About a year ago, I wrote a piece about the tectonic plate equivalents driving modern society: NATO expansion eastward, decay of western civilisation and Chinese communism.
Continue readingAny Greens paying attention?
To ask is to answer. Of course they’re not.
Rich energy hobbyist carpetbaggers
A prominent national journalist recently published an opinion piece about the crazy state of the Australian energy market. In it he referred to the small number of individuals that are trying to use political power to enrich themselves as “rich energy hobbyist carpetbaggers”.
Continue readingCould there be any idea more idiotic than this?
Government subsidies of power bills will reduce inflation? What a depressing headline. What kind of ignoramus would think that Government financed consumer subsidies will reduce inflation? I’d invite the dopey journo to advocate the complete removal of inflation by subsidising all household costs, not just power.
PS OK, some ideas are even more stupid: socialism and its evil cousins Communism and Fascism.
Inflation bulletin
In my previous bulletin, I said the optimism was possibly overblown. By the end of 2023, many pundits proclaimed that inflation had been tamed. Stock markets staged a remarkable comeback. However, in the last few weeks, that balloon of optimism has been punctured well and truly.
Continue readingHow not to win clients or influence people
If you were a top executive of the world’s largest asset manager and a client withdrew US$8.5b from your management would you:
a) Be disappointed and then talk privately to the ex client about their rationale, or
b) Issue a public letter to the ex client condemning their actions as putting short term politics over fiduciary obligations and urging them to reconsider their decision?
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Ink spots and the change of season
I’m in the habit of keeping a tissue in my pocket. At this time of year, it can be a risk to my dignity.
Continue readingAustralian energy mix, summer 2024
Summer, the 3 months from the solstice to the equinox, has just ended in the southern hemisphere. How did Australia generate its electricity over that time? With renewables?
Continue readingLet’s revisit
Nearly 8 years ago, I published this piece. I could republish it today without changing anything.
Australian Actuary 