The NZ Polo Open begins on Tuesday, February 14 with the final on Sunday, February 19 at the Auckland Polo Club grounds in Clevedon.
After a long spell due to the pandemic, the NZ Polo Open returns this year with a bang.
The tournament will start on Tuesday, February 14 and 24 teams will compete throughout the week, with the NZ Polo Open final to be held on Sunday, February 19 at Auckland Polo Club’s renowned Fisher Field.
The famous ‘Horsepower versus Horsepower’ will take on a special twist as the Archibald & Shorter, Range Rover Supercharged V8 will race the acclaimed New Zealand thoroughbred, this year with a mystery driver in the Range Rover who may look a little familiar.
On the field as the teams compete will be a showcase of the country’s top polo ponies who have made a name globally for being the best in the world.
Finals day will see more 100 thoroughbred horses who have found their second careers with polo, showcasing the unique ability and flexibility of this athletic breed.
In a special animal welfare and rehoming collaboration with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, 2023 will see the introduction of prize money for the best-playing rehomed thoroughbreds with $9000 up for grabs.
On the style front, the highly anticipated ‘Remix Fashion at the Polo’ is gearing up to be one of the best, with prizes for best dressed lady, best dressed gentleman, best accessory and, new for this year, a people’s choice award.
Wilhelmina Shrimpton, Amber Baker, and NZ Polo Open event ambassador Holly Estelle are the fashion judges this year.
For those wanting to stretch their legs, the 100 metre dashes on the polo field will be one for the competitive, with the chance for the ladies to win a Jeroboam of Provence’s Whispering Angel Rosé and for the gentlemen a Kim Clifford 10/4 Spiced Rum.
Finishing off a great day of the 46th NZ Polo Open will be the George FM after party on the Heineken Lawn.
Paramedics were called to a crash involving a dirt bike rider and a car in Dannemora on February 1. Photo supplied
A serious crash involving a dirt bike rider and a car in east Auckland is prompting a concerned local couple to speak out about what they say is a growing threat to public safety in the area.
Police closed off part of Middlefield Drive in Dannemora following the crash, which happened at about 4pm on February 1.
A fire truck, police, and St John Ambulance paramedics responded to the incident.
The injured motorcyclist was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
Police initially said the injured rider was in a critical condition but in an update the following day said he was in a stable condition. Enquiries into the crash are ongoing.
The Times has spoken to a couple who live in Dannemora and who say they frequently hear dirt bike riders travelling around the area as well as motorcycles and cars spinning their tyres at nearby intersections.
They wish to remain anonymous to protect their safety.
“It’s quad bikes, dirt bikes, they’re on the footpath, and on the wrong side of the road,” the woman says.
“It was a matter of time before something like this happened and we are very grateful an innocent passerby wasn’t severely injured.
“I believe it’s a very difficult problem to combat because they’re not in same area at the same time [as police].
“We hear them at least weekly. It is a significant problem in the area and it’s definitely getting worse.”
Her husband adds: “It’s a free-for-all. It’s anywhere and everywhere and they’re doing wheelies into oncoming traffic with no helmets.
“It’s a consistent problem and it’s unsafe. We can’t let our kids go out.
“Imagine if children were on the footpath [at the time of the crash].
“It’s an ongoing issue that’s impacting the safety of residents who are law-abiding.
“We purposefully moved to an area with reserves and parks so our kids could walk around and go to the park, but they’re homebound now.
“We don’t let them around [outside]. We just don’t feel safe.”
A group of more than 50 dirt bike riders travelled through east Auckland on New Year’s Eve last year.
Following the incident police said such a situation poses a challenge to deal with due to safety for other road users and the riders themselves.
“It is incredibly frustrating for police and the public, as these riders have absolutely no regard for the safety of others and their behaviour puts lives at risk,” a police spokesperson said.
“It is completely unacceptable. Police also want to see parents and caregivers take responsibility for the actions of these riders, some of whom are youths.
“The last thing we want is to have one of these riders cause a crash and injure or kill a member of the public.”
As the Times has previously reported, Counties Manukau Police charged more than 130 people and impounded almost 100 dirt bikes and vehicles following a 2022 operation targeting illegal street racing activity in areas including east Auckland.
The year-long operation saw 59 dirt bikes and 39 vehicles impounded, with 88 people arrested and charged.
MetService is forecasting a settled run of weather for the Auckland region this week, apart from the odd passing/light shower today and Friday. Photo Waatea News
MetService is forecasting a settled run of weather for the Auckland region this week, apart from the odd passing/light shower today and Friday.
They are continuing to monitor a low over the Coral Sea that is expected to develop into a Tropical Cyclone before moving towards New Zealand at the end of the week. It may bring severe weather to northern parts of the country from Sunday onwards.
Auckland Emergency Management says, “We’re asking the public to use this period of settled weather to clean up as much as possible and prepare for potential bad weather next week.
“We will be in regular communication with MetService throughout the course of the week and will provide updates as required.”
Reports of impersonations of council staff
“We’re hearing reports of people impersonating council compliance officers to enter people’s homes,” Auckland Emergency Management says.
“Auckland Council officers will always be in uniform, will drive a council branded vehicle and will carry a council ID card. Please always ask to see this ID before letting them into your home.
“If you have concerns that this has happened to you, or if you are approached by someone you believe is not from the council, please report it to the police by calling 105.
“If you have recently had a visit from a compliance officer and want to verify that they were from the council, you can email us at: rbacomms@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.”
Emergency accommodation update
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has announced it is standing up its Temporary Accommodation Service to assist with the longer-term needs of those displaced by last month’s floods.
The Temporary Accommodation Service team is working closely with Auckland Emergency Management to ensure that the disruption to those that have been displaced and are currently in emergency accommodation is minimised during the transition.
We know that this has been a difficult couple of weeks for those that have been displaced, and we want to reassure people that we will do everything we can to ensure that this is a seamless process and that they continue to receive they need at this time. We’re still working with the same agencies; the focus is just shifting to longer-term support.
For those in emergency accommodation, you do not have to do anything, someone will contact you.
If you find yourself and your household needing assistance in finding temporary accommodation, please visit the MBIE website where you can register with the Temporary Accommodation Service www.temporaryaccommodation.mbie.govt.nz.
We’re continuing to ask households affected by the floods to bring their flood-damaged items to participating transfer stations within the Auckland region.
If you would like to take your waste to a transfer station near you, please phone Auckland Council on 0800 22 22 00 to confirm your visit. You will need to provide your name, address, and vehicle registration to make the process easy at the gate and adhere to the facility rules, including wearing closed shoes. A list of participating facilities can be found here [PDF].
Waste collectors are urging householders in flood affected regions to take care as the clean-up process continues. They are asking households putting rubbish out for collections to:
Keep away from the work area. We appreciate that people want to help waste collection staff gather up and dispose of waste, but the most helpful thing you can do is to leave the work to the waste collectors and the designated volunteers working alongside them.
Keep hazardous waste like detergents, paints and pesticides separate from general waste
Separate electronic waste and whiteware from general waste. Electronic waste is a fire risk and compressors and refrigerants in whiteware can harm the environment.
Rapid assessment update
As of midday, 8 February:
277 homes or buildings have red placards/stickers
1615 homes or buildings have yellow placards/stickers
2566 homes or buildings have white placards/stickers.
If you feel your property requires an inspection, and you have not yet been visited, please call Auckland Council on 0800 22 22 00 to request one.
National opposes blanket speed limit reductions and the party is encouraging New Zealanders to speak up against the proposal and signa petition to dump it. Photo Wayne Martin
Pressure from National and communities up and down the country might soon force Minister of Transport Michael Wood to slam the brakes on his highly unpopular blanket speed limit reductions across our state highways, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.
“Last year, maps provided to the National Party revealed that the Government had marked almost the entire state highway network as not having a ‘safe and appropriate speed’.
“As a result, the Interim State Highway Speed Management plan proposed to lower the speed limits on 500km of our state highways.
“Unless this is stopped, NZTA will keep slashing speed limits on our highways to meet its target of speed reductions on at least 500km of state highways every year.
“Kiwis are sick and tired of Labour’s focus on reducing speeds rather than fixing potholes and the other major damage to our roads.
“Minister Wood may wash his hands of the blanket reductions and point to NZTA, but the buck stops with him as he signed off on the rule change which gave NZTA the increased speed limit powers in the first place.
“If Labour fails to stop their speed limit reduction crusade, National will:
End Labour’s attempt to reduce all suburban streets to 30km/h and all State Highway to 80km/h by repealing The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speeding Limits 2022.
Ensure that variable speed limits during peak hours around schools are implemented.
Increase consultation requirements for speed limit changes.
Review areas of the State Highway Network, which has been reduced to 80km/h like the Napier to Taupo road.
“National opposes blanket speed limit reductions and we are encouraging New Zealanders to speak up against this radical proposal, and sign our petition urging the Government to dump it.”
Amy McAuley has completed more than 400 daily swims despite a cancer diagnosis and extensive chemotherapy treatment.
When Eastern Beach resident Amy McAuley began her goal of a daily swim in 2022, being diagnosed with breast cancer was the last thing on her mind.
McAuley, originally from Scotland, moved to New Zealand in 2013, and established a business called Powerhoop NZ which uses a weighed hula hoop for exercise purposes.
“It’s for people who ordinarily don’t love exercise because I used to be allergic to exercise,” she says.
For many years, McAuley suffered from depression, which led her down the dark path of alcohol dependence, an eating disorder and deep self-loathing.
She used her smile as a shield, which hid her pain and shame from the world.
But McAuley found a way out, in the form of a colourful hula hoop.
She published a book in 2020, documenting her journey from addiction and depression to self-love and fulfilment.
McAuley has now been a life coach for 17 years and runs wellness retreats as well as happiness courses when she isn’t power hooping.
“I’m very interested in how we can be happy for no reason rather than waiting for outside circumstances of life to dictate,” says McAuley.
“My passion really is helping people to be the healthiest and happiest version of themselves and that is why I do what I do,” she says.
A bunch of friends joined Amy during her last swim of 2022 on New Year’s Eve.
Finding herself in a Covid lockdown rut at the end of 2021, McAuley took it upon herself to go for an ocean swim to try and boost morale.
Immediately it made her feel better, despite not enjoying cold water and having a fear of fish.
And thus began the 365 days of her swimming campaign, where she challenged herself to have a dip on every single day of 2022.
McAuley says that she finds creating habits for herself naturally quite easy because of what she has overcome and her experience in life coaching.
“It started off nice and easy in January because it was Summer and then as the winter came around I was questioning my decision for sure but powered through it,” says McAuley.
McAuley says the cold water has had extensive benefits on her health.
“There were days throughout the year that we went on trips, so I always made sure we were near water to carry on the tradition,” she says.
The vibrant and lively McAuley had her life turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2022.
“It was so out of the blue because I do really take care of myself, but it’s one of those things that can happen to anybody,” she says.
Despite her diagnosis, McAuley continued her daily swim journey, whilst battling with chemotherapy.
“There’s been some days where honestly I thought I couldn’t do it, especially just after chemo when I was really weak, but I’ve had heaps of people join me on a daily basis,” says McAuley.
McAuley during the 2022 Howick Santa Parade, where “Amy’s Army” raised money with the Pink Ribbon walk.
Now, McAuley has finished six rounds of chemotherapy over 18 weeks and will soon take on a double mastectomy surgery as well as radiation therapy.
“Chemo was really hard. If you imagine your worst hangover, that’s how I would describe it and I haven’t had a drink in over 12 years,” she says.
Despite everything that she has been through, McAuley remains positive and full of energy.
“There are definitely moments of feeling down, you wouldn’t be human without them, but I absolutely believe that everything is dictated by mindset.
“To get through something like this you must get your mind into that place of coming to terms with what has happened and then deal with it,” she says.
She has now had over 400 consecutive daily swims and aspires to reach 1000.
McAuley says that after her journey with breast cancer, she might consider adjusting her career to help people going through their own cancer journey and find joy in the moments.
McAuley and “Amy’s Army” also featured in the 2022 Howick Santa Parade, raising money for a worthy cause, the Pink Ribbon walk.
Michael Bongiovanni has started in his role as general manager for the Pakuranga United Rugby Club.
Michael Bongiovanni is the new general manager at the Pakuranga United Rugby Club.
Bongiovanni, originally from the United States, moved to New Zealand in 2013 with his wife and three children and instantly became involved in the Howick-Pakuranga community.
“I think they were pretty excited to get a sports community guy in but not necessarily a rugby guy,” says Bongiovanni.
Bongiovanni’s name may be a familiar one in the baseball community, currently also holding the title as president of the Howick-Pakuranga baseball club.
He has also run the kitchen at the Bucklands Beach Association Football Club and served on the Parish Council at Our Lady Star of the Sea, a Catholic school in Howick.
Bongiovanni has an extensive background in business management and is excited to manage the business of a sports club.
“I am excited for the future of Pakuranga United Rugby Club and the growth of the Howick Pakuranga Community Sports Centre,” Bongiovanni says.
“Increasingly sporting codes are finding ways to work together; this hasn’t always been by choice but necessity in order to survive and thrive,” he says.
Bongiovanni says he is looking forward to an exciting season ahead for the Pakuranga club, which will include a 10-year anniversary celebration of their first Gallagher Shield win, which was in 2013.
He takes over the role from John East who had a short-term stint as general manager from mid-2021.
There have also been big shifts in the coaching staff for the 2023 rugby season for Pakuranga.
Former director of Pakuranga rugby, Grant ‘Boof’ Henson, will take the reins this season as head coach of the premier men’s side, with Cole Mooney and Glen Rowe as assistant coaches.
Henson says the coaching crew is looking forward to building on the 2022 season.
“Last year we looked to improve the culture across our whole club, and the Premier team was relied heavily upon to model the behaviours that we want to strive for our people to live by,” he says.
As a coach, Henson brings plenty of experience, being involved in campaigns with the Chiefs age group and development sides, Manu Samoa and seven years as part of the coaching team for the Counties Manukau Steelers.
He also played more than 100 games for the Counties Manukau side after debuting in 1998.
Henson says the coaching group is excited for the possibilities ahead.
“Last season we used 46 players on the field for the Premiers so we believe we have developed strong depth within the club. With depth comes competition for positions and with competition comes a more intense training environment which ultimately will lead to better rugby teams,” he says.
The Pakuranga premier rugby season gets underway on April 1 when they play Grammar TEC at Bell Park.
There will be begonias of many different names and kinds, some with magnificent blooms.
The Auckland Begonia Circle is to hold its annual Begonia Festival this weekend.
Held in the Logan Campbell building in the Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa on February 11 and 12, entry is free and open to the public from 10 am each day until 4 pm on the Saturday and 3pm on the Sunday.
Cockle Bay’s Peter Booth says there will be a wonderful display of splendid begonias on show with brilliant colours and shapes to amaze the visitors to the event.
“There will be begonias of many different names and kinds, some with magnificent blooms,” said Booth.
“There will also be displays of the beautiful foliage types such as Begonia Rex. We also hope to have some baskets on display.
The begonia circle has around 70 members from around New Zealand – including many from the Howick area – and there are overseas members.
“Some of our exhibitors will be bringing their flowers and plants quite long distances to put them on the show benches for your delight and amazement,” said Booth.
“There will be trading tables with begonia plants for sale at very acceptable prices so it may pay to be in quick as it’s a first come, first served sale. Please note that it is cash sales only.
It is probable that more plants will be brought to the show for sale on the Sunday. There may be plants in the Gesneriad genus also on exhibit and for sale such as Streptocarpus, African Violets and Gloxinias.
“At the close of the show on Sunday we may hold an auction for any remaining plants and these have been known to go at greatly-reduced prices,” Booth said.
Contaminated waterways from recent flooding across Auckland has prompted Sanitarium to postpone the Auckland Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon to March 26 2023. Photo supplied
Contaminated waterways from recent flooding across Auckland has prompted Sanitarium to postpone the Auckland Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon to March 26 . The decision was made by organisers after the Point England Reserve remained under black alert warning by Safeswim.
Two and a half thousand kids aged 6-15 across Auckland have been training to complete the TRYathlon with the swim leg at the Point England Beach – a beach identified as a black alert waterway after the flooding across Auckland.
“There is still a very high health risk and swimming in waterways under any alert is not advised. We have been advised this alert will stay in place until the middle of next week, with no guarantee that the alert will move through red (high risk) to green (suitable for swimming) in time for next weekend’s event,” Sanitarium announced today.
“We hope the postponement is not a setback for all the kids who’ve been looking forward to the TRYathlon. Many families and schools are playing catch up with the back-to-work and school routine and with many schools now not opening until next week, we do not want to add extra pressure and stress to the Auckland community with what should be a celebration of our Kiwi kids getting active and healthy.
“We understand that there will be a few of our TRYathlon families for whom the new date will not be suitable, but we felt that the event experience would have been compromised if we had attempted to proceed with next Sunday’s event. We wanted to give some early certainty at a time of continued disruption for many.”
Everyone already registered for next Sunday’s event will automatically be transferred to the Sunday 26th March event. There will be an email sent next week that gives refund options to those that are unable to participate on this new date.
Open to all kids aged 6 – 15 years, the TRYathlon caters to all fitness levels, with the focus on participation and giving it a try. TRYathletes are required to swim, bike and run their way around age-appropriate courses.
Every child will receive a gold medal from a Kiwi sporting star when they cross the finish line.
The Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, now in its 32nd year, is the world’s biggest triathlon series in the world for kids aged under 16, and has events all around the country every year.
“Three of twelve TRYathlon events across eleven regions have gone off without a hitch this season and we look forward to putting on another great event for Auckland in March when it is safe to do so,” says Sanitarium national marketing manager NZ Peter Davis.
Labour might have a new leader, but the same challenges face New Zealand and it will be the same team of people who have failed to deliver for the last five years now trying to say they have changed.
Chris Hipkins has been a key architect of the Government’s failures over the last several years as one of Jacinda’s top Ministers, so the idea that he’ll bring a fresh perspective is difficult to imagine.
Chris Hipkins has been responsible for the merger of our polytechs which has left an almost half billion dollar hole, he has been the Minister responsible for 13,000 more bureaucrats in Wellington while front line services are stretched, and has failed as Minister of Police to get bollards installed for our dairies which are at the forefront of the crime wave we are seeing.
It’s likely in the coming weeks and months that he will seek to win support by dropping proposed policies that were hugely unpopular.
But it’s going to take a lot more than that if New Zealand is to get back on the right track. Kiwis are not easily fooled, and they know that when it comes to the things that matter most, like the cost-of-living crisis, this Government has been missing in action.
Chris Hipkins claims his focus will be squarely on the economy and on addressing this crisis, but if words were all it took, his predecessor would have led us into a utopia by now.
If Labour knew how to solve this problem, why haven’t they taken any meaningful steps to address it by now.
The reality is that this Government is out of touch with New Zealanders and lost sight long ago of what’s important.
New Zealand is facing innumerable challenges at present, with falling literacy and numeracy rates, rising crime, increasing rent, food and fuel costs, roading infrastructure that’s literally coming apart, a health system that doesn’t deliver, and many others that need urgent attention.
It’s clear that only one thing can deliver the change our country needs and it’s not a new Labour Prime Minister, it’s a National Government led by Christopher Luxon.
National has a plan to address these issues and to reduce the cost of living by reducing taxes for hard working Kiwis, making it easier to run a business and by stopping the wasteful spending that we are seeing from this Government.
With the election date now set for October 14, New Zealanders will soon have the opportunity to decide which future they want: same old Labour, or a National Government with a new direction.
Rob Kidd and his Vauxhall Corsa, seen here during its epic drive from the UK to Mongolia, will be among the cars taking part in the Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show. Photo supplied
Of the more than 1200 vehicles set to be displayed at this year’s Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show there may only be one with a story as eye-opening as that of Rob Kidd’s Vauxhall.
The show at Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, on March 5 will see the members of more than 55 car clubs and associations showcasing their automotive pride and joy.
Among them will be Kidd’s unassuming white 2000 Vauxhall Corsa.
It may not look particularly special, but it’s been on several staggering adventures.
In 2015 Kidd was living in the UK and decided to take part with several mates in the infamous Mongol Rally.
The event sees teams buy cars with engines smaller than 1000cc and drive them from the UK to Mongolia, a distance of more than 16,000km.
Kidd searched a British car auction website and found the Corsa, with its 973cc engine and a manual transmission, advertised for sale.
“I called the guy and said, ‘will it make it to Mongolia?’ He said, ‘oh yeah, I think so’.
“I’m sure he didn’t know where it was.”
Kidd and his mates prepped the car for the hazardous journey and hit the road.
“We drove through all of Europe, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and had to pay off cops and harbourmasters,” he told the Times.
“The journey to Outer Mongolia took six weeks.
“My two mates flew home from Siberia and one of them said, ‘I reckon it would take you two weeks to get home [by driving],’ and I said, ‘You’re on’.”
Kidd then drove the Vauxhall by himself back to the UK on a different route, covering 9000km in just eight days.
“I didn’t get out of the driver’s seat,” he says. “You’re forever chasing the sun, heading west.
“It was a bit nuts. Fuel is so cheap. It cost me US$120 to do 6000km. I was filling the car for like US$12 a tank.”
Kidd and his mates saw some amazing sights during their journey, including a field full of cannabis plants growing openly in Kazakhstan.
They travelled along Afghanistan’s border and visited the famous Darvaza gas crater known as the ‘Gates of Hell’ in Turkmenistan.
Kidd says his trusty Corsa has been driven in 36 counties.
He enjoyed doing the Mongol Rally so much that he did it in the Corsa again, but this time with his partner, the following year.
“Eight months out from the next one, I said we should do the Mongol and she said, ‘hell yeah!’. She had a great time.”
The aircraft mechanic says he kept the Corsa running smoothly throughout its epic journeys by being gentle with it.
“You have to have mechanical empathy and keep it cool. It’s still on the same clutch and the only thing that’s broken down in the whole time I’ve had it is a fan switch, which caused a bit of trouble, and an alternator.”
The Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show is sponsored by Times Newspapers, the Howick Local Board, Protecta Insurance, and NZ Classic Driver.
It’s staged Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, on Sunday, March 5, and entry is free.
I went into my local Pakuranga Library on Saturday (January 28) and sat in one of the lovely padded computer chairs only to find it soaking wet with someone’s urine!
Some disgusting person had sat in that seat and urinated.
You can imagine my disgust and distress when I realised what I had sat in, my clothes were soaked.
I had to drive home covered in this disgusting stuff (sitting on a plastic bag so it wouldn’t wet my car seat).
I had to throw my clothes away – they were brown stained and stinking.
I then spent half an hour in the shower trying to get rid of the smell. I don’t know when I have ever felt so upset. I am still upset and feel sick thinking about it.
There was no excuse for this to happen as there is a toilet adjacent to the Library which is quite clearly marked.
Also, if someone has had a genuine accident surely they would have had the common decency to tell a staff member to stop someone else sitting in that chair.
When I told the staff they didn’t know what to do and seemed unsure if they should remove the chair – I said, “of course you must”
As I was still upset, I went back into the library the next day and spoke to the librarian. She said she was aware there was a chair missing but didn’t know why.
She also said some libraries have plastic chairs instead of the nice padded ones.
I recommend the libraries (and all public places) change chairs to plastic and the sooner the better. At least plastic chairs can be wiped over.
Quite clearly some members of the public abuse anything decent they are allowed to use.
I will, of course, be taking a cushion to sit on in future as I don’t want to run the risk of having such a terrible experience again.
I am disturbed that the local board (and the Auckland Council) can play Santa Claus with our rates money.
We pay our rates demand with the expectation that the money will be used to provide goods and services to us, not to see that the local board has given out $31,000 (the Auckland Council gives out millions) to local groups while others have to fundraise for their money.
In this time of skyrocketing food prices, every dollar counts and we don’t want to see our rates money misappropriated in this manner.
The $31,000 represents the rates paid by 12 to 15 people and may not proportionally be a great number but it is the principle that counts.
Lilia Sevillano directs me to a museum at the “University of Berkeley” for a lesson in science. In return I direct her to a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley – which I assume is the university she means.
Prof Richard Muller expressed scepticism about climate science so oil billionaires and other deniers funded him to set up a completely new organisation: Berkeley Earth. I suggest readers Google, “Richard Muller: I was wrong on climate change”.
No, I would not have called Galileo a denier for supporting Copernicus. Aristarchus of Samos had proposed Earth revolved around the Sun 2000 years earlier.
I never said science is always settled. In response to the statement “science is never settled,” I gave an example of where it is.
Here’s another. The huge amount of rain we’ve just had in Auckland is explained by “settled” science.
1. Adding CO2 to the atmosphere has caused the level where energy is radiated to space to rise, where the air is cooler, so the loss is slower (Stefan-Boltzmann law). Less cooling means the surface and oceans are warmer.
2. Warm water evaporates faster; warm air holds more water – 7 per cent for 1 degree Celcius (Clausius-Clapeyron equation). So when it rains there’s more water.
Lila Sevillano recommends a site naming “500 scientists and professionals” who state there is no climate emergency. Eh? Barely a handful were verified climate scientists and many were not scientists either. In any case, there are 3 or 4 million research scientists in the world.
Finally, the climate system is very complex and climate models are very helpful in understanding how it works. So far the projections have been reasonably accurate, and anyone who thinks uncertainty is our friend does not understand the nature of risk – especially when the consequences could be catastrophic.
Do you really want the future of our children and grandchildren to be decided by people who don’t even know they don’t know?
Dennis Horne (“Unequivocal evidence”, Times, January 18) implies that Richard Feynman supported Arrhenius’ theory because “why did he not say so?”.
Quite bold that, claiming to know the mind of the dead.
Two main theories seek to explain the “how” of the so-called “greenhouse effect” – that the Earth is 33°C warmer than it would be without an atmosphere:
1) Maxwell’s 1872 “gravito-thermal” theory. Basically: Atmospheric temperature increases with pressure, as predicted by the laws of thermodynamics.
2) Arrhenius’ 1896 “radiative forcing” theory. Basically: CO2 “traps” energy, “reflecting” it back to the Earth.
Maxwell’s theory is supported by many scientists including Richard Feynman who, in a 1963 lecture, quoted Maxwell while demonstrating how an atmosphere comprised of only Nitrogen and Oxygen would perform as predicted, with no radiative forcing, CO2 or H20.
So while there may not be a record of Feynman directly discrediting AGW, there is a record of him endorsing the competing theory.
Maxwell’s theory also has practical, beneficial applications in the real world – e.g. it has been the basis for the very accurate U.S. and International “Standard Atmosphere” models for 65 years and is an essential aerospace tool.
As far as I know, Arrhenius’ theory has no practical use (climate alarmism being of no practical benefit to humanity).
