Let's respect leaders -- Ejja nirrespettaw lill-mexxejja

Why?

 

To tell you the truth, I've been finding it increasingly difficult answering this question.

 

Now from when I was a kid, I was raised and used to respect my elders and people in authority, whether parents, teachers, political leaders (messianic aura and all), clergy and religious leaders (those that are next to God), renowned people in the social sphere etc.  The idea was, I imagine, that there was much to learn from their wisdom, judgement, choices and philosophy.

 

With time, I realised there was much to learn, true, not all of which was honourable or acceptable.  Sometimes what I learnt was disgusting and abhorrent.  Is this the example we want kids to take?

 

Consider a case I learnt about today in Australia.  This comes from NSW, where a past president of the charity for retired services personnel RSL, Dan Rowe who retired from his position in 2014, today admitted using the organisation's funds to, amongst others, purchase mobile phones for his family, take them on holidays and even pay the mortage of his personal property.  An investigation alleges that the amount of money involved is almost half a million dollars.1

 

A similar case was that of Eman Sharobeem, who headed the NGOs Immigrant Women's Health Services and Non-Enlgish Speaking Housing Women's Scheme.  She was renowned for her work against forced marriages of minors (which she said had happened to her), female genital mutilation and violence against women.  This year we heard allegations that she had misappropriated two thirds of a million dollars from the NGOs, including purchase of jewellery and beauty treatments; that there were doubts about the story of her own forced marriage; even doubts about the academic title of Dr. that she used.2

 

In the political arena, we had the director of the Victorian Liberal party, Damien Mantach, accused of misappopropriating $1.5 million over a number of years, allegedly including payments to non-existent companies for non-existent works, funds that ended up with his family.3

 

On the other side of the political spectrum, we had Michael Williamson, ex-head of the Health Services Union and ex-President of the Australian Labor party, condemned to 5 years in jail for fraud of almost a million dollars which included mortgage payment on properties and payment of private school fees, and attempts to hinder the police investigations.4

 

In NSW, we had the ex-Labor ministers Ian McDonald5 and Eddie Obeid6 found guilty of criminal conduct and sentenced to jail.

 

And what should we say about religious organisations in Australia of various persuasions in whose embrace so many of us grew, ones that moulded our thoughts and characters all our lives, which we're finding out just how many ordered members and their leaders were involved directly, or indirectly, in the sexual abuse of minors, sometimes for years on end.  With unbelievable tragedy, the church I'm associated with, the Roman Catholic church, there are allegations against 7% of clergy.

 

I could keep on going.

 

Are you surprised that confidence in clergy has dropped from 59% to 34% in 20 years, and that faith in politicians, both state and federal, is at less than 20%?7

 

What would you expect, when those very people who are supposed to inspire trust seem to be eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dip their fingers (or perhaps fill the bucket), to abuse of their position?

 

I'm usually quick to point out that one cannot paint everybody with the same brush.  Nevertheless, when one sees all this, how can you explain parties being against there being a federal commission against corruption?  Why don't all states have laws against political donations by property developers, by donations from outside the country, I say even for every donation bigger than $1000, to candidates ad political parties?

 

What consequences will accrue to religious institutions for the bad behaviour of those acting in their name, and to those who were supposed to be directing them and failed to do so?

 

Trust is easy to lose and hard to gain.  When lost, there will be implications.

 

-----------------------

 

Għalfejn?

 

Ngħidilkom id-dritt, iktar ma jgħaddi ż-żmien iktar qed insibha diffiċli biex nirrispondi għall-mistoqsija.

 

Issa jien minn meta kont tifel kont imdorri u mgħallem li nirrispetta lis-superjuri tiegħi u nies fl-awtorità, kemm jekk huma ġenituri, għalliema, kapijiet politiċi (bl-awra messjanika tagħhom), il-kleru u l-mexxejja tal-knisja (dawk li huma flokjiġu wara Alla), persunaġġi magħrufa fix-xena soċjali eċċ.  L-ideja kienet, nimmaġina, li kelli wisq x'nitgħallem mill-għaqal, il-ġudizzju, l-għażliet u l-filosofija tagħhom.

 

U maż-żmien, sibt li kelli wisq x'nitgħallem, veru, imma mhux kollu kien onorevoli jew aċċettabbli.  Kultant dak li tgħallimt kien diżgustanti u aborrenti.  Dan l-eżempju li rridu li jieħdu t-tfal?

 

Ikkunsidraw każ li smajt bih illum hawn fl-Awstralja.  Ġej minn NSW, fejn president passat tal-organizzazzjoni tal-karità ta' nies irtirati tas-servizzi RSL, Dan Rowe li rtira mill-pożizzjoni fl-2014, illum ammetta li uża l-flus tal-organizzazzjoni biex fost l-oħrajn jixtri mobajls lill-familja, isifirhom u anke jħallas id-dejn tad-dar tiegħu.  Investigazzjoni tallega li l-ammont ta' flus involuti huwa ta' kważi nofs miljun dollaru.8

Każ simili kien ta' Eman Sharobeem, li kienet il-kap ta' żewġ NGOs Immigrant Women's Health Services u Non-English Speaking Housing Women's Scheme.  Hi kienet magħrufa għax-xogħol tagħha kontra ż-żwiġijiet sfurzati tal-minorenni (li qalet kienet ġrat lilha), il-mutilazzjoni ġenitali tan-nisa u l-vjolenza kontra n-nisa.  Din is-sena ħarġu allegazzjonijiet li kienet barmet żewġ terzi ta' miljun dollaru mill-NGOs, inkluż xiri ta' ġojjelli u trattamenti ta' sbuħija għaliha; li hemm dubju fuq l-istorja ta' żwieġ sfurzat tagħha; u anke fuq it-titlu akkademiku ta' Dr. li kienet tuża.9

 

Fl-arena politika, kellna lil direttur tal-partit Liberali f'Victoria, Damien Mantach, akkużat b'miżapproprijazzjoni ta' $1.5 miljun mifruxin fuq diversi snin, allegatament jinkludu ħlasijiet lejn kumpanniji li ma kinux jeżistu għal xogħlijiet li ma sarux, flejjes li spiċċaw fil-familja.10  

 

Fuq in-naħa l-oħra tal-ispettru politiku, kellna lil Michael Williamson, li kien kap tal-Health Services Union u wkoll president tal-partit Laburista Awstraljan, ikkundannat għal ħames snin ħabs għal frodi ta' kważi miljun dollaru li kienu jinkludu ħlas ta' dejn fuq proprjetajiet u ħlas ta' miżati ta' skola privata, u wkoll li pprova jfixkel lill-pulizija fl-investigazzjonijiet tagħhom.11

 

Kellna lill-ex-ministri Laburisti ta' NSW Ian McDonald12 u Eddie Obeid13 misjuba ħatja ta' aġir kriminali u ssentenzjati għall-ħabs.

 

U x'ingħidu għall-organizzazzjonijiet reliġjużi Awstraljani ta' diversi tipi li tant minna tlajna mgħannqin magħhom u li ffurmawlna l-ħsieb u l-karattru tagħhna tul ħajjitna kollha, li qed insiru nafu b'kemm membri ordnati u mexxejja tagħhom kienu involuti direttament, jew indirettament, b'abbuż sesswali ta' minorenni, xi kultant għal ħafna snin.  B'diżgrazzja liema bħalha, il-knisja li jien assoċjat magħha, dik Kattolika Rumana, hemm allegazzjonijijiet kontra madwar 7% tal-kleru.

 

Nista' nibqa sejjer hekk.

 

Tiskanta li l-fiduċja fil-kleru niżel minn 59% għal 34% f'għoxrin sena, u li l-fiduċja fil-politikanti, kemm statali kif ukoll federali, huwa ta' inqas minn 20%?14

 

X'tistenna, meta tant minn dawn il-persuni li suppost jispiraw fiduċja jidher li jkunu qed jistennew is-siegħa u l-mument biex ibillu subajgħom (jew forsi jimlew l-barmil), jistennew l-opportunità li jabbużaw mill-pożizzjoni tagħhom?

 

Jien inkun minn tal-ewwel biex ngħid li ma tistax titfa 'l kulħadd f'keffa waħda.  Madankollu, meta wieħed jara dan kollu, kif tispjega li hemm partiti li huma kontra li jkun hemm kummissjoni federali għal kontra l-korruzzjoni?  Kif mhux kull stat għandu liġi kontra d-donazzjonijiet politiċi ta' zviluppaturi tal-art, ta' donazzjonijiet minn barra l-pajjiż, ngħid jien anke ta' donazzjonijiet ta' iktar minn $1000, lil kandidati u partiti politiċi?

X'konsegwenzi se jkun hemm għall-istituzzjonijiet reliġjużi għall-imġieba ħażina ta' min qed jaġixxi f'isimhom, u ta' min qed imexxihom u naqas li jagħmel dan?

 

Il-fiduċja, meta titnaqqar, qajla terġa' tintrebaħ, u din xi impatt se jkollha.

1http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-18/former-rsl-nsw-president-admits-to-misuse-of-charitys-money/8957590, retrieved 18/9/2017

2http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/eman-sharobeems-jawdropping-deception-documented-as-her-colleague-prepares-to-give-evidence/news-story/501c02679de4ed88575c4095bcebd51c, retrieved 18/9/2017

3http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/damien-mantach-liberal-party-in-shock-after-15-million-fraud-allegations-20150820-gj442z.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

4http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-union-boss-michael-williamson-loses-his-appeal-to-have-jail-sentence-reduced-20150916-gjntf9.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

5http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ian-macdonald-found-guilty-of-misconduct-in-public-office-20170307-gushfa.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

6http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/eddie-obeid-loses-appeal-over-misconduct-conviction-20170912-gyg9wd.html, retrieved 18/9

7http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7244-roy-morgan-image-of-professions-may-2017-201706051543, retrieved 19/9/2017

8http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-18/former-rsl-nsw-president-admits-to-misuse-of-charitys-money/8957590, retrieved 18/9/2017

9http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/eman-sharobeems-jawdropping-deception-documented-as-her-colleague-prepares-to-give-evidence/news-story/501c02679de4ed88575c4095bcebd51c, retrieved 18/9/2017

10http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/damien-mantach-liberal-party-in-shock-after-15-million-fraud-allegations-20150820-gj442z.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

11http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-union-boss-michael-williamson-loses-his-appeal-to-have-jail-sentence-reduced-20150916-gjntf9.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

12http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ian-macdonald-found-guilty-of-misconduct-in-public-office-20170307-gushfa.html, retrieved 18/9/2017

13http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/eddie-obeid-loses-appeal-over-misconduct-conviction-20170912-gyg9wd.html, retrieved 18/9

14http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7244-roy-morgan-image-of-professions-may-2017-201706051543, retrieved 19/9/2017

The future of energy is coming! -- L-enerġija tal-futur riesaq!

Perhaps some of you might remember an article I had written two years ago on my blog1 and edition 105 of The Voice of the Maltese, on developments in the generation and storage of electrical energy and difficulties in distribution.  I had commented on the fear of an economic incentive arising for small investors in sustainable generation being disconnected from the public grid, and therefore their investment's benefits accrue only to themselves, even if they are able to generate more energy than they themselves consume.

 

I had expressed the hope that some incentive be created for these investors, both private individuals and enterprises, remain connected to the grid for the benefit of all.

 

I was delighted to note that these incentives are being developed by the private sector, and not by government or government agencies, and nor by the traditional electrical energy suppliers.

 

I've come across two companies developing interesting products in this space: Localvolts2 and Power Ledger3, both Australian companies.  Both are promising that generators and consumers will have a much wider choice than today as to whom to sell and from whom to buy their electricity, and at what price.  From these two companies, Power Ledger is the one which has given most detail on how this will occur, and this detail is indeed interesting.4

 

Probably everyone is familiar with the concept of a register, where any type of transaction is entered as a record and reference, forming the basis for a trade.  Today, a technology called blockchain exists, where this registry is distributed and replicated on a large number of computers on the internet around the world, where everyone would be able to verify the details of the transaction, and the fear of these details being adulterated be virtually eliminated with the use of cryptography.

 

A principal characteristic of this technology is the lack of a central authority which is certifying the transactions - the technology itself renders this unnecessary.  Another characteristic is the speed at which the transaction takes place, which represents a contract where from one side the service (electrical energy) is provided, and on the other where payment is returned.

 

The best known example of the use of blockchain is the electronic currency Bitcoin, after which came many others.  Nevertheless, the use of blockchains is not limited to currencies, but can also be used for other tokens of value, which are all able to be traded.

 

Power Ledger has chosen to use two tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.  The first, called SPARKZ, is equivalent to the lowest denomination fiat currency of the country (for example in Australia it is the cent), and is used by the consumer to buy energy, and the generator to sell it.  The second symbol, called POWR, is used as permission for the first to be bought and sold.

 

Some of the aims of this project, where regulations permit, include to enable:5

• •trade of energy directly between consumers and prosumers (which are consumers that also generate), where everyone benefits from reduced bills and better returns for investors; 

• •better choice and high granularity as to the source from which energy is bought and to whom; 

• •aggregation of consumers; 

• •those living in rental accommodation or strata, which normally are unable to install their own generators such as PV systems, can participate in this market; 

• •investments can easily be made in partnerships; 

• •electric vehicles can be identified and charged from various charging points. 

 

It seems that pilot projects have been undertaken in Busselton, Western Australia and also in New Zealand, and now Power Ledger are publicly seeking investors to continue developing these applications and others.

 

It is these types of innovative developments that the country, and the world, needs to transform quicker the electrical energy industry, today dominated by dirty generators (burning coal and/or oil), selling energy on a wholesale basis to retails which then dictate prices to the consumer.

 

Carbon pollution leading to climate change naturally is not only the result of the burning of fossil fuels for the production of electrical energy, but also for other uses such as transport, and the production of iron.  Nevertheless, the eletricity sector needs to move quicker to a stage where it is carbon-free.

 

I rejoice to see innovative and advanced use of technology aimed to try and solve a number of headaches simultaneously: high electricity prices, the fear of many addresses disconnecting from the electricity grid and the slow pace of transformation of the industry.  As an engineer and a human troubled by the widespread signs of climate change, I cannot fail to see this initiative as immensely positive.

 

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Forsi wħud minnkom jiftakru artiklu li kont ktibt sentejn ilu fuq il-blog tiegħi1 u fil-ħarġa numru 105 ta' The Voice of the Maltese, fuq l-iżviluppi fil-qasam tal-ġenerazzjoni u l-ħażna tal-enerġija elettrika u d-diffikultajiet fid-distribuzzjoni.  Kont ikkummentajt fuq il-biża' li jista' jinħoloq inċentiv ekonomiku biex investituri żgħar ta' generaturi sostenibbli jinqatgħu mis-sistema pubblika tad-distribuzzjoni, u għalhekk il-benefiċċju tal-investiment tagħhom, igawduh huma biss, anke jekk kapaċi jiġġeneraw enerġija iktar milli jistgħu jikkonsmaw huma.

 

Kont esprimejt it-tama li jinħoloq xi inċentiv biex dawn l-investituri, kemm individwi privati jew intrapriżi, jibqgħu imqabbdin mas-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni, sabiex jibbenefika l-pajjiż sħiħ.

 

Hadt pjaċir ninnota li dawn l-inċentivi jidher li qiegħdin jiġu żviluppati, mill-privat u mhux mill-gvern jew aġenziji governattivi, u lanqas mill-kumpanniji tradizzjonali tal-enerġija elettrika.

 

Sirt naf b'żewġ kumpanniji li qiegħdin jiżviluppaw prodotti interessanti f'dan il-qasam:  Localvolts2 u Power Ledger3, it-tnejn kumpanniji Awstraljani.  It-tnejn iwiegħdu li ġeneratur u konsumatur se jkollhom għażla bil-wisq ikbar mil-lum lil min ibiegħu jew mingħand min jixtru l-enerġija, u b'liema preżż.  Minn dawn iż-żewġ kumpanniji, Power Ledger hija l-iktar li tat dettalji ta' kif dan se jseħħ, u dawn id-dettalji huma interessanti ferm.4

 

Aktarx kulħadd huwa familjari mal-kunċett ta' reġistru, fejn transazzjonijiet ta' kwalunkwe tip ikunu imniżżla bħala rikordju u riferenza, u dan jservi ta' bażi għal negozju.  Illum hawn teknoloġija, imsejħa katina ta' blokok (blockchain), fejn dan ir-reġistru jkun mifrux u rreplikat fuq numru kbir ta' kompjuters fuq l-internet madwar id-dinja, fejn kulħadd ikun jista' jivverifika d-dettalji tat-transazzjoni, u l-biża' li dawn jiġu mbagħbsa jiġi virtwalment elminat bl-użu tal-kriptografija.

 

Karatteristika prinċipali ta' din it-teknologija hi li m'hemm l-ebda awtorità ċentrali li qiegħda tiċċertifika t-transazzjonijiet - it-tekonoloġija trendiha bla bżonn.  Karatteristika oħra hija l-ħeffa li biha issir transazzjoni, li jkun kuntratt fejn min-naħa waħda jiġi pprovdut servizz (l-enerġija elettrika) u min-naħa l-oħra jsir il-ħlas.

 

L-eżempju l-iktar magħruf tal-użu tal-katina ta' blokok huwa l-munita elettronika Bitcoin, li minn meta nħolqot żdiedu oħrajn.  Madankollu, l-użu tal-katina tal-blokok mhux limitat għal-muniti, imma jistgħu jintużaw simboli oħra ta' valur, li jkunu jistgħu jiġu negożjati.

 

Power Ledger għażlet li tuża żewġ simboli fuq il-katina ta' blokok Ethereum.  L-ewwel wieħed, jismu SPARKZ, huwa ekwivalenti għall-iktar denominazzjoni baxxa tal-munita tal-pajjiż (per eżempju fl-Awstralja huma ċ-ċenteżmi), u jintuża biex konsumatur jixtri l-enerġija, u ġeneratur ibiegħu.  It-tieni simbolu, jismu POWR, iservi ta' permess biex tal-ewwel ikun jista' jiġi mixtri u mbiegħ.

 

Uħud mill-miri ta' dan il-proġett, fejn ir-regolamenti jippermettu, huma:5

• •in-negozju tal-enerġija dirett bejn il-konsumaturi u l-prosumaturi (konsumaturi sofistikati li jiġġeneraw ukoll), fejn kulħadd igawdi minn kontijiet imnaqqsa, u introjtu aħjar għall-investituri; 

• •l-għażla faċli u b'granularità għolja ta' minn fejn jinxtara u lil min jinbiegħ l-enerġija; 

• •aggregazzjoni ta' konsumaturi; 

• •dawk li jgħixu f'kiri jew strata, fejn normalment ma jitħallewx jistallaw sistemi fotovoltajċi, li jipparteċipaw f'dan is-suq; 

• •fejn investimenti jistgħu faċilment jinqasmu bi sħab; 

• •mezzi ta' trasport elettriċi jistgħu ikunu identifikati u ċċarġjati minn diversi punti tas-sistema ta' distribuzzjoni. 

 

Jidher li diġa saru proġetti pilota f'Busselton, Western Australia, u wkoll f'New Zealand u bħalissa Power Ledger qiegħdin pubblikament ifittxu investituri biex ikomplu jiżviluppaw dawn l-applikazzjonijiet u oħrajn.

 

Huma dawn it-tip ta' żviluppi innovattivi li l-pajjiż, u d-dinja, għandha bżonn, biex tittrasforma b'mod iktar mgħaġġel l-industrija tal-enerġija elettrika, iddominata llum minn ġeneraturi maħmuġa (il-ħruq ta' faħam u/jew żejt), li jbiegħu l-enerġija bl-ingrossa (wholesale) lill-bejjiegħa tal-imnut (retailer) li jiddettaw il-prezz lill-konsumatur.

 

It-tniġġiż tal-karbonju li jwassal għat-tibdil tal-klima naturalment ma jiġix biss mill-ħruq ta' sorsi ffosilizzati ta' enerġija għall-elettriċità, imma għal użi oħra bħat-trasport u l-produzzjoni tal-ħadid.  Madankollu, is-settur tal-enerġija elettrika għandha bżonn tersaq iktar malajr għal sitwazzjoni fejn il-ġenerazzjoni tkun kollha kemm hi nadifa.

 

Nifraħ nara l-użu innovattiv u avvanzat tat-teknoloġija li qed tipprova solvi diversi wġigħ ta' ras f'salt: l-għoli fil-prezzijiet tal-enerġija elettrika, il-biża li ħafna indirizzi jinqatgħu mis-sistema ta' distribuzzjoni, il-pass kajman fit-trasformazzjoni tal-industrija.  Bħala inġinier u bniedem inkwetat mis-sinjali mifruxa tat-tibdil tal-klima, ma nistax ma narax din l-inizjattiva bħala pożittiva immens.

 

1https://ivancauchi.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/energy-in-future-l-energija-fil-futur.html

2https://localvolts.com/

3https://powerledger.io/

4https://tge.powerledger.io/media/Power-Ledger-Whitepaper-v3.pdf, retrieved 6/9/2017

5https://tge.powerledger.io/#apps, retrieved 6/9/2017

1https://ivancauchi.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/energy-in-future-l-energija-fil-futur.html

2https://localvolts.com/

3https://powerledger.io/

4https://tge.powerledger.io/media/Power-Ledger-Whitepaper-v3.pdf, retrieved 6/9/2017

5https://tge.powerledger.io/#apps, retrieved 6/9/2017