Robert Merkel
@rgmerk.bsky.social
code monkey, former SE academic. Obsessed with renewable energy.
Reposted by Robert Merkel
This is a good lesson for Australia. If you can't do anything in a 3 year term, you can't do it in 4, or apparently 5. The problem is not the term length, the problem is the culture and incompetence of the politics of the people who rise to the top in our parties.
November 12, 2025 at 10:50 AM
This is a good lesson for Australia. If you can't do anything in a 3 year term, you can't do it in 4, or apparently 5. The problem is not the term length, the problem is the culture and incompetence of the politics of the people who rise to the top in our parties.
Reposted by Robert Merkel
The UK is the perfect example of too many profoundly stupid, lazy people in politics. They have 5 year terms, and the political class complain that they need 6 to do anything. They have 4 years remaining before an election and they're already shitting the bed about leadership
November 12, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The UK is the perfect example of too many profoundly stupid, lazy people in politics. They have 5 year terms, and the political class complain that they need 6 to do anything. They have 4 years remaining before an election and they're already shitting the bed about leadership
Wonder if this will make Sky News and the Oz...
🇨🇳 📰 NEW | Analysis: #China’s #CO2 #emissions have now been flat or falling for 18 months
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-have-now-been-flat-or-falling-for-18-months/
@laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social w/ @carbonbrief.org
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-have-now-been-flat-or-falling-for-18-months/
@laurimyllyvirta.bsky.social w/ @carbonbrief.org
November 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Wonder if this will make Sky News and the Oz...
Reposted by Robert Merkel
Unfortunately a lot of serious* news media behaving as though this is exactly the case
ridiculous. Bill Gates getting cold feet is not a shift in the scientific concensus.
November 10, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Unfortunately a lot of serious* news media behaving as though this is exactly the case
Gordon Lightfoot didn’t have a problem using indigenous names for places, way back in the 1970s. What a beautiful song about a tragic event. open.spotify.com/track/536L9C...
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
open.spotify.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Gordon Lightfoot didn’t have a problem using indigenous names for places, way back in the 1970s. What a beautiful song about a tragic event. open.spotify.com/track/536L9C...
Hopefully they cause faster runners to operationally slow up so you can catch them…
Got these new trainers today but I can't get it out of my head that they look like fuckin DC Tosh Lines from The Bill
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Hopefully they cause faster runners to operationally slow up so you can catch them…
Reposted by Robert Merkel
A historic turning point for clean heating in Europe: For the first time, in the first half of 2025 sales of heat pumps in Germany have surpassed those of gas boilers.
This is a big milestone, demonstrating that the transition away from fossil fuels in our buildings is not just a future ambition.
This is a big milestone, demonstrating that the transition away from fossil fuels in our buildings is not just a future ambition.
November 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
A historic turning point for clean heating in Europe: For the first time, in the first half of 2025 sales of heat pumps in Germany have surpassed those of gas boilers.
This is a big milestone, demonstrating that the transition away from fossil fuels in our buildings is not just a future ambition.
This is a big milestone, demonstrating that the transition away from fossil fuels in our buildings is not just a future ambition.
Reposted by Robert Merkel
Raising a glass of Valvoline tonight. You know what I mean (if you’re an Aussie of a certain age…)
November 9, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Raising a glass of Valvoline tonight. You know what I mean (if you’re an Aussie of a certain age…)
Does anyone happen to recall a case from a few years ago where a person of Chinese origin (can’t recall if they had Australian citizenship) was killed execution-style in their home (think it was in Sydney) for no obvious reason? Or am I misremembering things ? #auspol
November 6, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Does anyone happen to recall a case from a few years ago where a person of Chinese origin (can’t recall if they had Australian citizenship) was killed execution-style in their home (think it was in Sydney) for no obvious reason? Or am I misremembering things ? #auspol
Judging by the history of GOP and Tory sex scandals there’s a lot of conservatives here for it too…
(Australian conservatism sadly a bit third-rate on this criterion as well…)
(Australian conservatism sadly a bit third-rate on this criterion as well…)
Mamdani’s Aloof Wife reveals her role in the new administration and I’m here for it
November 5, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Judging by the history of GOP and Tory sex scandals there’s a lot of conservatives here for it too…
(Australian conservatism sadly a bit third-rate on this criterion as well…)
(Australian conservatism sadly a bit third-rate on this criterion as well…)
Color anyone that’s ever watched
“The Wire” as unsurprised.
“The Wire” as unsurprised.
Cybersecurity professionals/ransomware negotiators turned out to be running a ransomware gang. breached.company/when-the-def...
When the Defenders Become the Attackers: Cybersecurity Experts Indicted for BlackCat Ransomware Operations
The Shocking Case That's Rocking the Cybersecurity Industry
In a stunning turn of events that reads like a cybercrime thriller, three former employees of cybersecurity incident response companies hav...
breached.company
November 5, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Color anyone that’s ever watched
“The Wire” as unsurprised.
“The Wire” as unsurprised.
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Did you know that the federal government is offering rebates for solar and battery systems?
my name is ozymandias, king of kings. ask your doctor if looking upon my works is right for you.
my name is ozymandias, king of kings. look upon my works. prices and participation may vary, for a limited time only. children under 13 need a parent or guardian's signature to participate.
November 3, 2025 at 8:32 PM
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Did you know that the federal government is offering rebates for solar and battery systems?
To be specific: Russia has the world’s nuclear arsenal, on public estimates China is growing but isn’t going to catch the USA or Russia’s any time soon, and neither have conducted nuclear weapon tests since the test ban treaty or shown any inclination to.
None of this is correct. Good thing we have a steady hand on "nuclear"
October 30, 2025 at 1:51 AM
To be specific: Russia has the world’s nuclear arsenal, on public estimates China is growing but isn’t going to catch the USA or Russia’s any time soon, and neither have conducted nuclear weapon tests since the test ban treaty or shown any inclination to.
Reposted by Robert Merkel
1. It's fascinating to see, as you can from the responses to the post below, how many daft things people believe, to justify their continued meat eating. So let's examine a few of the common myths in the following thread. 🧵
For years, there's been a massive over-emphasis on food miles, and a massive under-emphasis on food type.
By far and away the best dietary decision you can make, for environmental, humanitarian and public health purposes, is to cut out animal products.
By far and away the best dietary decision you can make, for environmental, humanitarian and public health purposes, is to cut out animal products.
Remember this, whenever someone says "alternative proteins - yuck!"
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
October 22, 2025 at 7:22 AM
1. It's fascinating to see, as you can from the responses to the post below, how many daft things people believe, to justify their continued meat eating. So let's examine a few of the common myths in the following thread. 🧵
Reposted by Robert Merkel
Activism is easy until you have to get something done.
More people should let that roll around their thought orbits.
More people should let that roll around their thought orbits.
What do we want?: Renewable energy transition and cheap medical and communication technology for all!
When do we want it?: After someone, somewhere else does all the icky work to make the materials that enable it!
The state of some of your noggins.
When do we want it?: After someone, somewhere else does all the icky work to make the materials that enable it!
The state of some of your noggins.
October 22, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Activism is easy until you have to get something done.
More people should let that roll around their thought orbits.
More people should let that roll around their thought orbits.
Why do private school fees rise so fast?
It's the ultimate first-world problem, but it's a topic that a) generates an unbelievable level of angst in Australian upper-middle class circles, and b) the reasons why it's inevitable are not widely understood.
greengaps.substack.com/p/why-your-s...
It's the ultimate first-world problem, but it's a topic that a) generates an unbelievable level of angst in Australian upper-middle class circles, and b) the reasons why it's inevitable are not widely understood.
greengaps.substack.com/p/why-your-s...
Why your school fees go up so fast...
and there’s not much to do about it
greengaps.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Why do private school fees rise so fast?
It's the ultimate first-world problem, but it's a topic that a) generates an unbelievable level of angst in Australian upper-middle class circles, and b) the reasons why it's inevitable are not widely understood.
greengaps.substack.com/p/why-your-s...
It's the ultimate first-world problem, but it's a topic that a) generates an unbelievable level of angst in Australian upper-middle class circles, and b) the reasons why it's inevitable are not widely understood.
greengaps.substack.com/p/why-your-s...
There are some quibbles here (to wit, solar economics looks a lot worse in polar regions that get not much sun for months on end that coincide with peak energy demand) but the basic point is sound - space solar power is a pipedream without radically lower launch costs.
Endless Sunlight, Endless Costs: The Economic Reality of Space Solar Power - CleanTechnica cleantechnica.com/2025/10/04/e...
Endless Sunlight, Endless Costs: The Economic Reality of Space Solar Power - CleanTechnica
From microwave beams to megaton rockets, China’s space solar project highlights the gap between imagination and economic gravity.
cleantechnica.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:53 AM
There are some quibbles here (to wit, solar economics looks a lot worse in polar regions that get not much sun for months on end that coincide with peak energy demand) but the basic point is sound - space solar power is a pipedream without radically lower launch costs.
This was great, and quite relevant to Australia.
My takeaway - the assumption that there is endless profitable demand for Australia's LNG over the medium term - may well be completely false.
My takeaway - the assumption that there is endless profitable demand for Australia's LNG over the medium term - may well be completely false.
Last month I did an interview at Redefining Energy. The title they chose was "The LNG Mirage."
They invited me on the show due to my various writing about the LNG industry at Powering the Planet.
They invited me on the show due to my various writing about the LNG industry at Powering the Planet.
199. The LNG Mirage - Oct25
Podcast Episode · Redefining Energy · 10/13/2025 · 28m
podcasts.apple.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM
This was great, and quite relevant to Australia.
My takeaway - the assumption that there is endless profitable demand for Australia's LNG over the medium term - may well be completely false.
My takeaway - the assumption that there is endless profitable demand for Australia's LNG over the medium term - may well be completely false.
Reposted by Robert Merkel
The difference between David Pocock and the rest of the Cwth Parliament is that as a professional athlete he was required to appreciate interest conflicts and integrity risks (especially re. gambling).
In Australia the federal level is unique in not doing this: States and Councils must handle risk
In Australia the federal level is unique in not doing this: States and Councils must handle risk
October 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
The difference between David Pocock and the rest of the Cwth Parliament is that as a professional athlete he was required to appreciate interest conflicts and integrity risks (especially re. gambling).
In Australia the federal level is unique in not doing this: States and Councils must handle risk
In Australia the federal level is unique in not doing this: States and Councils must handle risk
This kind of thing gives me the absolute screaming shits. It’s the same as Qantas and the bloody chairman’s Lounge at a smaller scale: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Former Wallabies star David Pocock booted from parliamentary sports club
Exclusive: Senator accused of bringing social club into disrepute after raising concerns about its association with betting lobby
www.theguardian.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
This kind of thing gives me the absolute screaming shits. It’s the same as Qantas and the bloody chairman’s Lounge at a smaller scale: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Andrew Hastie quits Coalition frontbench over immigration policy dispute
Andrew Hastie quits Coalition frontbench over immigration policy dispute
Liberal MP resigns as shadow home affairs minister, increasing pressure on opposition leader Sussan Ley
*
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Andrew Hastie has quit the Coalition frontbench over a dispute on immigration policy, dramatically increasing pressure on Sussan Ley’s leadership.
Hastie said he was resigning as the shadow home affairs minister on Friday night, following weeks of posturing and his refusal to see Ley during her visit to Western Australia this week. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 3, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Robert Merkel
Earnest post, but: a thing I like here is it’s okay to have moments of happiness in public without being broadly scolded, and I believe that sustaining this kind of humanity will be very important as we resist fascism.
We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive
We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive
November 12, 2024 at 1:22 AM
Earnest post, but: a thing I like here is it’s okay to have moments of happiness in public without being broadly scolded, and I believe that sustaining this kind of humanity will be very important as we resist fascism.
We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive
We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive
This is the best news I've heard all week. Remarkable.
September 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
This is the best news I've heard all week. Remarkable.
Throwing this out there to see if there's any sim racers here...have a look at this crash. Did I (leading car) do anything wrong? I know I'm slow - that's not the issue. But the crash was down to the following driver, wasn't it? #iracing #simracing
September 21, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Throwing this out there to see if there's any sim racers here...have a look at this crash. Did I (leading car) do anything wrong? I know I'm slow - that's not the issue. But the crash was down to the following driver, wasn't it? #iracing #simracing