help available here”.

No help if you are a victim  but plenty of help if you are the perp it seems. Check out this photo gallery ‘Inside The World’s Most Humane Prison‘. That’s where Breivik will likely be spending the next 21 years.

Here’s what the Economist had to say about Norway’s ‘Plush and Unusual Punishment‘:

But the point of a criminal justice system in a civilised society is not the mental peace of those collaterally wounded by crime. All evidence supports that proposition that Norway’s criminal justice system is both practically and morally superior to America’s. If America’s abominably cruel and unjust system delivered results even remotely comparable to Norway’s enviable level of civil peace and order, then there might be some reason to take seriously American animadversions against Norway’s short sentences and humane prison. But we don’t. We’re not even close. So Americans should just shut up and watch. It could do us some good to see how a civilised society handles such a horrifying crime.

I think we are talking about extremes here. Hopefully, when  Canada refurbishes our decrepit prisons, we’ll achieve a sensible balance.

WUWT:

Steve McIntyre has uncovered a blunder on the part of Pachauri and the IPCC that is causing waves of doubt and calls for retooling on both sides of the debate. In a nutshell, the IPCC made yet another inflated claim that:

…80 percent of the world‘s energy supply could be met by renewables by mid-century…

Unfortunately, it has been revealed that this claim is similar to the Himalayan glacier melt by 2035 fiasco, with nothing independent to back it up. Worse, it isn’t the opinion of the IPCC per se, but rather that of Greenpeace. It gets worse.

It’s telling that one of the AGW most ardent supporters, Mark Lynas,  is crying foul:

The IPCC must urgently review its policies for hiring lead authors – and I would have thought that not only should biased ‘grey literature’ be rejected, but campaigners from NGOs should not be allowed to join the lead author group and thereby review their own work. There is even a commercial conflict of interest here given that the renewables industry stands to be the main beneficiary of any change in government policies based on the IPCC report’s conclusions. Had it been an oil industry intervention which led the IPCC to a particular conclusion, Greenpeace et al would have course have been screaming blue murder.

Additionally, the Greenpeace/renewables industry report is so flawed that it should not have been considered by the IPCC at all.

That is strong condemnation considering his background.

Dr Judith Curry has more on the fall-out at her Climate Etc. blog, including this exchange with Lynas:

I’ve been engaging with skeptics since 2006 (before starting Climate Etc., I engaged mainly at ClimateAudit).  People were suspicious and wondered what I was up to, but the vilification didn’t start until I recommended that people read The Hockey Stick Illusion.  The book itself, plus more significantly my vilification simply for recommending that people read the book, has pushed me over the ledge and into a mode of aggressively challenging the IPCC consensus.  That you are willing at this point to read the book speaks volumes to me.  It is my sad conclusion that opening your mind on this subject sends you down the slippery slope of challenging many aspects of the IPCC consensus.

Another possible member of the ‘heretics’ club ?

No Frakking Concensus gets a mention, which is only appropriate, since she’s been on the IPCC/ Greenpeace case for a long time. Gotta love this:

UPDATE: Bishop Hill reports that Leo Hickman at the Guardian is also publicly acknowledging that the IPCC has messed up. This is great news. Shared values about what is proper and improper behaviour is a prerequisite if the quality of the climate change debate is ever to improve.

This story coming at the same time as the Sun Spots revelation might just signal the beginning of a more balanced assessment of  Climate Change theory.

Even the Daily Kos is saying ‘Stop It‘ to the nutty climate change claims!

I notice Gay and Right is on this, too.

Oates called for the national curriculum “to get back to the science in science”. “We have believed that we need to keep the national curriculum up to date with topical issues, but oxidation and gravity don’t date,” he said. “We are not taking it back 100 years; we are taking it back to the core stuff. The curriculum has become narrowly instrumentalist.” …

His remarks also show he wants to reverse a shift in emphasis, made under the Labour government, under which teachers were encouraged to place great importance on scientific “issues” and not just scientific knowledge.

Via Bishop Hill, who notes:

This is undoubtedly correct, although those who see schools as an opportunity to indoctrinate children with their own views are undoubtedly going to squeal a great deal.

I’m sure they will.

Yes, this from the guy who once said that meat eaters are bad people. …

My decision to eat meat again was driven by health concerns. I was a vegetarian for over ten years and I did so primarily for ethical reasons. It was in the last several years of being a vegetarian, however, that I grew increasingly concerned about my health. An increasing number of studies started to point at the importance of meat protein and animal fat—not to mention the perils of soy (which was a staple for me). Moreover, my performance at the gym was stalling. My energy levels were consistently low and I was making very little gains. This was an indication to me that something wasn’t right.

So, after a decade of avoiding meat, I was curious to see if a reintroduction to animal protein could change the situation. I switched to the Paleo diet and within three months my BMI went down from 17% to 12% and I gained nearly ten pounds of muscle mass. I was astounded. And add to that an improved sense of well-being, mental clarity and energy— I was sold. My experiment with eating meat exceeded even my own expectations.

Via Instapundit

Am I just imagining it or does it seem to you that a large portion of our activist class, especial the younger ones, are vegetarians.  From ‘behind the scenes’ at  the Toronto G20 protests:

Near the entrance, a table loaded with free vegan food has been set up beside a small kitchen. Dinner is eagerly snatched up by a few dozen hungry protesters, some settling on the floor to eat when the couches fill up.

I’ve always suspected a connection with  ‘fuzzy logic’.

More:

This is,at least, honest:

So why do it? My vegetarianism was never about moral grandstanding, animal rights or protecting the environment. It wasn’t even a health issue. It was about feeling special.

Vegetarianism is a conversation piece. When my dietary restrictions are announced at the family dinner table, the jukebox skitters to a halt. All eyes fall on me.

The scary/sad part:

WHEN Crown Shakur died of starvation, he was 6 weeks old and weighed 3.5 pounds. His vegan parents, who fed him mainly soy milk and apple juice, were convicted in Atlanta recently of murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty.

This particular calamity — at least the third such conviction of vegan parents in four years — may be largely due to ignorance. But it should prompt frank discussion about nutrition.

The biggest risk is  vitamin B12 deficiency.

BOWMANVILLE — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals campaigner Emily Lavender, who made headlines across Canada last year for getting pied while protesting the annual seal hunt, spoke to students at Bowmanville High School on June 3.

“The seal hunt is a really sad issue. You can really make a difference in positive and fun ways,” said Ms. Lavender.

She added that just by taking a picture of themselves with an anti-seal hunt sign and posting it online, the youth could reach a wide audience. They could also help by signing petitions, handing out flyers or just putting a PETA sticker on their laptop or cellphone, according to the activist.

Ms. Lavender also recommended the students consider going vegan, not using any animal products. She said she had concerns about giving up meat, but found soy meat-substitutes a big help.

What else has Ms Lavender been up to recently:

Ms. Lavender also talked about making national headlines last year in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Dressed as a seal and protesting the hunt, she followed Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Earlier that week, another PETA activist had pied the minister of fisheries and oceans.

Ms. Lavender was waiting on a street corner for the prime minister when someone dressed in a Newfoundland dog costume pushed a pie into her face.

“I saw the pie behind his back and tried to run away. He caught up with me and we fell down. When we got up, he got me,” said Ms. Lavender.

She said the incident didn’t hurt, and had a positive effect.

“Me getting pied in the face got our vice-president on CBC,” said Ms. Lavender.

Outstanding! Now how exactly did this get wedged into the curriculum?

Bowmanville High School teacher Jeff Boucher contacted PETA to request a copy of pop artist Ke$ha’s PETA ad to hang in his classroom. PETA offered to send Ms. Lavender to address the class and Mr. Boucher agreed. He said the PETA presentation was a great chance to get his business class students talking about ethics in business, whether it’s the seal hunt or tobacco companies.

Ethics. Of course!

Apparently a good time was had by all:

After the presentation, students took pictures of themselves trying on Ms. Lavender’s seal costume. The local youth also took PETA stickers, pamphlets and copies of a petition opposing the seal hunt.

“I think these kids have really been touched by this issue. They were horrified while watching the video. A lot of them have taken petitions,” said Ms. Lavender.

I can’t imagine teenagers in my day lining up to try on a seal costume.  Grade one to five maybe. But I digress. The issue here is: Are some teachers using classroom time to advance their pet agendas? and are they seeking to inspire a new crop of left-wing activists at the same time?

Related: This might be Kesha campaign ad that Mr Coucher was referring to.

[I]f Ontario’s experiment with green energy is similar to what’s happened in the European Union (EU), the province can look forward to higher taxes, a net loss of jobs, and little difference in terms of green house gas emissions.

(Via Wind Concerns Ontario)

He carefully explains just how ridiculous the whole scheme is in economic terms. But perhaps the most shocking revelation is just how this legislation came about:

Fox said the Ontario Green Energy and Economy Act was actually proposed by an organization known as the Ontario Green Energy Alliance, which is a coalition of environmental groups, trade associations, equipment manufacturers and developers.

He said that at a conference he attended where a member of the Green Energy Alliance was keynote speaker, it was claimed that the Alliance had written the legislation.

“This was a startling claim in a political system like Canada’s,” Fox said, adding that it is not unusual in the U.S. for an external organization to draft legislation and have it sponsored by someone in Congress. But this is unusual in a Canadian context.”

The Ontario Green Energy Alliance has mission but it doesn’t seem to care a lot about the real costs in the real world. (See Updated below for more on this bunch) Thankfully others (the grownups, in my view) are trying to get the message out.

For instance, consider this warning:

There are predictions that the emerging alternative energy boom, especially wind power, along with infrastructure needs, will turn out to be the next investment bubble. It is projected to be a bigger crisis than the current sub-prime fiasco. In Canada alone, the wind industry is calling for 55,000 MW of wind capacity in Canada, which would be a capital cost of $132 billion and overall funding of about $250 billion over 20 years. Think of what this will eventually “cost” us all.

I think about it a lot. Hopefully, it will be top of mind for other Ontarians come October and they do the ‘right’ thing.

Updated: From the  NP March, 2009:

In summary, the Ontario government pays millions of dollars to environmental activists and corporate interests to lobby the Ontario government and agitate for the Green Energy Act, which act serves the interests of the agitators.

And just in case the political connections might be lost, the Ontario Clean Energy Act Alliance’s Web site provides a handy link to the Ontario Liberal Party — not the Ontario government, but the Liberal Party — Web site that highlights George Smitherman and Dalton McGuinty. The Web link says: “Paid for by the Toronto Centre Provincial Liberal Association.”

So a final question on Ontario’s new Green Energy Act: What’s the definition of corruption?

GWPF:

Jeekel points out that not only does the non-ferrous metals industry employ 400,000 people, it is also a strategic sector that ought to have a strong domestic presence in Europe. ‘When EU policies force investments to be halted and production to be closed down at a time of increasing consumption and demand, this inevitably makes the EU more dependent on other regions. We already import over one-third of our non-ferrous metals, ironically often from countries that produce on the basis of much lower environmental standards.’

Sound familiar?

I ‘d like to see Shapiro interviewed on Sun News TV.

Yesterday, Brian Lilley reports:

Shapiro will appear Tuesday night on a special one-hour episode of Byline on Sun News Network.

Wow! I might try this again.

I’m really enjoying SNN. I don’t have time to watch during the day, but in the evening, I’m hooked.

Queen’s Park – NDP MP Howard Hampton …  gave some examples of just how, in his words, “out of touch” the McGuinty Liberals are on hydro-electricity rates compared to Manitoba and Quebec. Hampton cited the decision by Xstrata Mining to close its copper smelter in Timmins last year and the decision by Inco (now Vale) to close its copper smelter in Sudbury four years ago.

“Both of these companies continue to mine the copper ore in Ontario, but both of them now ship the ore to smelters and refineries in Quebec to have the ore processed there because they save millions of dollars each year in hydro-electricity costs due to Quebec’s much lower industrial hydro rates,” Hampton said. …

Hampton noted that Xstrata was paying hydro bills of $70 Million/year at its Timmins smelter, and now is paying less than half that amount in Quebec ($33.5), but the shutdown of the smelter in Timmins meant the loss of over 2000 direct and indirect jobs in the community.

I seem to recall Jack Layton feverishly decrying these ‘greedy’  corporations during the recent election campaign. Turns out, they had a very good reason for closing down. Why stay in Ontario just for the privilege of getting gouged.

Now ‘The Ring Of Fire‘ project is considering their options:

Representatives from mining company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. announced plans to process ore mined in the Ring of Fire in Ontario.

Bill Boor, presidents of ferroalloys for Cliffs, explained during a conference call Friday morning the project has “great potential” in Northern Ontario, creating up to 1,300 jobs.

An important component of the operation is a ferrochrome production facility (FPF) — a smelter using electric arc furnaces to refine ore into ferrochrome, which will then be sold to steel makers in North America and around the world.

Although the company is hoping for an FPF in Ontario, Boor said there is a roadblock in that plan.

“We’ve identified a few places in Northern Ontario where this would theoretically be viable, but at the current provincial power rates, there isn’t a place where it’s feasible,” he said.

It seems apparent that his provincial NDP cousins don’t echo ‘Layton’s Lament‘. They seem to understand that these companies are just making astute business decisions and it is the McGuinty government ‘Green Fairy‘ policies that are standing in the way:

MPP Gilles Bisson (NDP — Timmins-James Bay) agrees. While he said the announcement the company is willing to process the ore in Ontario is good news, but will not happen without co-operation from the provincial government.

“They’re looking at four sites in Ontario to process the ore, and it’s great they’re acknowledging the pressure we’ve been putting on, but they won’t be able to build a refinery or a smelter in any of those sites if Ontario doesn’t deal with its energy price issue.

“What this company’s doing is they’re trying to send a warning shot to the government that they’re positioning themselves, they want to build in Ontario, but they cannot economically build and operate in Ontario without a better deal on electricity.”

More on the Rural/Urban divide here :

Northerners are tired of having government (a) ignore them or, worse (b) foist on them unpopular programs that sell well with latte-loving eco-babblers in downtown Toronto*, but which wreak havoc in the North.

Last year, the government rammed through its Far North Act, over the strenuous objections of northern mayors, chambers of commerce and aboriginal groups who said it will hamper development.

* Those would probably include all those Bull Frog aficionados who actually jump at the chance of paying higher electricity bills.

Hudak is promising to repeal the Far North Act:

He (said) that a new PC government would get Northern Ontario back to work by cutting back on red tape and repealing the Far North Act to ensure unfettered mining and logging development. He said Ontario would once again become the “economic engine that drives this great country” and Northern Ontario would provide the fuel for that engine.

Related: There is a proposal that the First Nations in the area develop their own hydro system to provide ‘off the grid’ electric power for the mining industry and their own communities.

I wish them luck with that but for the rest of us, I think the best case scenario is for Dalton’s power to be cut off this October.

It’s rare when you read a nonfiction book to be thrilled — truly thrilled — by it.  Ben Shapiro’s Primetime Propaganda isn’t just thrilling, it’s deep, phenomenally insightful, and intelligent.  Primetime Propaganda documents, in tremendous detail, how and why our culture is so screwed up, nihilistic, and alien to what most Americans want for their children — and how television helped make it that way, in purposeful fashion.

Fascinating article.

More from The Telegraph: