Everything old is new again...

If you ever needed proof that belief in AGW leads to a poor grasp of history, here it is: I have just discovered a company (and they even have the ear of the British P.M.) who are developing cutting-edge technology to make cargo shipping carbon neutral, in their words:

B9 Shipping has developed 100% renewable powered cargo ships bringing proven technologies together in an innovative way to address the growing problem of emissions in shipping.

Guess what their new fangled technomonology is?

Sails!

I love it. They are so full of themselves that they have even pledged to "give" this new technology they are developing to small island states at risk of climate change related sea level rise.

I hate to break it to the folks at B9 shipping, but I think that at least some of those small island nations probably have that technology already. In fact, they practically invented it. The polynesians were zipping across the Pacific ocean in out-riggers when the Brits were still working out that floating potties coracles weren't such a great idea.

Admittedly, those Europeans made up for it later with the age of sail, took over half the world and made those great clipper ships, which weren't too shabby at hauling freight, either, if memory serves.

If any of you get falling-down drunk at the docks and find yourself press-ganged into the world of carbon-netral freight, don't say I didn't warn you.

Additionally, if you ever find yourself playing poker against a denizen of a small island nation and they say "I've never played before, you'll have to show me how", hold onto your wallets, you're about to get fleeced.