Author: Refracktion

When is a cyber attack not a cyber attack?

When is a cyber attack not a cyber attack?

When the video feed at BFC fails! Yesterday I was attempting to listen to the lacklustre performance of Mark Smith from ARUP at about 2:10 when the live feed went down. The inspector was informed that this was due to a cyber attack and announced this to the inquiry. Very...

Hansard so it’s true but what is he saying?

Hansard so it’s true but what is he saying?

This from yesterday’s Hansard, on the day on which the enquiry, which will be decided by Greg Clark, Minister for Communities and Local Government, started. Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Labour My Lords, I declare an interest as a Lancashire resident. Will the Minister care to take away and reflect on...

It’s another world for the frackers

It’s another world for the frackers

I’ll leave the erudite Ruth Hayhurst to report on the important goings on at the Enquiry today, but one story that did come out shows that it’s one world for those protesting against fracking and another one for Cuadrilla and their cronies. We heard today that  Cuadrilla have a hospitality...

Lost in Transit – A Sad Tale

Lost in Transit – A Sad Tale

Today 250 anti-fracking protestors welcomed 40 or 50 of the fracking industry’s hopefuls and a smattering of refugees from Yorkshire to Bloomfield Road. The Police were very complimentary about the exemplary behaviour of all of those present – it was largely a good humoured event, helped along by the hilarity...

So who exactly is Backing Fracking – unmasking the astro-turfers

So who exactly is Backing Fracking – unmasking the astro-turfers

Given what I read in their carefully crafted press releases and on their social media sites, it seems that the astroturfing group which calls itself “Backing Fracking” would have you believe that they are made up of ordinary “residents” who are nothing to do with “the industry and businesses on...

“Ministers plot to foil anti-frackers”

“Ministers plot to foil anti-frackers”

The Daily Telegraph this morning published a letter sent by three government ministers to George Osborne, The Chancellor last July, apparently in response to a  request for a “joint plan” from all of them for how to impose the fracking industry on an unwilling country. The text of the letter...

A challenge to the ridiculous and ubiquitous Ken Wilkinson

A challenge to the ridiculous and ubiquitous Ken Wilkinson

I have been amused over the last few weeks to read the increasingly ridiculous comments made by retired physics teacher from Bristol, Ken Wilkinson. The most ludicrous statement he has made though was this one from yesterday. Now there is clearly a respectable debate about fracking to be had, and...

Gissa Job!

Gissa Job!

We all know how the industry likes to claim that it will bring jobs to the local areas where it operates. We see precious little evidence to support this, so we were delighted to read that Public Health England are advertising in the BMJ for a “Consultant in Health Protection”...

How to shoot yourself in the foot with figures

How to shoot yourself in the foot with figures

One of the hot topics at the moment is the extent of support or opposition to shale gas development. It seems fairly inarguable that the trend exposed by the successive waves of research by DECC has shown a shift in public attitudes, with those opposed to fracking becoming much more...