State says 'no' to fracking and coal seam gas with permanent ban

In a first for Australia, the state of Victoria has banned all fracking and coal seam gas exploration.

The government said the permanent ban on fracking and "the exploration and development of all onshore unconventional gas in Victoria" was an effort to protect the state's agriculture sector and regional communities.

SEE ALSO: Australian politician sets river on fire to protest fracking dangers

The legislative ban will be introduced later this year, according to a statement from Premier Daniel Andrews' office, and is being framed as a partial response to a parliamentary inquiry into onshore unconventional gas in Victoria that received over 1,600 submissions from the public — most of them against fracking.
"Victorians have made it clear that they don't support fracking and that the health and environmental risks involved outweigh any potential benefits," said Andrews.
He added, "Our farmers produce some of the world's cleanest and freshest food. We won't put that at risk with fracking."
The ban also ensures the extension of the 2012 moratorium on conventional onshore gas exploration until 2020, however offshore gas exploration will continue as normal.

However, the Australian Worker's Union (AWU) says the moratorium extension will threaten jobs.
"If new exploration and extraction is not allowed there will be an exodus of investment and jobs from Victoria," said AWU Victoria Secretary Ben Davis in a statement. "If anything, allowing new onshore conventional gas exploration and extraction reinforces the validity of the ban on fracking."
Meanwhile Greens party MP for Melbourne, Ellen Sandell, says the state Labor government hasn't done enough to rule out gas drilling. "We won't stop fighting until all onshore gas drilling is banned … Today's announcement is a big step in that direction - but we won't relax," she said in a statement.
A blanket ban on fracking is also being hotly contested in Australia's Northern Territory, where the Labor party (led by Bill Shorten, who is critical of fracking) won a state election Saturday. That led Matt Canavan, the federal resources minister, to suggest a fracking ban would be "an act of economic self-harm," according to the Financial Review.

Read More

Apple told to pay up to $14.5bn in Irish taxes

 

The European Commission has estimated that Apple has to pay 13bn euros ($14.5bn) in retroactive taxes to Ireland after an in-depth state aid investigation.

SEE ALSO: The Apple Store is now simply 'Apple,' company says

The 130-page ruling by EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager follows a three-year probe into Apple's Irish tax affairs.
It establishes that Ireland violated EU law on competition by giving Apple tax benefits which are not available to other companies.
"The European Commission has concluded that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13 billion to Apple," reads the ruling. "This is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses. Ireland must now recover the illegal aid."
Those advantages - which amount to "illegal state aid", according to the ruling -  were made during a ruling made by the Irish government in 1991 and 2007.
According to Commissioner Vestager,  Apple only paid "an effective corporate tax rate of 1 per cent on its European profits in 2003 down to 0.005 per cent in 2014".
Irish corporate tax is at 12.5 per cent.
Apple and Ireland deny any wrongdoing and will likely appeal against the ruling.
The US tech giant employs 6,000 people in Ireland, mostly at its main site in Cork.

Read More

Tense scenes as community demands justice for 14-year-old boy

Australia

3 hours ago

A police officer has been injured and windows smashed in the Australian town of Kalgoorlie Tuesday, during a protest over the death of a 14-year-old Indigenous boy Elijah Doughty.
A 55-year-old man was due to appear in court on manslaughter charges over the boy's death. However, some local people believe the death was suspicious, claiming multiple death threats have been made towards Aboriginal kids in the town via Facebook.

SEE ALSO: Government gets an honest trailer after 'torture' allegations and it's bleak

Reports say a police officer has been hit in the head with a bottle outside the courthouse and Kalgoorlie’s main street has been shut down, with dogs and riot police on the scene earlier Tuesday.
The man on trial was driving crashed into the 14-year-old boy while driving a truck. The boy was driving a stolen motorbike at the time, and police say the truck is linked to the owner of the motorcycle.

Read More

Autopilot could lose Autosteer function

By Nick Jaynes2 hours ago

Tesla might soon be planning to limit Autopilot, but just for those drivers who abuse it.
Following several crashes and one fatality, Autopilot updates in Tesla's version 8.0 software may include programming that limits functions for Tesla drivers who disregard safety prompts.
Tesla is planning to disable Autopilot's Autosteer function for drivers who habitually ignore the car's commands to retake the steering wheel, according to Electrek.

SEE ALSO: Tesla's new batteries add even more miles to the Model S and Model X

If a Tesla driver habitually ignores reminders to "Hold Steering Wheel," Autopilot will disengage. What's more, it will not allow the driver to reengage the system until the car has come to a complete stop and put into Park.
Granted, it won't turn off the function for good — just until the car is parked.
The verdict on whether this is a good idea is still out. If someone is already ignoring safety warnings and refuses to retake steering controls, should the car then give up on steering itself?
Perhaps the more effective (and safer solution) would be to disable reckless Autopilot users for good, not just momentarily.
Tesla's version 8.0 software is currently under final review, according to Elon Musk, so there still might be changes before it starts being deployed to cars.

Read More

The Humor in Chapter Two of Wuthering Heights

When he Reaches the Heights, Will Lockwood's Reception be as Chilly as the Day?

Source

Does Inclement Weather Portend More Mishaps?

Lockwood plans to spend a cozy day by the fire in his study. The weather is chilly and damp, so it's a good day to stay indoors but a servant is cleaning the fireplace, raising an infernal dust, so any hope of a warm fire is vanquished. Lockwood decides to take his chances out-of-doors and he braves the mud and heath to walk from Thrushcross Park up to the Heights.
The cold weather worsens and snow is falling by the time he reaches Heathcliff's gate. He's shivering "through every limb" and he cannot get the gate open, so he jumps over it. He knocks for admittance, which then sets the dogs howling.
"Wretched inmates! You deserve perpetual isolation from your species for your churlish inhospitality." Lockwood reflects. He knows he would not keep his doors barred in the daytime. "I will get in!" He says and grabs the latch and shakes it vehemently.

“

Cannot you tell her whom I am, eh, Joseph?

— Lockwood, Emily Bronte

A Second Encounter With Joseph

"What are ye for?" Joseph hollers down to him from a window in the barn. No word of greeting there.
"Is there nobody inside to open the door?" Lockwood inquires in frustration.
Joseph responds that no matter what kind of noise Lockwood makes the missus inside won't open the door to him.
Lockwood suggests that Joseph might help him by letting the missus know it is he who is calling.
"I’ll hae no hend wi’t," mutters Joseph and disappears into the barn.
The snow is now coming down thickly and Lockwood is set to seize the handle again and apply great force but a gruff youth appears and directs him around the house and inside.
At last! Lockwood is indoors and is greeted by a blazing fire and good food laid out. Things are looking up...

Tea at Wuthering Heights

Source

Source

Repelled

Lockwood discovers a young lady inside and he's pleased to finally meet the "missus." He mistakenly assumes she is Heathcliff's wife. He expects her to ask him to take a seat but she's every bit as lukewarm-bordering-on-hostile as the others.
Lockwood tries to make conversation and in a sarcastic remark that reveals his frustration over being ignored, he says, "‘I’m afraid, Mrs. Heathcliff, the door must bear the consequence of your servants’ leisure attendance..."
She says nothing, just stares at him coolly.
"Sit down," the young man grunts out, bossily.
Lockwood is decidedly uncomfortable and with no warmth from the human quarter, tries to befriend one of the dogs. Readers will remember how they attacked him in my first article in this series, The Humor in Chapter One of Wuthering Heights, so it's a good bet he likely does not want a repeat of that canine behavior. He compliments the young woman about the dogs and she snaps out repellingly, "They are not mine."
Lockwood hems and haws and remarks on the wildness of the evening.
"You should not have come out," she replies.
"Were you asked to tea?" she demands.
Lockwood says he would be glad to have a cup.
"Were... you... asked?" she says pointedly.
And as if all this weren't bad enough, the young male looks at Lockwood as if the two have some type of mortal feud between them.

New Characters in Chapter Two

Young Male	Young Female
Hareton--he is the son of the former owner, Hindley	Cathy--she is the daughter of Catherine who was Hindley's sister

Thing Go From Bad to Worse

This uncomfortable situation is interrupted by the appearance of Heathcliff. Lockwood greets him and mentions that because of the weather he will be weather-bound for about half an hour.
"Half an hour?" Heathcliff says perhaps hinting that even this small amount of time is an intrusion. "‘I wonder you should select the thick of a snow storm to ramble about in."
Lockwood requests a guide to make his way back to the Grange and Heathcliff flatly denies his request. He also orders the young woman to make the tea in a tone so savage that Lockwood no longer views Heathcliff as "a capital fellow." His enthusiasm is wearing thin at the way he has been treated by all and sundry.
The meal commences but it's every bit as forbidding as the inhabitants. Lockwood tries to lighten the mood and commends Heathcliff on having a mistress to make his home comfortable. This provokes a diabolical sneer from Heathcliff, who indicates that the young lady is his daughter-in-law.
Lockwood now commends the young man but this provokes him. He clenches his fist, with every appearance of a meditated assault on Lockwood.

“

But how will I do?

— Lockwood, Emily Bronte

Source

How Will Lockwood Get Home in the Snow Storm?

Once the meal is concluded, Lockwood worries about how he is to get home. His neighbors offer no comments or offers of help. He finally concludes that in that case, he will have to stay the night at Wuthering Heights.
"I hope it will be a lesson to you to make no more rash journeys on these hills," Twits Heathcliff.
Lockwood offers to sleep in a chair and is forbidden to do so, because Heathcliff won't permit Lockwood the range of the place while Heathcliff is off guard.
This proves too much for Lockwood, who now feels disgust and aversion for "the unmannerly wretch" and the other boorish people who live there. He rushes out into the yard, figuring that risking getting lost on the moors in a snowstorm and potentially perishing is a better bet than staying one moment longer. He seizes Joseph's lantern and even though he tells him he will return it the next day, Joseph claims he's stealing it and sets the dogs on him!

“

Maister, maister, he’s staling t’ lanthern!’ Hey, Gnasher! Hey, dog! Hey Wolf, holld him, holld him!

— Joseph, Emily Bronte

Attacked by the Dogs Again

Two hairy monsters lunge at Lockwood's throat and knock him down, pinning him to the ground, and Lockwood is enraged when he hears guffaws from Heathcliff and the young man, Hareton.

Fortunately, the beasts seemed more bent on stretching their paws, and yawning, and flourishing their tails, than devouring me alive.

Zillah Renders Assistance

Source

A Novel Way of Rendering "Aid"

Lockwood scolds and Heathcliff laughs. He scolds some more and Heathcliff continues to laugh. Lockwood becomes so upset, his nose starts to bleed, and Zillah, the housekeeper, "rescues" him and attempts to restore him. How so? Why, by pouring a bucket of icy water down his neck! This is truly the crowning moment to a visit that has been fraught with mishaps.
She than pulls him into the kitchen and condoles with him. Lockwood feels dizzy and faint and in spite of his determined resolve and his efforts to leave, he is now forced to stay the night at Wuthering Heights. Not a prospect he is looking forward to by any stretch of the imagination.
And... it may prove a night that may cure him of ever staying there again.

With these words she suddenly splashed a pint of icy water down my neck.

While Trying to Escape, Lockwood Now Has to Stay Overnight

Source

Dark Humor

The mishaps that befall Lockwood are funny indeed. The poor man is completely out of his element and no efforts on his part defrost the wintry reserve of the inhabitants at Wuthering Heights. What's even funnier is that his second visit proves a worst disaster than the first: he's treated poorly and rendered zero assistance, he's knocked and pinned to the ground by the dogs, his nose starts to bleed, and... the coupe de gras: he has icy water poured down his neck! He is cured of wanting to ever set foot there again.
Bronte makes clever use of dark humor to bring the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, with all their vagaries, to life, giving them a raw human edge that makes them real.

Read More