UK- UKIP reveals Energy 'policy'.

From the party that brought you 'Send them back to Bongo, bongo land' and ' UK flooding devastation is caused by the concept of gay marriage' and other such stunners, we finally have their last (?) word on enrgy and climate change. Oh yes, and fracking - they really want to get right on with it.

Read more here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-green-policy-climate-change-is-open-to-question-says-energy-spokesman-roger-helmer-9949125.html

Every one a winner.

Schiste Happens 2014 End of Term Fracking Quiz!

You thought we'd forgotten didn't you. Not a chance.

Here we go - key to responses at foot of page.

1. Is fracking a form of :-

a. Self flagellation?
b. A lunatic strategy for ruining landscapes, aquafers/drinking water, personal health and more?
c. Cunning plan devised by politicians to make lots of lovely dosh and gain seats on the boards of O & G companies?

2. Who devised hydraulic fracking? Was it:-

a. A complete mad man?
b. Dick Cheney ( Halliburton )?
c. David Cameron's mum?

3. How many Americans live just 1 mile from a fracking site?  Is it:-

a. 15 million?
b. Three?
c. None?

4. How many litres of water are wasted/spoiled when making just one initial/exploratory frack? Is it:-

a. One?
b. None?
c. Between 6,000 and 600,000?

5. Which (sort of) European country is intending to frack in National Parks, has perhaps the worst road congestion imagineable and, now it's almost too late, over 250 anti-fracking groups? Is it:-

a. The UK?
b. The UK?
c. The UK?

6. Whick UK political party has clearly stated that it would withdraw issued fracking licences and take a long, hard look at this idiot policy? Is it: -

a. The Conservative Party?
b. The Labour Party?
c. The Lib Dem Party?
d. UKIP?
e. The Boy Scouts Association?
f. None of these?

7. What is the number one investment featured in the portfolios of UK Govt ministers after so called 'Aerospace'? Is it:-

a. Breakfast cereals?
b. Oil and Gas?
c. Old vinyl records?
d. Mass production of garden gnomes?

8. Which French Presidential candidate thinks it might be a whiz bang idea to suggest repealing his very own anti-fracking law and going full steam ahead with nationwide disruption? Is it:-

a. Asterix?
b. Marine le Pen?
c. Nicolas Sarkozy?
d. Nicolas Sarkozy?

9. By how much would you anticipate your gas/utilty bills reducing if widespread fracking took place? 

a. 10%?
b. 50%?
c. 'Don't give us all that crap again'?

10. Which EU country is banning specific, otherwise peaceful demonstrators from demonstrating against fracking even though they have not been charged with any offence? Is it: -

a. The UK?
b. The UK?
c. The UK?

11. How far can current fracking technology enable contractors to explore horizontally? Is it: -

a. 3km?
b. 5km?
c. Didn't know they could? Surely not.

12. Which EU country has recently changed property ownership rights via the trespass laws to enable fracking contractors to frack horizontally under one's property and worse, to use/store any (toxic) materials down there?  Is it:-

a. The UK?
b. The UK?
c. They haven't - have they? Surely not.

13. What causes earthquakes to occur remarkably often ( 3,000 in Arkansas ) in close proximity to fracking activity? Is it:-

a. God's wrath? The concept of gay marriage ( UKIP had the idea first of course ).
b. Forcing contaminated/used/spoilt fracking wastewater under ground and between tectonic plates at v.high pressure?
c. The thought of UKIP involvement in a future UK coalition government?

14. How many years energy 'independence' is the likely realisable yield of so called 'natural gas' likely to sustain the UK for? Is it:-

a. 15 years?
b. 50 years?
c. Just long enough to get the bloody share price up?!




Answers - may be found in the headings of all the recent posts on this site. SO, if you have been diligently following our output here at Schiste Towers you should have amassed a pile of points. Prizes?

A Happy and Frack-Free 2015 to all our readers. Ed.

UK Police ban innocent protestors. What price democracy?

The deliberate merging of the concept of peaceful and legitimate protest with clearly defined conventional terrorist activity is a strategy now adopted by certain police forces and notably in the UK. Difficult to decide if the notion of limiting protest in advance is merely a cost cutting measure ( the Balcombe anti-fracking demonstration policing cost in excess of £3million ) or something rather more sinister.

Read the full report in The Guardian newspaper here: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/25/revlealed-police-using-pre-charge-bail-muzzle-protesters

US - California needs 42 trillion litres of water and still the idiots frack.

California needs 11 trillion US gallons of water ( 42 trillion litres ) in order to recover from the current devastating drought. An initial fracking investigation can use between 6,000 and 600,000 US gallons.

They continue to frack and even on the San Andreas Fault.

Happy Christmas and a frack-free 2015 from all here at Schiste Towers.

UK - Sussex MPs seek to remove fracking clause from infrastructure bill.

Read more here.........................

http://drillordrop.com/2014/12/18/sussex-mps-seek-to-cut-fracking-from-infrastructure-bill/

NEW YORK STATE BANS FRACKING

Governor Cuomo has prevailed..............................

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/17/us-energy-fracking-newyork-idUSKBN0JV29Z20141217

Hopefully, commonsense may become contagious in 2015.

UK - University refuses police request to hand over seminar attendees details.

There was a time when policing was all to do with protecting the individual. You know, pursuing violent attack and rape claims, burglary and the rest. Ever since the Miners Strike in the 1970s we seem to have moved further and further away from that ideal to a situation where the aim would appear to be protection of the interests of multi-nationals.

We find that all rather depressing.

Once again, the excellent Guardian newspaper tells the tale:-

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/15/police-university-list-fracking-debate

UK - 200+ groups deliver petition to D.Cameron.

Over 200 UK anti-fracking groups ( Frack Free Sussex alone has 10,000 + followers ) have delivered their petition to Prime Minister David Cameron seeking a halt to operations, current and projected until a full scale appraisal has been carried out.

Read more here: http://drillordrop.com/2014/12/09/200-uk-campaign-groups-urge-pm-to-ban-fracking/

Will it make any difference?

UK - Have you been identified as an anti-fracking 'troublemaker' - yet?

Why not check out the records held by fracking concerns and their security partners under the good old Data Protection/Freedom of Information Act. Democracy at work.

Read more/check out your status here: https://netpol.org/2014/12/09/fracking-private-security-sar/

Undisclosed physical failure at only site fracked in UK to date............

https://news.vice.com/article/the-only-fracked-site-in-the-united-kingdom-suffered-structural-failure

UK - Tax breaks ( more ) for 0&G industry from their friends

Just one good reason why there is such wholesale support for fracking at the heart of Westminster ( hang on, that would be a good idea )....................

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/06/george-osborne-oil-industry-tax-breaks-autumn-statement

Male reproductive capacity at risk from fracking chemicals...........

Just one more aspect of this apalling process.................

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/05/fracking-chemicals-could-pose-risks-to-reproductive-health-say-researchers?CMP=share_btn_link

The biggest bungs - League table of which industries are most generous

Here we go....................

These are the industries that bribe the most

These are the industries most involved in bribery, according to OECD analysis of more than 400 cases worldwide.
As this Statista graphic shows, the majority of bribes were in the extractive industries such as mining.
The OECD found that in most cases, senior managers were aware of the bribery.

Source - The Independent.

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US - Denton Texas - NO to fracking

We reported earlier on the good citizens of Denton, Texas telling 'Big Oil' to frack off. Things are now hotting up and they stand firm. We offer our heartfelt congratulations and moral support.

Read more here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/02/denton-texas-fracking-ban-oil

US - Bit more here on Hilary's true intentions............................

Hilary favours fracking..............................

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/01/hillary-praises-fracking-stays-silent-on-keystone.html

Paris/Il-de-France Region firmly against fracking..............

The Region has declared itself firmly against fracking in areas where licence applications have been received incorporating water catchment areas linked to the city.

Read more ( in French - use Google Translate ) here: http://www.lagazettedescommunes.com/296775/la-region-ile-de-france-determinee-contre-les-hydrocarbures-de-schiste/

INEOS ( Swiss ) to invest $1bn in UK shale gas fiasco.

Let's hope they are not sorely dissapointed.

Read more here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b3a15ffa-708b-11e4-8113-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3KdWJIMEd

Catalonia stands firm against fracking in spite of Madrid ruling.

Read more here - in French ( Google Translate if need be ): http://www.la-clau.net/info/la-catalogne-nautorisera-pas-le-gaz-de-schiste-malgre-madrid-9718