Tag: Management

Denial of science, Science

How Australian science funding has reached crisis point

Australia has been a world leader in scientific research. But as funding becomes more and more elusive, morale in the community has plummeted.

The Dark Ages have been returned to Australia all in favor of power to deliver unfounded political narratives. The Minister in charge of dismantling reasoned and researched thought none other than a graduate of  Duntroon’s College of Bastardisation and Sexual Abuse  ex- Captain Stuart Robert

Sebo, a researcher at Flinders University, had spent much of the last three years writing a government grant request to study right-wing extremism. It would fund the next chunk of her career. And she was pretty sure she was getting it; the comments from her government reviewers had been “incredibly positive”. It was over, Sebo’s colleague told her. There would be no grant. She logged onto the research grant system to find out what was happened. “It had a little sentence that said ‘Recommended to but not funded by the Minister’. That’s how I found out, and that’s the only official communication we’ve ever had.”

Source: How Australian science funding has reached crisis point

Scott Morrison

Nothing to show for Morrison after week of self defeat

morrison

It has been more than 3000 days since the Coalition government first took power. And in the dying days of the 46th Parliament this week, we saw a government that had not so much gotten lost along the way, but no longer seemed like it ever had a reason for being in the first place. Scott Morrison has been promising to achieve two concrete policy objectives since he attained the Prime Ministership more than three years ago. The first was a law clarifying the boundaries between religious and personal freedoms in Australia and the second was to create a federal agency to crack down on government corruption. But at the death of his first full term as Prime Minister, Mr Morrison was able to combine two signature policy proposals into a singular blunder and end the week farther behind than he began.

Source: Nothing to show for Morrison after week of self defeat

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Tactics

Rapid antigen testing results blow out daily case numbers

A COVID-19 rapid antigen test.

Morrison saw RATs as a means to throw Covid cases into chaos and camouflaging his total mismanagement of Covid yet again. It’s the only reasonable explanation for why he’s been so insistent on making some tests free and others paid for by us. He had no qualms in saying overpayments of JobKeeper would not be required to be repaid by corporations, but RAT tests needed to be paid for and the prices set by the ‘free’ market. A bonus to the retailers like Chemist Warehouse Harvey Norman and Ebay scalpers of the tests. Many corporations of course, sponsor him and support his “let it rip” stance against lockdowns threatening their profits. Morrison is a great supporter of corporate Socialism in a Capitalist nation.

Victoria’s case numbers doubled to overtake New South Wales on Saturday as the state scrambles to improve the accuracy of rapid antigen testing (RAT) numbers incorporated in the data. States are working to include the RATs now being undertaken by people at home, with Victoria and Queensland launching self-reporting systems and NSW to follow. Victoria’s daily figures were more than double the previous day’s total, with 51,356 cases. But the numbers were inflated by a backlog of RAT cases which accounted for about half and included some infections that were up to six days old as well as double ups with PCR tests. Based on a closer look at the health department figures, there were likely closer to 30,851 new cases in the state on Saturday — still a record, and an increase of more than 40 per cent on the previous day. The Victorian health department is now rushing to improve the accuracy of the state’s COVID-19 figures.

Source: Rapid antigen testing results blow out daily case numbers

Pandemic

Key to pandemic management is in the logistics

So, the advice is to:

  • socially distance: that reduces the density of the population and limits the availability of new hosts;
  • wear a mask: that reduces the ability of the virus to move between hosts;
  • get tested and socially isolate if positive: that actively reduces the carrying capacity;
  • and get vaccinated: that increases the number of people who have an immune system that can recognise and fight the virus and once again reduces carrying capacity.

I hope this helps to understand a little of the maths behind the management of the epidemic. It’s not guesswork The logistic equation can take much more complex forms and I’m certain that the modelling being used by decision-makers does just that, but the basic form of the equation is beautifully simple and clear. No magic required.

Source: Key to pandemic management is in the logistics

LNP Government

Government reliance on army for lockdowns a weak move

The weakness of the Australian Government is on full display in southwest Sydney this week, disguised as a show of force. The incapacity of NSW Premier Gladys Berejklian’s “gold standard” Government to contain the latest outbreak of COVID-19 has become a political liability for Prime Minister Scott Morrison. So, as has become standard in such situations, Morrison called in the army, offering 300 troops for what was described as a “crackdown” on compliance with COVID-19 regulations.

Source: Government reliance on army for lockdowns a weak move

COVID-19

Christmas in July party sparks aged care cluster | The New Daily

Christmas in July party sparks outbreak.

A worrying coronavirus outbreak in a NSW aged care facility sparked by a Christmas in July event has ballooned out to 20 cases. The cluster at the Wyoming Residential Aged Care Facility in the Sydney suburb of Summer Hill included 18 residents and two staff members by Monday afternoon. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the outbreak had been sparked by a super-spreader ‘Christmas in July’ event at the facility, which is owned by Hardi Aged Care and regulated by the federal government. “I understand that the actual numbers are believed to have occurred off a super-spreading event that occurred in the aged care facility,” Mr Hazzard said. “Sometimes it isn’t a good idea to have a ‘Christmas in July’ right in the middle of a pandemic, but I do understand that it is an effort to try and provide entertainment and support to residents.” Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said all of the infected residents lived on the top floor of the building. She said the entire floor, all 32 residents, had been taken to hospital either to be treated for the virus or as a precaution. “The reason for that is that some of them are obviously positive and others are close contacts of the positive c

Source: Christmas in July party sparks aged care cluster | The New Daily

Scott Morrison

Australia COVID: The vaccinated to avoid lockdown restrictions once 70% target hit

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media following Friday’s national cabinet meeting.

Brushing his failed promises behind more promises in the meantime Australia and currently Sydney his pride and model of what was best practce is burning in his wake of  ” new I’m gunna Australia promises ”

Vaccinated Australians will get special rules to avoid some lockdown restrictions once 70 per cent of the eligible adult population have had two vaccine doses, and international border rules will be loosened to allow more people to come home. Once the national vaccination total hits 80 per cent, broad lockdowns will not be used in major cities, caps on returning Australians will be abolished and all restrictions on vaccinated travellers leaving the country will be removed.

Source: Australia COVID: The vaccinated to avoid lockdown restrictions once 70% target hit

Scott Morrison

Prime Minister Scott Morrison: a “tin ear” or a contempt for women? – Michael West
Prime Minister Scott Morrison
The Real Morrison

In his inability to listen to women, Prime Minister Scott Morrison keeps digging a bigger hole for himself, as evinced by his popularity slide in Newspoll and his latest failure to take a stand against the trolling of women by Coalition MP Andrew Laming. Yet the repeated failures indicate this is not just a matter of a “tin ear” but rather a contempt for women, reports Elizabeth Minter.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison: a “tin ear” or a contempt for women? – Michael West
LNP, LNP Government

Scott Morrison leaves Christian Porter’s future in doubt, amid reshuffle speculation

Scott Morrison has pointedly left in doubt the future of Christian Porter as Attorney-General, saying he is presently considering advice on Porter’s situation in the context of the “ministerial guidelines”.

Scott Morrison leaves Christian Porter’s future in doubt, amid reshuffle speculation
LNP, LNP Economic Management, LNP Government

“Don’t tell me her name…” – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Now Three accusers Morrison not interested in their names

Journalist: A second woman has been raped. Prime Minister: I don’t need to know who that is. Imagine for one moment the tremendous privilege Mr Morrison enjoys that allows him to choose not to know. By any measure this is a bizarre reaction to such news, and one wonders why the Prime Minister felt compelled to let everyone know that he doesn’t know the name of the second victim, and, even more oddly, that he does not need to know.

“Don’t tell me her name…” – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Tertiary Education

My university degree was life-changing. Putting them out of reach is elitist and wrong | Sarah Maddison | Opinion | The Guardian
students in quadrangle at Sydney University

Saddling individuals with a high level of future debt inevitably turns away those who do not have money in the first place

My university degree was life-changing. Putting them out of reach is elitist and wrong | Sarah Maddison | Opinion | The Guardian
Trump, Uncategorized

It’s Not that I’m Negative, America Really is Screwed

There’s one way out, by the way, if you’ve followed me closely. Give people money. No strings attached, no questions asked, now, on a large-scale, more or less permanently, forget how much needs to be borrowed to make it happen. So people can fund a working society again. Or else. That’s the big question for America. The rest is noise. Until something along those lines begins to take shape — my answer is simple: Americans made themselves too poor to now afford to have the luxury of a functioning, civilized, modern society. Or is all that a necessity?

via It’s Not that I’m Negative, America Really is Screwed

Informed Comment, Uncategorized

We Are All Totalitarians Now, by Guillaume Durocher – The Unz Review

Personally, I’m not too worried about Chinese soft power. If Westerners look bad in comparison, that is only because of their own incompetence rather than the nefariousness of the Chinese. The Chinese State wants to make deals. The globalists want something much dearer: they want to bribe you into losing your national soul, your traditional values, your fighting spirit.

This crisis may come to be seen as the moment in which a declining and incoherent liberal-globalist West was geopolitically overtaken by an confident and organized national-authoritarian China. If so, we can also expect other countries may be tempted to change their political models.

via We Are All Totalitarians Now, by Guillaume Durocher – The Unz Review

LNP Government, Uncategorized

Coronavirus forces closures around the world, markets react to Donald Trump address, live updates – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Our Politicians are far from leaders but followers. Albo leads from behind calling for a bipartisan plan to tackle Covid-19. However the decision to cancel the GP was made by “The FIA and Formula 1, with the full support of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) have therefore taken the decision that all Formula 1 activity for the Australian Grand Prix is cancelled.”  It seems the LNP really only sees this as a political performance for Scotty from marketing. Event decisions are still left up to individual organisations. Meanwhile chaos and confusion reign. (ODT)

via Coronavirus forces closures around the world, markets react to Donald Trump address, live updates – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

LNP Government, Uncategorized

How the Coalition Government has been ineffective in dealing with our fire crisis

As studies have shown, this is a mirage of statistical deception, ignoring the obvious point that Australian emissions should count not merely those it produces directly, but those produced by fossil fuel exports that are subsequently used. Arms manufacturers are no less culpable ethically, or tangibly, if their weapons are used by citizens of one country or the other. Such a method is pure Morrison: keep up appearances before the incineration and hope that memories weaken in time.

How the Coalition Government has been ineffective in dealing with our fire crisis

LNP Government, Uncategorized

Four Scott Morrison government policies slammed

Policy on the run: Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Being attacked from all sides. Some attacks come from extremely untrusted parties like the IPA (ODT)

Of eight federal policies reviewed, four were deemed to have followed an “unacceptable” process, by failing to adhere to the basics of good public policy making, including: comparing the costs and benefits of alternative options, explaining how a decision would be rolled out and issuing a green and white paper for public consideration.

via Four Scott Morrison government policies slamm

LNP Government, Uncategorized

‘Profit before people’: the Government ideology – » The Australian Independent Media Network

reasons why this government has no mandate and does not deserve to exercise the control that it does. It and its predecessor governments over the last half dozen years have tripled Australia’s debt, yet have the gall to proclaim a surplus. Smoke and mirrors is its tactic.

Sadly, the growth of populism and the simplistic acceptance of selfish and discriminatory policies appeals to far too many Australians – and so this government was elected. Helped, of course, by smear campaigns against ALP candidates, lies about ALP intentions, and false advertising to capture the Chinese vote and that of others.

via ‘Profit before people’: the Government ideology – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Money

Paradise Papers Expose “Cleverest Ways of Exploiting” Offshore Tax Havens by GOP & Democratic Donors | Democracy Now!

Paradise Papers Expose “Cleverest Ways of Exploiting” Offshore Tax Havens by GOP & Democratic Donors | Democracy Now!

Billionaire GOP Backer Robert Mercer Used Offshore Profits to Fund Breitbart & Attacks on Clinton