Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t James Delingpole – Microsoft founder and entrepreneur Bill Gates has joined the growing ranks of green activists, who think that ordinary people aren’t qualified to choose who should govern them.
According to Gates;
… Those who study energy patterns say we are in a gradual transition from oil and coal to natural gas, a fuel that emits far less carbon but still contributes to global warming. Gates thinks that we can’t accept this outcome, and that our best chance to vault over natural gas to a globally applicable, carbon-free source of energy is to drive innovation “at an unnaturally high pace.”
When I sat down to hear his case a few weeks ago, he didn’t evince much patience for the argument that American politicians couldn’t agree even on whether climate change is real, much less on how to combat it. “If you’re not bringing math skills to the problem,” he said with a sort of amused asperity, “then representative democracy is a problem.” What follows is a condensed transcript of his remarks, lightly edited for clarity. …
Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/11/we-need-an-energy-miracle/407881/
Some other highlights – Bill Gates on Renewable energy;
Well, there’s no fortune to be made. Even if you have a new energy source that costs the same as today’s and emits no CO2, it will be uncertain compared with what’s tried-and-true and already operating at unbelievable scale and has gotten through all the regulatory problems, like “Okay, what do you do with coal ash?” and “How do you guarantee something is safe?” Without a substantial carbon tax, there’s no incentive for innovators or plant buyers to switch. …
On the need for more government;
… Realistically, we may not get more than a doubling in government funding of energy R&D—but I would love to see a tripling, to $18 billion a year from the U.S. government to fund basic research alone. Now, as a percentage of the government budget, that’s not gigantic. But we are at a time when the flexibility—because of health costs and other things, but primarily health costs—of the budget is very, very squeezed. But you could do a few-percent tax on all of energy consumption, or you could use the general revenue. This is not an unachievable amount of money. …
Bill Gates has attracted significant controversy during his career, for example when he accused developers of free software of being communists, when they refused to give Microsoft unfettered rights to exploit their work. Gates has also spent a lot of time in courtrooms defending Microsoft from accusations of sharp business practices, of being a monopoly, of violating anti-trust laws. So to me personally, it is no surprise that Gates’ response to the difficulty of convincing people to accept his point of view on climate change, is to express authoritarian contempt for ordinary people having such freedoms.
My eyes — they burnnnnnn…..
For some reason, Bill Gates’s pontificating about global warming puts me in mind of the way Tom Wolfe defined an “intellectual”:
There’s a big market for rationalizing the centralization of power by (you guessed it) central authority itself.
The machine we typed our comments with has made micromanagement and centralization of authority the central theme of our time. THEY know better for us than we do for ourselves. Scientists, engineers, the educated are particularly susceptible to the allure of perfection and its hubris.
There are only two problems with representative democracy:
1/ It is not representative; and
2/ It is not democratic
The Swiss, with their referenda on major issues, have the right idea.
Another rich guy thinking he knows better than everyone else. Disgusting.
In the early days Gates became alarmed over the monsoon of bad press regarding his biz behavior and had an idea that giving away some of his $ to charities, etc might improve MS’s and his image. It was a successful marketing ploy. It took MS much, much longer to address their famous BSOD, apparently not on the front burner.
A GPF in MS or a Trap D in IBM. What did IBM do? Changed the OS so that it ignored Trap D events.
I know that creep bill gates really wanted to say “only carbon taxes will save us” which it will not.
I was looking in to getting windows 7 a while back ago to avoid the weird spying like 8 & 10 does, but I found out they are trying to sneak updates on windows 7 now to do what 8 & 10 does, so I am sticking with linux mint, If only more people would do that.
My Win7 has automatically downloaded 10’s OS. It sits quietly in the wings waiting to engulf my OS. I had a dual-boot WinXP/Linux Ubuntu for years, but tried that with Win7 and couldn’t get it to work for some reason.
another case in point, a man might be brilliant, but what makes him brilliant makes him blind.
I wonder why there is such a high correlation between becoming super rich from capitalism and free markets and later deciding capitalism and free markets must be curtailed for others?
In my fictional world, Bill Gates countered the Justice Department in the 90’s by enforcing piracy laws on federal bootleg copies of Windows. What a dream.
Obviously Gates does know anything about history. He may have lucked into a fortune because IBM failed to forecast the future well (Gates did not forecast well, he was just lucky IBM made mistakes). But, most relevant to this post is that virtually every prediction I have ever seen over the past 2 centuries about the future of energy, what kinds and how much, has been wrong, often VERY wrong!
Read “The Bottomless Well” by Peter Huber. A persuasive look at the evolution of energy use, past and likely future.
Gates of Heaven has found religion. Hallelujah!
Gates destroyed thousands of lives in India by testing a new vaccine on its’ poor
http://vactruth.com/2014/10/05/bill-gates-vaccine-crimes/
BS detector beeps.
Anti vax looney tunes don’t help AGW skeptics.
“Ignatz”
Where did you get the idea that sticking a label that says ‘vaccine’ on a vile, magically renders the contents safe to inject into everyone? Seriously, what is up with this blind trust in drug manufacturers, and governments, etc, such that people would act as though oner is insane for doubting the “incantation” magic really works? Creepy as all get out to me . .
JohnKnight:
“Vial.” Not “vile.”
Magic is not involved. Science is. It’s sad when people reject basic, fundamental, well-documented science regarding the effectiveness of vaccines (as well as the classes of individuals who should NOT take them.)
The inability of a small percentage of people to understand the concepts involved is why vaccinations are rightfully made mandatory where they can be. For the good of society. So that you aren’t allowed to harm others.
takebackthegreen,
“Magic is not involved. Science is.”
To me, when you treat science being “involved” as some sort of guarantee that anything labeled ‘vaccine’ is safe to inject into everyone, then you are treating science as magical. Would you advocate for government to have the legal authority to force everyone to ingest anything labeled a ‘pharmaceutical’, because science is involved in pharmaceuticals? Are those who find that approach unwise “pharma-nutters”, to your mind?
Sadly, this doesn’t seem likely to be a very productive discussion. You actually seem convinced that your ideas are more valid than 200+ years of research, rigorous experimentation and real-world results, including the eradication of smallpox, which killed an estimated 1 billion humans.
Believe what you wish.
takebackthegreen,
Well, if you won’t engage in a discussion, then naturally it can’t be productive.
“You actually seem convinced that your ideas are more valid than 200+ years of research, rigorous experimentation and real-world results…”
I know of little such rigorous experimentation, and I’ve looked for it. It’s just a myth (and an extremely profitable one for various corporations), as far as I can tell. That some vaccinations have been relatively safe and relatively effective seems true enough to me, but to extrapolate that out to a blanket endorsement of all things labeled ‘vaccine’ (in advance no less) is utterly unscientific to me.
And, you’re essentially treating governments as virtual Gods, it seems to me. Since when are all governments worthy of such trust/powers? Were they all worthy of it a hundred years ago? . . . Why didn’t the “involvement” of science render the German Government worthy of such trust/power once upon a time, one wonders . . Germany was arguably the most scientifically “involved” country in the world, but the magic did not work very well, did it?
Bill Gates has demonstrably superb skills at making money. Bill Gates is the prime investor in TerraPower, a firm developing nuclear power. Due to other’s superb skills, fracking has unleashed an ocean of natural gas, which has brought energy prices down, and will likely continue to do so for many years. For all of the positive attributes of nuclear power (an industry I worked in for 30 years), it is not inexpensive compared to NG. Ergo, Bill Gates is simply doing what he does best, making money (or at least trying to). He is using the sad fact that many people will equate his software/business success with overall superior capability (ie energy policy). This is an all to common and tired tactic used by many successful people (ie Hollywood, Politicians, etc). Unfortunately, it is also very effective. The key to ameliorating this strategy is to realize it is endemic. This lesson is also lost in the AGW debate.
See the article in Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/10/02/bill-gates-forges-nuclear-deal-with-china/, about Gates and Nuclear power. Connect the big dots.
I really don’t need a college dropout who oversaw the development and implementation of Windows 98, Windows 8, and Windows 10 to tell me what is wrong with the world. Microsoft and Bill Gates are what is wrong with the world. Plus, he’s an idiot for believing that 0.04% CO2 in the atmosphere is going to destroy a 5 billion year old planet.
Gates wasn’t involved with Windows 8 or 10, he had long left the company. Blame that mess on Steve Balmer.
Okay, true, you’re right, of course. I’m so used to Bill running the show that I forgot he mercifully left the company. So, yes, it’s now Balmer, but Windows 8 and 10 have Gates’s paw prints all over them. They stink as badly as Windows 98. Let’s not forget the great public Windows 98 premiere crash years ago. Sort of says it all for Microsoft.
Personally, I’d rather look to a small petrie dish of mold for advice on geopolitical matters rather than Bill.
Gates is still on the board of directors.
You forgot Windows ME, the worst OS ever.
The newest MS operating system combines windows CE, ME and NT. If Gates record of success with Geo-Engineering global climate matches his record with operating systems, Blue Screen of Death will take on a whole new meaning.
In my experience, that dubious distinction would fall on Windows Vista, but I never used Windows 98. I can’t recall any particular issues with Windows ME.
I ran ME on a Compaq Celeron 766 Mhz laptop for a couple years, and it was a decent little internet box for the time, but a dog. ‘Also ran ME on a Dell 866 for a several months before upgrading to XP later that year.
Bill Gates’ “answer” to a non-problem, instead of investigating it is to throw money at it; ours as well as his. And his answer to anyone doubting the “science” of manmade warming is an insulting, patronizing comment about “not bringing math skills to the problem”, showing both his arrogance and ignorance. What an egomaniacal prat.
Bill and Melinda Gates are trying to figure out how to give away not only their own money, but Warren Buffett’s as well.
Hint: Bill, if you are at all interested in the pursuit of truth, support WUWT.
Yay Linux.
$ uptime
09:32:40 up 227 days, 16:07, 7 users, load average: 0.11, 0.37, 0.52
It’s only 227 days because of some power failure a while back.
Linux does have its quirks – we fight with both Linux and Windows at work (though the fights are very different).
I use Windows for tax season.
If you Google the word Socialism you will be treated to a “thought provoking” snippet that reads – “Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.”
Isn’t that special?
Here is what it should say – “Socialism: the Pretentious Front of Totalitarianism.”
Nothing good will result from Socialist solutions.
‘640K software is all the memory anybody would ever need on a computer.’
Nuf said
Back then, Memory cost about $1/K. 640K was all anyone needed.
If you Google the word Socialism you will be treated to a “thought provoking” snippet which reads – “Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.”
Isn’t that special?
Here is what it should say – “Socialism: the Pretentious Front of Totalitarianism.”
Nothing good will result from Socialist solutions.
Freedom Monger:
You claim to be a “monger” of freedom.
Nobody can sell freedom
but totalitarians steal freedom
and socialists share freedom.
Nothing good comes from totalitarianism and much good comes from socialism.
I suspect you knew all of that.
Richard
I must disagree with your statement that “much good comes from Socialism.” Good cannot come from something that doesn’t really exist. Socialism is merely the Mirage of Totalitarianism. To say that good comes from Socialism is like saying good comes from unicorns.
Every Socialist solution is a system of Regulations, Obligations, and Dependencies. In other words, every Socialist solution involves the creation of a system of Pets and Slaves – and both Pets and Slaves are ruled by Masters; neither is Free. In the world of Wealth Redistribution the recipients become Dependent Pets, the tax payers become Obligated Slaves, and those who have the Authority to make the rules and dole out the booty become the Totalitarian Masters.
A call to implement a solution for AGW is precisely designed to institute a system of Pets and Slaves and Masters. The evidence is ubiquitous.
Anyone who believes in a Socialist Utopia is Analytically Incompetent.
Those who embrace Socialist solutions will never see the Light of Freedom, Justice, or Equality.
There will be no Freedom, there will be no Justice, and there will be no Equality without a Passionate Regard for the Sanctity of Human Life beginning at Conception.
The Winds of Change are stirring.
What about a passion for the sanctity of proper capitalization?
Freedom Monger:
You are delusional in your assertions about “pets” and “slaves”. But that is no surprise from someone who uses an alias that claims he/she sells freedom.
Come back when you have purchased a clue.
Richard
Oh wow, richardscourtney, you put me in my place with your Irrefutable Logic. I am no match for Immeasurable Intellect. Thank you, thank you for showing me the error of my ways. I will seek out psychiatric help for my baseless delusions as soon as possible.
Freedom Monger:
I am pleased that you are seeking treatment for your delusions and I hope it proves to be successful.
You have made the first step towards recovery by recognising your need for treatment so there is hope that you may recover.
Richard
Socialists don’t share freedom. Socialism is the theft of resources from the few so that it can be given to the many.
Taking by force is never sharing.
The only way socialism can work is by the implementation of totalitarianism. It may be subtle at first, but as the state grows, so does the openness of it’s totalitarian nature.
The reason for this is simple. People are not willing to give away the products of their labor. You have to have enough force to take from those who don’t want to give in order to give to those who don’t want to work.
PS: Nothing good comes from socialism. It produces poverty and death only.
MarkW:
I read your rant and I suggest that you ask Freedom Monger where he is seeking the treatment your rant proclaims that you also need.
Richard
One thing I like about socialists is their complete inability to believe that others won’t accept the notion that stealing from those who work hard in order to buy votes from those who don’t want to work, is the way to create true utopia on this planet.
Anyone else notice the similarity between socialists and warmists? They both respond to criticisms of their religion by declaring that anyone who doesn’t agree with them must be crazy.
richardscourtney.
“…socialists share freedom.”
So, you basically mean “saints”, when you use that word? . . Or there’s no way a socialist system can be employed by those who wish to subvert freedom? . . What?
MarkW:
You say;
“One thing I like about socialists is their complete inability to believe that others won’t accept the notion that stealing from those who work hard in order to buy votes from those who don’t want to work, is the way to create true utopia on this planet.”
I can play that game, too.
One thing I like about American right-wingers is their complete inability to believe that others won’t accept the notion that allowing homicidal maniacs to own assault rifles and shoot innocent children in schoolrooms, is the way to create true utopia on this planet.”
See how daft you behaviour is?
And, incidentally, to prevent you pretending the assertion you made is less silly than the one I have presented, I point out that in my country it was the right-wing Margaret Thatcher who bought votes with below-market-value sale of council houses which those who work hard had contributed to obtain.
Richard
JohnKnight:
You ask what I mean by the word “socialism”.
I mean the political philosophy of extreme individualism which Marx described as being ‘from each according to ability and to each according to need’.
It is off-topic here but I explained it in another WUWT thread here.
Richard
Richard: One big difference. It is self evident that the only way to implement socialism is to limit the freedom of people who don’t want to be socialists. The only way to fund socialism is to by taking from those who work, so that you can have enough money to pay for all the people who are voting to have other people’s money taken so that it can be given to them.
As to your absurd example, that has been dealt with so many times that only hopelessly clueless still cling to it. Banning guns does not stop evil people from doing evil things. Banning guns doesn’t even get guns away from evil people, for the simple reason that evil people ignore laws. It’s what they do.
The only people made who lose their guns are the law abiding. They weren’t the problem in the first place.
Thank you for once again demonstrating the complete inability of socialists to actually defend their peculiar religion, which explains why once again you have to result in insults.
Must really be sad to be you.
richardscourtney.
“You ask what I mean by the word “socialism”.
No, not really . . I asked about your “socialists share power” statement. It seems eminently obvious to me that socialists (even if saints) would only wish to “share power” if they truly believed distributed power is best for society. If they felt for instance that “experts” ought to decide who needs what from who, then they would naturally not want to “share” that power among everyone equally.
“I mean the political philosophy of extreme individualism which Marx described as being ‘from each according to ability and to each according to need’.”
If that’s extreme individualism to you, what is collectivism? . .
Frankly, I suspect you’re intentionally being obtuse.
MarkW and JohnKnight:
It would be helpful if you were to read the explanation I linked instead of spouting offensive misrepresentations that are only appropriate at a KKK meeting.
Richard
Oh MarkW, how can I get better if you keep reaffirming my delusions?
Reality, delusion? Who can tell the difference anymore.
Gates, a computer geek with way too much money who really does not know very much outside of his narrow field of geekism. To paraphrase a quote, some people are born rich, some achieve riches and some have richness thrust upon them. Unfortunately, his wealth and lack of more general knowledge, make him very dangerous. The world is over supplied with people seeking meaning in their lives by telling others what’s good for them with their heads wedged securely in their anal orifice.
Let’s extend that to other areas as well. Like computer operating systems. Ordinary people aren’t going to be able to produce a computer code? Please wait …. every time they come out with a new operating system, the old just doesn’t work, however, windows 95 is still extremely fast, never goes online…… oh, hey bill what degree did you have when you wrote the first operating system? What? you didn’t!! In the world you’re proposing, you weren’t qualified.
I’m sure IBM would be impressed. What are you going to do with 2k anyway? (way back when 2 that was a lot)…. windows hasn’t improved, Sloppy coding. What’s Bill afraid of? somebody will write a decent operating system
Bill Gates is a bright man. But he fails to grasp that when governments pick winners and losers, rather than free people in free markets and free elections, the results are usually filled with unintended consequences.
Take his example of fly ash from coal power stations. There are viable technical solutions. People cand and do force the companies to deal w ith it responsibly. But the drive to wind and solar has only produced vast wind farms and solar installations that have a 25 yr service life. Then the costs of those widely dispersed rusting hazards will be everywhere. Coal plants keep problems highly concentrated and can be dealt with without degrading the other 99.9% of the environment unlike a large rusting dispersed wind farm.
Gates desire for a national socialism (fascism) model is very representative of rich oligarchs going back to Henry Ford’s and The Kennedy Sr’s love of fascism.
The coyotes love all the dead birds under the wind farms, esp, the endangered ones – they are tastier. But, it is a green disposal system.
The buzzards come for the chopped dead geese, begets more dead buzzards. Sort of a metaphor for Washington DC.
“Even if you have a new energy source that costs the same as today’s and emits no CO2, it will be uncertain compared with what’s tried-and-true and already operating at unbelievable scale and has gotten through all the regulatory problems”
Thank you Bill, so now I expect you to strongly support nuclear power. But, please, explain me why nuclear is here since decades, and a lot of bureaucrats and green activists still boycott it in the US, from endless regulatory issues to endless protests (often on fabricated or fake issues).