Carbon Tax Hyperbolic Worries and Reality

Carbon Tax Hyperbolic Worries and Reality

By Dale Stam 18/10/11

Part One


‘I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore’ Asked Dorothy, breathing rapidly after crashing her house through a giant bubble.
‘Well no little girl, you are in Oz, and I’m afraid you went and broke our bubble’ said a Munchkin quickly before taking a large breath.
‘Why do you have a bubble around the whole land?’ Inquired Dorothy.
‘Well Dorothy it seems the merry old Land of Oz has implemented a tax on Carbon to keep the technicolour bright.’

Whether you like it or not, it seems that we will be implementing a Carbon Tax, this article will focus upon 5 hyperbole worries leading from the introduction of this Tax and tie them into the reality that spanned them. Just keep in mind, it could always be worse.

1. Electricity only supplied during peak hours.
The worry:
Electricity prices are going to go up with this tax. Why? Because Australia has a lot of coal which is made up of Carbon. You can’t eat it, you can’t wear it, its surface area is minuscule so it can’t be used as shelter, you can however do two things.
A) You can draw with it. It is messy and expensive, but that is all irrelevant because it has artistic merit, or
B) You can burn it, and provide heat.
We have developed B so that it boils water, which produces steam, which turns a turbine that gives electricity.

Now during peak hours, the vast majority of people are home from work and demand electricity, so for your share during this busy period you pay a higher rate. This is the section of the bill that is the highest, because the system is under the most stress, however after this period then it will have a long rest where preparations can be undertaken. This is the most lucrative section for energy companies, they would be able to reduce the amount of coal needing to be burnt because they did not need to provide electricity during off peak, or the unimportant people hours. Also because energy companies would not need to burn our dinosaur pals to supply energy for the minority, then they would release less CO2 into the atmosphere, and thus get taxed less. At $25 per tonne companies would be looking at ways to decrease the upcoming tax debt, and if they do this they are not passing the costs onto you, the consumer. Its win-win right?

How reality is almost there:
Electricity in the form that we imagine travelling the wires, does not store all that well. It is impractical for energy companies to charge up car batteries and then distribute them to everyone for personal use, not to mention astoundingly expensive. Solution, build a giant battery, but remember when your favourite song is half way through and your MP3 player beeps off dead. Batteries do not last long, are expensive, and only return roughly 2/3rds of energy placed within. But this has not stopped Australia from researching; currently we have a few avenues;
* Super batteries - they have worked for us in the past so just keep going, but making them more efficient and cheaper.
* Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) devices, which would use the dual relationship of electricity and magnets to create a perpetual field. Downside, it requires energy input to keep the magnets at the required temperature (relative to the beyond freezing temperatures of liquid nitrogen) to create the high quality superconducting effects.
* Mechanical or energy conversion - such as the turning of a windmill or turbine which can then release electricity with a hypothetical flick of the switch.

All of these various avenues will eventually lead to a realistic system that can be implemented and sustained at a country wide level. Then if we can store electricity we can also choose when it is released. So what leads to more efficiency of the company to save the electricity that they will be taxed on producing because of the essential fuel to start the process, could lead to them passing on the costs to the consumer, or the more likely the increasing of costs all around that people can only afford to use electricity when they need it, which would fall usually within the peak hours. If they can release electricity whenever they want, and the eventual demand will be during peak hours, why pay to have it flowing out during off peak hours. Who uses electricity after 8pm anyway?

Stay tuned for the other parts in upcoming posts.

If you liked this article you might enjoy my other article on the Carbon Tax;
http://dalesnewsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/carbon-tax-and-what-it-means-for-you.html

Or continue onto part two of the worry;
http://dalesnewsblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/carbon-tax-hyperbolic-worries-and_10.html

Gaining Work Experience

For all those aspiring to be within the media or the performing arts one cruel factor that needs to be examined is the need to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. This is a true factor for most jobs, but the difference here is that there is not always one person best suited to the job. To try to 'live life a little' or 'gain some life experience', are all handy, and a factor that is very beneficial is the work experience factor.



You might not really think much of your little community theatre work, or school productions or that little film that you shot with your mates while blind drunk on some European fad liqueur. But they do...a little. It is like you are trying to build your own hut, but instead of big logs all most of us can claim is a little stick of experience. But overtime, all of these experiences will start to form a shape of some skills to a potential employer. You could try using the same type of twigs, or you could have a variety of different twigs- all present different attributes to your potential employer.



I have worked on various projects- film, TV, advertising, theatre, literature and academic work, and with all of your help I plan to increase this experience and make my hut a little more strong, and someday somebody might marvel at my hut and offer to make it even better.

So go searching for your twigs, because even if you don't use them for your hut, they still keep the fire going...



Dale Stam


As you can see from the picture a hut without the small twigs looks a little concerning.

We appreciate and look forward to hearing feedback on how we can make this blog more appealing.

Stolen memories of yore

Danny- Danny tastes great. No, not my impression of an intelligent zombie, it was the marketing phrase of a dairy product from my youth. It was similar in style to Yogo but was of a more firm base, and well did not need a Gorilla and Snake to sell- though on the off hand if anyone with the marketing department of Yogo is reading, bring back the Gorilla and Snake, I miss their stories- and it was my favourite item to have in my lunch box. It did not dry out as the sandwiches often did, and I did not have to wait in line at the canteen to purchase it. Put simply, I thought Danny did taste great. Then one day during my Primary schooling it just dissipated; it was no longer available. This has been a hard road for those of us who have had our favourite items removed.



More recently there was at least a ten month long period where I was unable to get CC's, it seemed that I wanted them but the production companies can supposedly say No to them...they just defied their own marketing strategy. So in a huff I was to trail my way through countless other brands to find something comparable to the Tasty Cheese CC. Doritos did not even come close, and their 3 cheeses and nacho cheese only started to make my head swirl- more of a dipping chip. In fact the closest I was able to get was El Toro Tasty Cheese from Aldi, however the after taste was slightly synthetic...I had adapted but I was not happy.



At university I was slowly developing a taste for coffee and allowing it to mingle with my old friend tea, and one day at the super-market I stumbled upon a product that would allow for a easier adaptation of the different texture of a latte or cappuccino- a Tea Latte from Nerada. They were in a similar fashion to the packaged powdered lattes and caps that we see their now, but they were from a tea extract and well like everything else in this article- I loved them. But I was unfortunate enough to witness not the immediate halt of the product, but the slow gradual demise. I still have stashed away, for fear that they are the last of their kind. And seriously I don't particularly want to go to Europe or the UK just so I can have a Tea Latte (For information about what a Tea Latte is check this website http://breweddaily.com/2008/12/what-is-a-tea-latte/)



Also during this time Taylors stopped producing a Tai Satay which was the perfect blend of spice and penuts that went well with my spicy chicken- one of my favourite meals, but they stopped producing them. We even went to the extent of contacting the factory and seeing if we could purchase it in bulk or direct. Once again I was foiled. We are a society based on consumption, and though I have written and will post my ideas about that, I have to learn to live in it. However I find it especially mocking to produce something, get people to like it, and then remove it- perhaps they were not making money? Am I the only one seriously buying these items?



On the positive side, CC's have come back- they changed the packaging of my flavour from Yellow to Red, but hey I can adapt to that small thing...I guess. In the world of competing products perhaps we should fight more for those we love, and not just accept those that are given to us.



Dale Stam



Send in your comments about the story or any products you have lost.

The Job Expo

Thursday 16th

The wind brings a chill on an overcast day- the smell of sausages tickles the nose. People enjoy the free food, as they search for job opportunities at the Albury Sports Stadium. Dale Stam reports.

The car park is nearly full, the stand is packed. Middle age and youth appear to have mingled in a harmonious fashion, as they sort through the possibilities in their Centrelink bags. Some youth are accompanied by their parents- probably to guide or gently prod them to a decision.

A slight mist dribbles down as I approach the entrance. The sausages and onion reassures those of us approaching, perhaps the same warmth on the inside awaits. The Lions are older, probably retired, but offer another smiling face for those approaching.

Representatives of the employment agencies circle, new people, new income potential. Personnel group seems the most active. Also the media swarms around- cameras, notepads- I don't stand out it seems- but I am the only one that seems to notice the scream of the ambulance as it roars by. Ignoring the bad omen, I head for the entrance.

Some have dressed for the occasion, others more casual- a cross section of the population. A couple of gruff younger men smoke out front, while a group of girls comment on the overcast weather. A Lion approaches me, and asks what I am doing- perhaps I do stand out- I inform her I want to get work as a writer- so in a way I do belong with this group. We are all seeking a job. With a supportive comment and a wave she departs. Leaving me at the front taking notes- I have to learn short hand- some passers by give me a suspicious look. I take a breath and decide it's time to go inside.

I am greeted at the door by Centrelink staff- a map and a bag are my rewards for a slight smiles and a nod. Just beyond them sits a multitude of people ingesting more warm food, as a baby cries another person tells a joke.

Training bodies and recruitment agencies make up the body of the groups exposed. A businessman talks up the benefit of the job expo-study, learning, career, development, whereas a young man tempts his fiancee over the phone. I head onto the floor with the next wave- my new bag in place.

The sound of sport and whistles echo through from the other side of the stadium- mixing and dissolving into the announcements and the Centrelink financial aid information session. Centrelink and the recruitment agency people roam- badges displayed proudly. A photographer gives me a look as he passes- I look right back.

The barricades are in place as people filter and flow their way through- some going to each bay, whereas others glimpse at their maps as they head toward their desired destination. The River has taken a break from broadcasting, replaced by the slightly tack competitions- the diversity of people seem to be the selling phrase of the expo.

Strangely for a job expo there seems to be little actual employers present- the majority seems to be employment agencies- to find people for that elusive job, a benefit to both groups- maybe it is not necessarily a bad thing. People seem to flock to the job notice boards- each with a face of anguished desire- 'will the perfect job for me be up here'.

It is a more humble experience compared to the school career expo. You will not find so many aggrandised professions. The majority of these people are labourer, officer/administration and finance, The often overlooked cogs- not the stars that the media often flash about, but those that keep us going- society at its rawest.

The barricades are high- fence like generating a feeling of separation. Instead of bringing people together to find jobs, we have once again resorted to filtering and competition. A Centrelink Officer stands next to me- once again I am forced to move on.

The Big Government bodies are placed in one isle- Centrelink with a commanding four bays- sharing space with Job Seekers, CRS, Child Support and Medicare. Strangely Wodonga Senior Secondary College is present- to attract those of school aged with the varied VET areas including; circus, automotive, engineering and multimedia...sounds like a nice school.

In fact the most odd bay is for the River- giving live announcements, with their small transistor. Sometimes their live broadcast overshadowed by the loud announcements. But there is no one around- a thought crosses my mind, they are probably not here for jobs. This did not deter me from discussing their presence-

It turns out that they were there for the promotional side only- they believed that the event was very helpful to the local community, and wanted to encourage people coming down. They were doing their talk updates roughly every hour, and they also held some interviews. I thank them for their time, and leave- happy that they were there.

I pass another job board, the Centrelink staff standing awkwardly to the side, while they patiently wait for the opportunity to aid. 1 pm, four bays were closed. The day and the event is closing down. I look at the job board, squeezing into the gaps. A yellow dot representing those employers who were not present. The positions ranged from trades, apprenticeships, to strangely enough Santa- however needing previous experience. It is easy to get lost with the wide options on the board. Skills required abound from degree certified to full training provided.

1:10pm The River packs up- I let out a sigh before carrying on. I talk to a few of the providers who explained the benefit of the event, and how they were able to get the opportunity across to people. Even though some did not have positions available at the present, they were taking resumes for those interested. For those who did not bring in many- there was a free photo coping service. One group however decided it was best not to discuss their decision with me- giving me the number of their Media Liaison in Brisbane. For those their they also offered way to adapt your resume to suit the selection criteria, and what training might be best suited to getting into the area.

I overhear some youths whilst enjoying another decent mug of Joe- at around 1:50pm- 'She asked how I would feel if I got a job, and I said, well why don't we swap places and I'll ask you'- rude? Perhaps, but the desire of these people to find some employment was enlightening. As I leave the expo at 2:10pm, the wind has ceased, and the clouds have parted somewhat...with a smile from a Lion, and a sausage in hand, I think maybe my day will come as well.

Dale Stam

Those seeking work

8:13 AM I lay in bed with the anxiety of another day weighing heavily on my chest. The desire for a full-time job in a field that I can devote my time and energy to- a desire that so many of us want, but feel deep down that we are either not worthy, no special enough, or just do not have the skills. I drink my tea, even though the milk sometimes gives me mucus, the warmth of the mug is comforting to the chill of the job hunt.

Unemployment is a slow death of everything we as a society desire. People become disillusioned and sluggish, turn to crime, or despair. After a time in such a state people start to become used to not having a job though, and they start to like their time 'on the dole'. Leading to the national annoyance with these people- the news reports on current affairs programs. However as with all social groups there is a subgroup which is struggling to improve their position with a legitimate desire to obtain employment.

Some have fallen upon hard times- been retrenched, made redundant or had to pull out of their own business because of the difficult economic times that we are all involved in. These people are evidently trying to find work, but people still group them with those who are evidently not seeking work. This negative connotation from no necessary fault of their own is only going to hinder these people from obtaining their goal, and will in a way act to the detriment to society.
To help those seeking work contact you local employment agencies or Centrelink office.

Dale Stam

An Introvert's problem with social networking

Another late night with friends, clinking of glasses and the merry rumblings of the fellow patrons, all seems well in the bustling mini-society of the pub- except for that one quite guy in the corner- the observing introvert. He takes mental notes in his head, carefully trying to create a diagram of how people are able to get so much attention with a minimal amount of effort.

It would seem that an introvert has little place in these societal settings and would rather have had friends over for a in depth conversation. Perhaps over coffee. Perhaps the cyber world of social networking is more akin to their desire for intimacy, without the worries that accompany the face to face interaction.

Although this might be the case it is necessary that the introvert keep his face to face interaction, because without it they will still recieve little of the intimacy and deep discussion they desire. For better or worse most people on these websites talk more openly with those they would normally talk to at a social gathering- so if you can not hold their interest at a party (their kind of party) you are just as unlikely to hold their interest on the web.

Most discussions are of the 'small talk' variety- topics which are often are the plague to the introvert. Developing skills in this area will not only improve your face to face interactions but also with your online interactions.

So the key tips;
- When you are engaged with someone in a discussion- try to start of conversation light- dance around topics such as;
* what they have been up to
* how their family/studies/job are going
* the weather/sport
- Then try to move into topics that you might find more interesting, however try to gage before hand that the other person will be interested.
- Smile and listen. I know it is at times difficult, but this can be all that is required to make someone want to continue talking to you.

In the end remember that though an introvert might feel awkward in big social situations and possibly on the web, that extroverts are usually just as awkward in deep discussions. So following the concept of reciprocity- you give a little you get a little.

Dale Stam

What about the youth?

I have found that in today's society that people are often filled with a sense of ennui, and a sense of increasing depression for the future. We have a growing and aging population, but because of the growing increases in costs in the western world there has been a dramatic increase in people starving off retirement. But what are the ramifications of such actions/

Keeping people in the work force is good in keeping these people purpose, giving them a sense of self control and allowing them to support themselves, not to mention the health benefits of having people continue to actively engage with other people, their work, and society at large. But what of the younger generation? If people are staying longer in the workforce, and we are gaining a larger population through immigration, new borns, migrating to the states where the work is, and off shoring of jobs where will people become employed?

'Australia is surviving the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) very well' is a phrase we have been feed for a while now, it even became a selling point for the Labor Party during the recent election- 'Labor got us through the GFC'- but who is the 'us'. Is it the baby boomer? The X-Gen? The Y-Gen? Possibly it was all of us, but not everybody has been left unscared.

The ABS states that Australia's unemployment rate has decreased from about 5.8% in August 2009, to 5.2% currently- but the current unemployment rate for those under 24 seeking full time work is nearly double at 11%. The people who will 'Advance Australia Fair' are being left behind because we cannot find jobs for them. It does seem unfair to call on the youth to look after the growing and aging population when a substantially large portion of them are unable to become gainfully employed.

Youth who are unemployed will have to deal with some large restricting factors such as; the lack of references and experience that will enable them to further their careers, and it often leads to what we see on the streets and at time highlighted in the media- the disengaged, and uncaring youth. Sociologist Robert Merton talks about the concept of 'anomie' (a term that was used by earlier sociologist Emile Durkheim), in which he describes a 'discontinuity between cultural goals and the legitimate means available for reaching them'. This means if we show through our films and through our 'important people', that money and a successful and job are what is required to be happy and live comfortably, and then we have a situation like this 11% where the youth are unable to gain access to these jobs through applications, we are either going to push them towards gaining the end goals of money and/or happiness by unconventional or criminal means (drugs, theft), or they are going to give up ever achieving these goals, and thus we would have lost these potential leaders and developers of tommorrow because we have diminished the problem.

Labor has been talking about increasing Trade Skills, and having trade school. This is a good start, but we have students and youth who are not skilled and/or interested in the area -perhaps because we have presented other more attractive and lucrative job prospects than the common 'tradie'- most of which are not necessarily true. What about the students who are skilled in writing, those who are good in mathematics, or those who are good at other skills. We have a push and shove situation now for those applying for jobs, and this will only increase in generations to come if we do not start to develop skills and industries that will increase job prospects for the future- perhaps green energy or the materials industry would be a good place to start.

We should be preparing for the future, and we should let our leaders know, and inform the youth that we have not forgotten about them. So write a letter to your local MP or your State Premier and inform them that now that the election debacle is over, we should be preparing for our future, the next generation that will be leading us out of the next crisis financial or otherwise.


Dale Stam