Graham,

In John's defence I would argue that even a bad argument makes you think and seek information.

Dear Fester,

What a lovely thing to say.

And so true.

Fester

There is no defence for someone lacking opinions, but just regurgitating Artificial Intelligence. It's even worse than repeating what the ABC puts out.

Robotman is not worth dealing with. There is no common sense or humanity in AI or the people who have to use it because of their personal inadequacies.

ttbn,

People come here for all sorts of reasons and that is their business. For all you know John might be treating us as a bunch of lab rats for a psych experiment.

Myself, I'd observe that for all the annoyances and disagreements we have with one another here, we keep coming back, and that suggests that the experience is purposeful. Perhaps it might even change your outlook on one thing or another?

Graham,

The fact that the conservative side of any given argument is always right, coupled with the broad range and diversity of data sources that AI engines get their data from (especially with their preferencing of empirical data), it seems unlikely that I could be using AI for my responses. If I were, my responses would all have a conservative bent.

That said, how do I know you’re not using AI? Your last reply to me scored 34% in one of the checks I did, after all. I think your suspicions are flawed.

Regarding energy transition and productivity, I think you’re overlooking the broader context. Yes, electricity prices have risen. But, again, productivity is not just about the immediate costs; it's also about future gains, efficiency, and long-term stability; carefully and strategically implemented renewable energy sources offer these.

It’s also worth noting that productivity, as you defined it (i.e. total output divided by work hours) can benefit from technological advancements and infrastructure investments that renewables bring. For example, more efficient energy use in manufacturing and service industries can reduce costs over time, even if the initial prices of electricity are higher.

Anyway, I’m glad you prefer my new style of commenting. I’ve learned that, to avoid false-flagging, I need to avoid good grammar and flow, sound less objective, be less polite, and include the occasional tiepo.

Personally, I’m hating it. I feel terrible about my choice of wording this morning in the article comments section, and I spent half of yesterday contemplating whether or not I should apologise to ttbn for my tone and the directness of my wording when I explained to him what a crank Jo Nova is and why.

ttbn,

Nice try, but it’s time to let that one go. It doesn’t prove much, other than maybe helping you ease some cognitive dissonance.

Nova's still a crank, by the way.

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Fester,

Thanks. I love your perspective there! I knew I liked you.