A walk has been organised. It'll lead people to where the wind turbines will be erected. So that people can get all worked up about them.
Someone has been commissioned to create photoshopped impressions of what the wind farm will look like in situ. Now, that's a bit weird, because when ScottishPower Renewables held its public drop-in sessions, the deranged nimbies went hopping mad about everything - especially the visual representations of what the wind farm will look like.
VVASP didn't trust the photo mock-ups of the wind farm produced by SPR, so they're having some of their own made up. But how accurate are these likely to be? The protesters wailed about Scottish Power's pictures not showing what the wind farm would look like. That said, SPR have yet to be caught out telling lies about the proposed wind farm, whereas VVASP have lied repeatedly about it. Even the independent Advertising Standards Authority told them to stop telling lies. So what are the chances that the VVASP-approved images of the potential wind farm will look anything like a real one?
One of our correspondents wondered why this walk was taking place to look at a wind farm that isn't there yet. Wouldn't it make more sense to organise a visit to a wind farm that does exist? Then they'd be able to judge for themselves what a real wind farm (and not a VVASP mock up of a wind farm) looks like.
That's a good point. But of course the nimbies don't want to know what a real wind farm is like - and they certainly don't want any of their supporters to go looking at them. Because people who have been to visit wind farms tend to come away wondering what all the fuss was about.
(This does not apply to the hardcore leadership of anti-windfarm protest groups, who visit them with the sole intention of finding somebody who might be inclined to complain about them).
So - VVASP would rather lead people round a non-existent wind farm (in order to stoke up outrage) rather than visit an actual wind farm (in order to find out what they're like). Yep, the nimbies strike again. Ignorance rules.
But this meaningless walk is being advertised locally - without any mention of VVASP's bogus agenda - as a 'Blossom May Walk'. This, supposedly, in order to attract a few normal people to take part.
It'll be a very strange kind of 'Blossom May Walk', in that it will involve walking in the opposite direction from where all the blossom is.
What is it about the protesters that it never seems to occur to them just how dishonest they are? They are advertising, in a suspiciously friendly manner, a 'Blossom May Walk' that has nothing whatever to do with blossom. If they advertised it as a VVASP-sponsored 'Visit the Site of the Proposed Windfarm Walk', that would be honest. But they're incapable of such honesty, so it is sold to Joe Public as an innocent-sounding, thoroughly apolitical 'Blossom May Walk'.
This dishonesty is what will undermine VVASP's cause. No one who isn't trying to get elected will take them seriously when the sheer depths of their dishonesty becomes apparent.
They've lied about wind farm noise, house prices, costs, efficiency, dangers to wildlife and some kind of eternal alteration of the Vale. They've lied about whether they are protesters or not. They lie on their website about providing comprehensive information to the community (for 'comprehensive' read 'biased and inaccurate'). They've lied, consistently, about everything. Now they're lying about a 'Blossom May Walk', and there's a fair-to-middling chance that the photos of the windfarm that they'll be showing to their sheep-like drones and anyone else who mistakenly takes part in the ramble will present a totally unrealistic image of the windfarm. Why? Because VVASP simply cannot tell the truth. It's beyond them.
But at what point did it become socially acceptable to lie all the time? When did that become normal middle class behaviour?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
BIRTHDAY TREAT
Amazingly, incredibly, 'Wind of Change' is now one year old.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!!!
Yes, that's right - one whole year. We'd had six months or so of nimby ranting, lying leaflets shoved through doors, insanely shameful behaviour at parish council meetings, threats, more lies, enforced consensus and plenty of lies ... and then came 'Wind of Change'.
We have exposed VVASP's misuse of public money, the stupidity of their claims, the Advertising Standards Authority ruling against their stupid, stupid, stupid literature, their appaling behaviour during the SPR roadshows, the whole sorry daftness of their placards ...
And it would appear that there are even more reasons to celebrate. We're keeping it under our hat, just for now, but there's news on the way.
So, thanks all for tuning in from time to time. Thanks to our contributors, researchers, informers, those who've been in touch and even - yes - thanks to the hysterical idiot from VVASP who has occasionally left silly comments on the site.
Let's continue the battle for truth and democracy, for a sustainable future and a sensible use of our green space, and let's carry on highlighting the aggression, dishonesty, delusions and downright misguided selfishness of the anti-windfarm protesters.
They don't have a leg to stand on, you know.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!!!
Yes, that's right - one whole year. We'd had six months or so of nimby ranting, lying leaflets shoved through doors, insanely shameful behaviour at parish council meetings, threats, more lies, enforced consensus and plenty of lies ... and then came 'Wind of Change'.
We have exposed VVASP's misuse of public money, the stupidity of their claims, the Advertising Standards Authority ruling against their stupid, stupid, stupid literature, their appaling behaviour during the SPR roadshows, the whole sorry daftness of their placards ...
And it would appear that there are even more reasons to celebrate. We're keeping it under our hat, just for now, but there's news on the way.
So, thanks all for tuning in from time to time. Thanks to our contributors, researchers, informers, those who've been in touch and even - yes - thanks to the hysterical idiot from VVASP who has occasionally left silly comments on the site.
Let's continue the battle for truth and democracy, for a sustainable future and a sensible use of our green space, and let's carry on highlighting the aggression, dishonesty, delusions and downright misguided selfishness of the anti-windfarm protesters.
They don't have a leg to stand on, you know.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
DO YOU WANT THE TRUTH (OR SOMETHING BANAL)?
One of our jolly researchers has sent us this:
"We live very close to Westmill Windfarm.
The noise we hear (loudest first) is:
1. The A420 - noisy main road Oxford to Swindon, almost never quiet
2. Minor road
3. Aircraft, including helicopters
4. Noise from the military college
5. Wind in the trees
6. Birds singing
7. The wind turbines.
Puts it in perspective doesn't it!!!!!!!!"
This corresponds with the testimony of a woman who lived very close to turbines in Denmark for several years and who told the Evesham Journal only recently that she hardly ever even heard the turbines, even when walking past them.
So, two testimonies from two women who live, or have lived, close to windfarms. And, okay, so the Lenches don't have a major road or military college nearby - but they do have those noisy old birds, and as for the wind in the trees, well doesn't that keep everyone awake at nights?
Nothing to worry about on the noise front, then.
Which might be why the barefaced liars of VVASP (Vale Villagers Against Scottish Power) are taking a new tack. Actually, they're not. They're following their usual brainless course of hearing only what they want to hear and telling everybody what they want them to believe.
They even seem to imagine that Gordon Brown, in a recent prime ministerial debate, admitted that wind power doesn't even work in Scotland!
Now, you'd have to be a complete moron to believe that Gordon Brown said that. Because of course Mr Brown said nothing of the sort. He said nothing remotely like it. Even the spin merchants of Conservative Central Office surely wouldn't have made such a stupid claim about Gordon's remarks as VVASP have done.
But, yet again, what we find with Vale Villagers Are Specious Phibbers is that their entire campaign, grossly irresponsible as it is, is built entirely on lies.
Yes, let's say it loud and clear: VVASP ARE LIARS. THEY TELL LIES. THEIR ANTI-WINDFARM CAMPAIGN IS NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF LIES. THEIR WEBSITE IS FULL OF LIES. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF TELLING THE TRUTH. THEY LIE, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY ARE A DESPICABLE CROWD OF UNASHAMED LYING LIARS.
And that, dear friends, is the truth.
"We live very close to Westmill Windfarm.
The noise we hear (loudest first) is:
1. The A420 - noisy main road Oxford to Swindon, almost never quiet
2. Minor road
3. Aircraft, including helicopters
4. Noise from the military college
5. Wind in the trees
6. Birds singing
7. The wind turbines.
Puts it in perspective doesn't it!!!!!!!!"
This corresponds with the testimony of a woman who lived very close to turbines in Denmark for several years and who told the Evesham Journal only recently that she hardly ever even heard the turbines, even when walking past them.
So, two testimonies from two women who live, or have lived, close to windfarms. And, okay, so the Lenches don't have a major road or military college nearby - but they do have those noisy old birds, and as for the wind in the trees, well doesn't that keep everyone awake at nights?
Nothing to worry about on the noise front, then.
Which might be why the barefaced liars of VVASP (Vale Villagers Against Scottish Power) are taking a new tack. Actually, they're not. They're following their usual brainless course of hearing only what they want to hear and telling everybody what they want them to believe.
They even seem to imagine that Gordon Brown, in a recent prime ministerial debate, admitted that wind power doesn't even work in Scotland!
Now, you'd have to be a complete moron to believe that Gordon Brown said that. Because of course Mr Brown said nothing of the sort. He said nothing remotely like it. Even the spin merchants of Conservative Central Office surely wouldn't have made such a stupid claim about Gordon's remarks as VVASP have done.
But, yet again, what we find with Vale Villagers Are Specious Phibbers is that their entire campaign, grossly irresponsible as it is, is built entirely on lies.
Yes, let's say it loud and clear: VVASP ARE LIARS. THEY TELL LIES. THEIR ANTI-WINDFARM CAMPAIGN IS NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF LIES. THEIR WEBSITE IS FULL OF LIES. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF TELLING THE TRUTH. THEY LIE, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY ARE A DESPICABLE CROWD OF UNASHAMED LYING LIARS.
And that, dear friends, is the truth.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
WHY VVASP CANNOT WIN THE ARGUMENT
It would be so nice if the debate about Lenchwick Windfarm - and others like it - could be conducted on a rational basis. In other words, a cool-headed discussion involving logic, science, common sense, valid evidence and an objective weighing-up of the case.
But it can't. And the reason for this is very simple.
It doesn't matter how much evidence, science, genuine fact, common sense and awareness of practical necessities are advanced by supporters of renewables and wind power in particular. The opponents aren't interested in evidence, science, genuine fact, common sense or awareness of practical necessities. Their stance is a purely emotional one.
Now, we've all been in situations where we're trying to argue sensibly, on a rational basis, with someone who's incapable of doing so because their responses are purely emotional. It doesn't work, does it?
Same with VVASP. Every single bit of genuine, reliable evidence that is produced to disprove their silly suspicions just leads to louder and louder shouting on their part and even sillier claims made about the lurking dangers of windfarms.
They CLAIM to be interested in the science. And this is where the real fraud creeps in. VVASP established itself in order to protect - what, half a dozen people? - from having to see a windfarm from time to time. No end of junk science, fake science, false science and phoney evidence was produced by these selfish people in order to scare others into supporting them.
The operative word there is 'scare'. They're playing on people's emotions. Telling them lies, in other words, in order to secure a misguided consensus.
Those who have coordinated this perverse and wicked campaign will one day have to account for what they have done. Till then, though, those of us who are concerned about the environment, the future, energy costs and shortages and all those things which are genuinely important are faced by screaming hordes of loonies who don't know what they're on about but have been brainwashed by some colossally irresponsible and selfish individuals into opposing something that is a) harmless and b) vital.
Science can only suffer when the arguments employed against it are so disingenuous and emotional. Like the anti-evolution movement in the States, a few crazies reckon they can demolish the evidence simply by making up silly stories and being very noisy. In reality, they're simply being emotional, and they are in no position to advance a serious, sensible argument against the forces of reason.
But that's just the point. The windfarm debate owes little or nothing to reason. The antis make guesses (e.g., no one is going to want to buy a house near a windfarm - they're assuming that absolutely everybody thinks the same way they do, which, thank God, they don't) and then blow those up into so-called 'Facts'. You then point out the real facts to them and they go bonkers. They shriek their fake 'Facts' even louder.
Remember: you're not dealing with rational, level-headed individuals here. You're dealing with an irrational mob, pumped up on dishonest propaganda.
What a shame VVASP had to take such a disgraceful, shameful, idiotic course.
But it can't. And the reason for this is very simple.
It doesn't matter how much evidence, science, genuine fact, common sense and awareness of practical necessities are advanced by supporters of renewables and wind power in particular. The opponents aren't interested in evidence, science, genuine fact, common sense or awareness of practical necessities. Their stance is a purely emotional one.
Now, we've all been in situations where we're trying to argue sensibly, on a rational basis, with someone who's incapable of doing so because their responses are purely emotional. It doesn't work, does it?
Same with VVASP. Every single bit of genuine, reliable evidence that is produced to disprove their silly suspicions just leads to louder and louder shouting on their part and even sillier claims made about the lurking dangers of windfarms.
They CLAIM to be interested in the science. And this is where the real fraud creeps in. VVASP established itself in order to protect - what, half a dozen people? - from having to see a windfarm from time to time. No end of junk science, fake science, false science and phoney evidence was produced by these selfish people in order to scare others into supporting them.
The operative word there is 'scare'. They're playing on people's emotions. Telling them lies, in other words, in order to secure a misguided consensus.
Those who have coordinated this perverse and wicked campaign will one day have to account for what they have done. Till then, though, those of us who are concerned about the environment, the future, energy costs and shortages and all those things which are genuinely important are faced by screaming hordes of loonies who don't know what they're on about but have been brainwashed by some colossally irresponsible and selfish individuals into opposing something that is a) harmless and b) vital.
Science can only suffer when the arguments employed against it are so disingenuous and emotional. Like the anti-evolution movement in the States, a few crazies reckon they can demolish the evidence simply by making up silly stories and being very noisy. In reality, they're simply being emotional, and they are in no position to advance a serious, sensible argument against the forces of reason.
But that's just the point. The windfarm debate owes little or nothing to reason. The antis make guesses (e.g., no one is going to want to buy a house near a windfarm - they're assuming that absolutely everybody thinks the same way they do, which, thank God, they don't) and then blow those up into so-called 'Facts'. You then point out the real facts to them and they go bonkers. They shriek their fake 'Facts' even louder.
Remember: you're not dealing with rational, level-headed individuals here. You're dealing with an irrational mob, pumped up on dishonest propaganda.
What a shame VVASP had to take such a disgraceful, shameful, idiotic course.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
AH, DIDDUMS ...
Is it the power of 'Wind of Change'? After many months of holding fund-raisers in the guise of village events, VVASP is finally coming clean about its activities. A bingo night in Harvington is now advertised in the local press as a VVASP fundraiser.
Okay, so what they're doing is still profoundly stupid and inconsiderate, but at least their owning up to the fact that they're doing it.
The organisers of the lastest bingo night (one of those bingo nights where, whenever somebody shouts 'House!', somebody else lodges an objection on the grounds that it might block their view) have explained why they're trying to raise money for the daleks of VVASP. Apparently, they believe that their 'quality of life' will be ruined if the Lenchwick Windfarm goes ahead, because lorries will go through Harvington.
Ah, poor things! And how awful of someone to build a road there in the first place!! Whatever were they thinking?
Of course, like all the other nonsensical excuses for opposition to the windfarm, the 'lorries going through Harvington' shock-horror expose is another fig-leaf. What's really at stake is ignorance, arrogance, intolerance, self-delusion and all the other nimby virtues.
Besides which, how many lorries are really likely to be going through Harvington? And for how long? Realistically - even if ScottishPower Renewables do direct their construction traffic through Harvington (is that the likeliest approach?) - they'd be looking at a few short weeks, and not very many lorries. After that, the turbines will be working for twenty-five years or so, with hardly a lorry to be seen.
So, what's the problem? Why go to all the trouble of poncing money off your neighbours over something that hardly anybody's going to notice?
It's all down to that dishonest nookie tendency again, isn't it? Somebody has suggested something for the locality and a few jumped up little Hitlers don't want it. So they'll lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie - and take your money - and lie, and lie, and lie again about it.
Maybe they should read The Economist. Energy shortages within the next few years, anyone? Energy bills rising by 60% within the decade?
Oh, but of course what really matters is a few morons living in rural areas don't have to hear a lorry or see a turbine - nothing else matters at all, does it?
Idiots.
Okay, so what they're doing is still profoundly stupid and inconsiderate, but at least their owning up to the fact that they're doing it.
The organisers of the lastest bingo night (one of those bingo nights where, whenever somebody shouts 'House!', somebody else lodges an objection on the grounds that it might block their view) have explained why they're trying to raise money for the daleks of VVASP. Apparently, they believe that their 'quality of life' will be ruined if the Lenchwick Windfarm goes ahead, because lorries will go through Harvington.
Ah, poor things! And how awful of someone to build a road there in the first place!! Whatever were they thinking?
Of course, like all the other nonsensical excuses for opposition to the windfarm, the 'lorries going through Harvington' shock-horror expose is another fig-leaf. What's really at stake is ignorance, arrogance, intolerance, self-delusion and all the other nimby virtues.
Besides which, how many lorries are really likely to be going through Harvington? And for how long? Realistically - even if ScottishPower Renewables do direct their construction traffic through Harvington (is that the likeliest approach?) - they'd be looking at a few short weeks, and not very many lorries. After that, the turbines will be working for twenty-five years or so, with hardly a lorry to be seen.
So, what's the problem? Why go to all the trouble of poncing money off your neighbours over something that hardly anybody's going to notice?
It's all down to that dishonest nookie tendency again, isn't it? Somebody has suggested something for the locality and a few jumped up little Hitlers don't want it. So they'll lie, and lie, and lie, and lie, and lie - and take your money - and lie, and lie, and lie again about it.
Maybe they should read The Economist. Energy shortages within the next few years, anyone? Energy bills rising by 60% within the decade?
Oh, but of course what really matters is a few morons living in rural areas don't have to hear a lorry or see a turbine - nothing else matters at all, does it?
Idiots.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
THE TIPPING POINT
Hello, folks!
Yes, still here. Okay, so it's been a bit quiet lately. Very little to report. A few grunts and gurgles from the nookies, a couple of very silly letters in the local press ... not much more than that, really.
Well, the Monster Raving Nimbies did announce that their new local MP is thoroughly on their side. But, as several people pointed out to us, MPs tend to hear only from noisy nimbies while right-thinking people don't bother them very much. So, letting Jacqui Smith know what VVASP and their evil campaign are really like should make her think again (thanks, those who took the trouble).
Otherwise, what? Well, Vale Villains Against Sustainability and Prudence continue to expect other people to pay for their dishonest campaign. Events take place in local villages and only occasionally do VVASP have the decency to admit that these are political fundraisers - actually, not that, even - these are designed to raise money so that a handful of people get their way and everybody else loses out.
In a civilised society, such behaviour - tricking other people into paying for a dirty, dishonest and utterly discredited campaign of selfishness and stupidity - would be frowned upon. But VVASP is, of course, a movement of the English middle class, so it doesn't matter how many laws get broken or bent.
Ultimately, though, the reason that things have been a bit quiet lately is because, well, really, it's all over. The debate has moved on.
Last year, a wind turbine factory in Britain closed - big news, at the time. This year, several new wind turbine factories have been promised.
Recently, a swathe of wind farm planning applications have been approved (e.g., Northumberland, Lincolnshire) and areas previously opposed to the very idea of wind turbines (e.g. the Lake District) have announced that they're revising their policy.
What's happened is that the momentum is now moving in favour of wind energy. Up until very recently, the red-faced, swivel-eyed nimbies sort of had the initiative. Not any more. Their lies have been exposed. Reality has dawned. Groups like VVASP have been left behind, barking and bleating pointlessly about their outdated nonsense.
Even locally, the planning committee of Wychavon District Council has a bigger headache to worry about than the nasty nimbies of Crass Lench, Fraud Lench and Liars' Lench. An industrial incinerator is planned for an industrial estate at Hartlebury. Of course, the local loons, VVASP-like, are jumping up and down and screaming blue murder. To the councillors, who have to deal with this sort of silliness all the time, Hartlebury is a nightmare. Lenchwick Windfarm is not a big deal in comparison.
So, where does this leave us? Naturally, although they've cosied up to Jacqui Smith, lying to her about their motives as much as they've lied to everybody else, VVASP will be hoping for a Tory victory. But, even if Cameron won a working majority, only a fool would imagine that a sustainable energy policy would be stopped in its tracks because a few selfish idiots don't want to see a windfarm nearby.
The tide has turned. VVASP has lost the argument. It's all over, folks.
Yes, still here. Okay, so it's been a bit quiet lately. Very little to report. A few grunts and gurgles from the nookies, a couple of very silly letters in the local press ... not much more than that, really.
Well, the Monster Raving Nimbies did announce that their new local MP is thoroughly on their side. But, as several people pointed out to us, MPs tend to hear only from noisy nimbies while right-thinking people don't bother them very much. So, letting Jacqui Smith know what VVASP and their evil campaign are really like should make her think again (thanks, those who took the trouble).
Otherwise, what? Well, Vale Villains Against Sustainability and Prudence continue to expect other people to pay for their dishonest campaign. Events take place in local villages and only occasionally do VVASP have the decency to admit that these are political fundraisers - actually, not that, even - these are designed to raise money so that a handful of people get their way and everybody else loses out.
In a civilised society, such behaviour - tricking other people into paying for a dirty, dishonest and utterly discredited campaign of selfishness and stupidity - would be frowned upon. But VVASP is, of course, a movement of the English middle class, so it doesn't matter how many laws get broken or bent.
Ultimately, though, the reason that things have been a bit quiet lately is because, well, really, it's all over. The debate has moved on.
Last year, a wind turbine factory in Britain closed - big news, at the time. This year, several new wind turbine factories have been promised.
Recently, a swathe of wind farm planning applications have been approved (e.g., Northumberland, Lincolnshire) and areas previously opposed to the very idea of wind turbines (e.g. the Lake District) have announced that they're revising their policy.
What's happened is that the momentum is now moving in favour of wind energy. Up until very recently, the red-faced, swivel-eyed nimbies sort of had the initiative. Not any more. Their lies have been exposed. Reality has dawned. Groups like VVASP have been left behind, barking and bleating pointlessly about their outdated nonsense.
Even locally, the planning committee of Wychavon District Council has a bigger headache to worry about than the nasty nimbies of Crass Lench, Fraud Lench and Liars' Lench. An industrial incinerator is planned for an industrial estate at Hartlebury. Of course, the local loons, VVASP-like, are jumping up and down and screaming blue murder. To the councillors, who have to deal with this sort of silliness all the time, Hartlebury is a nightmare. Lenchwick Windfarm is not a big deal in comparison.
So, where does this leave us? Naturally, although they've cosied up to Jacqui Smith, lying to her about their motives as much as they've lied to everybody else, VVASP will be hoping for a Tory victory. But, even if Cameron won a working majority, only a fool would imagine that a sustainable energy policy would be stopped in its tracks because a few selfish idiots don't want to see a windfarm nearby.
The tide has turned. VVASP has lost the argument. It's all over, folks.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
NOTHING LIKE A DANE
Thanks to one of our regular contributors, here's a comment from a young man in Northamptonshire:
'I have 10 wind turbines near me and obviously there was shit loads of opposition but now they're up, everybody loves them. Having another 8 being built soon!'
So - are we learning anything? Lots of people yapping, blathering, putting up placards, lying to their neighbours ... then the turbines start turning and everyone finds out that there's nothing wrong with them. In fact, they're quite inspiring! Do you want a few more? Oh, yes please!!!
That, my friends, is a FACT about windfarms.
Note that FACT. Anyone leafing through today's Evesham Journal will find a small outbreak of FACTs. These are FACTs from the VVASP School of Making Up Misleading Information and Calling it a FACT.
Apparently, someone has identified three FACTs about our proposed Lenchwick Windfarm. Each turbine is the same as a forty storey building and nobody is ever going to want to live near one (that's FACT one). Windfarms create noise pollution (that's another FACT). And windfarms make shadows flicker (that, too, is a FACT).
It would be tiresome to go through the mistakes in this fool's FACT-list and unfair to highlight the extraordinary extent of this person's ignorance. They clearly have let VVASP mess with their heads for far too long. And let's not forget that VVASP's FACTs were rubbished by an independent and impartial regulator.
The fact that this strange local has FACTs rather than 'guesses' just proves that they are a VVASP dupe who can't tell nonsense from fact any more.
Why, though? Why is it that, on the Continent, windfarms are merrily and quietly generating clean energy, much to the satisfaction of the locals, while the English can't stop frothing at the mouth over the whole windfarm/climate change thing?
What makes us so different, say, from the Danes, who love their windfarms?
George Monbiot suggested an answer to this one - the Danes are essentially communal. They get together in co-operatives (which is why we eat Danish Bacon and Lurpak butter), and their windfarms tend to belong to their local communities, who benefit from the energy (and money) generated by the turbines.
In England, no one believes in communes or co-operatives. We're fundamentally selfish and greedy. So a lot of people are prepared to lie about windfarms because they can't see any benefit to themselves from having one nearby.
Certainly, that theory rings true where VVASP are concerned. There are no good reasons (at all) to oppose windfarms, but if you think that you're not going to get anything from a turbine or two nearby, why shouldn't you terrify your neighbours and waste thousands of pounds of public money in trying to stop them?
I guess, just as windfarms in the UK are (if you're a nimby maniac) some kind of conspiracy involving local developers, power companies and Gordon Brown, then the success of windfarms on the Continent is all part of some EU conspiracy.
Doesn't anybody else think that this selfish, right-wing, Daily Mail madness is what's holding Britain back?
Why can't we be more like the Danes?
'I have 10 wind turbines near me and obviously there was shit loads of opposition but now they're up, everybody loves them. Having another 8 being built soon!'
So - are we learning anything? Lots of people yapping, blathering, putting up placards, lying to their neighbours ... then the turbines start turning and everyone finds out that there's nothing wrong with them. In fact, they're quite inspiring! Do you want a few more? Oh, yes please!!!
That, my friends, is a FACT about windfarms.
Note that FACT. Anyone leafing through today's Evesham Journal will find a small outbreak of FACTs. These are FACTs from the VVASP School of Making Up Misleading Information and Calling it a FACT.
Apparently, someone has identified three FACTs about our proposed Lenchwick Windfarm. Each turbine is the same as a forty storey building and nobody is ever going to want to live near one (that's FACT one). Windfarms create noise pollution (that's another FACT). And windfarms make shadows flicker (that, too, is a FACT).
It would be tiresome to go through the mistakes in this fool's FACT-list and unfair to highlight the extraordinary extent of this person's ignorance. They clearly have let VVASP mess with their heads for far too long. And let's not forget that VVASP's FACTs were rubbished by an independent and impartial regulator.
The fact that this strange local has FACTs rather than 'guesses' just proves that they are a VVASP dupe who can't tell nonsense from fact any more.
Why, though? Why is it that, on the Continent, windfarms are merrily and quietly generating clean energy, much to the satisfaction of the locals, while the English can't stop frothing at the mouth over the whole windfarm/climate change thing?
What makes us so different, say, from the Danes, who love their windfarms?
George Monbiot suggested an answer to this one - the Danes are essentially communal. They get together in co-operatives (which is why we eat Danish Bacon and Lurpak butter), and their windfarms tend to belong to their local communities, who benefit from the energy (and money) generated by the turbines.
In England, no one believes in communes or co-operatives. We're fundamentally selfish and greedy. So a lot of people are prepared to lie about windfarms because they can't see any benefit to themselves from having one nearby.
Certainly, that theory rings true where VVASP are concerned. There are no good reasons (at all) to oppose windfarms, but if you think that you're not going to get anything from a turbine or two nearby, why shouldn't you terrify your neighbours and waste thousands of pounds of public money in trying to stop them?
I guess, just as windfarms in the UK are (if you're a nimby maniac) some kind of conspiracy involving local developers, power companies and Gordon Brown, then the success of windfarms on the Continent is all part of some EU conspiracy.
Doesn't anybody else think that this selfish, right-wing, Daily Mail madness is what's holding Britain back?
Why can't we be more like the Danes?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)