Politics

[Cackalacky]

Didn't Germany have pe

They also faced blackouts/brownouts last winter when there was a cloudy, windless week. whether or not that is true, the economics of it are increasingly unpopular.


GERMANY: Renewable Energy Policy “Complete Failure”… Bring On The Dirty Coal Monsters : SRSrocco Report

Their economic and implementation policy is what is not working well. The technology is working better than expected and innovations have improved so much that are producing more than they anticipated resulting in the overloads. Storage is improving. And as it is an emerging market it is understandable there are going to be fluctuations in supply and demand as well as cost born out by politcos. This is no reason to abandon it.

Also we see their difficulties so making more informed decisions is key moving forward. Just like we learned from the Fukishima disaster, or Three Mile Island, or all of the numerous oil spills over the year. Each source of energy will have drawbacks and benefits.

I don't consider this a failure. It will take time and effort but that also is no reason to quit.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Their economic and implementation policy is what is not working well. The technology is working better than expected and innovations have improved so much that are producing more than they anticipated resulting in the overloads. Storage is improving. And as it is an emerging market it is understandable there are going to be fluctuations in supply and demand as well as cost born out by politcos. This is no reason to abandon it.

Also we see their difficulties so making more informed decisions is key moving forward. Just like we learned from the Fukishima disaster, or Three Mile Island, or all of the numerous oil spills over the year. Each source of energy will have drawbacks and benefits.

I don't consider this a failure. It will take time and effort but that also is no reason to quit.

My impression is kind of half-way between.

How much of the issue was caused by taking all of those stabalizing nuclear reactors off-line after Fukishima? Renewable energy, at this point, is not reliable enought to form the base of your power supply. Coal is much better in that regard right now.

So if you are replacing the losses from the nuclear plants, I can see why they are turning back to coal.

 

[Cackalacky]

Why not go net negative to undo the "harm" done and the fact we are in a warming period?

Because the vast majority of organisms on this planet require CO2 to live. It should be neutral. and in line with the natural processes. Again we should live within nature.

Is it inconceivable to imagine a time in the not too distant future when we develop the technology to sink carbon and whatever other pollutant du jour comes across Al Gore's desk?

Fuck Al Gore. Nature already sinks it through natural processes. We are the ones who upset that through using carbon fuel sources. As to the dujour pollutant, net neutral technologies solve this. If you use it you should have a neutral way of ridding its waste components.

And what is wrong with expending resources to adapt to a changing environment? If my retirement investments are on an insufficient path to support my current lifestyle I have two choices 1)increase my current earnings to save more and work longer, 2) lower my cost of living currently and in retirement. Your solutions seem to hinge one #2, I think #1 is more realistic given the mentality of the human race AND provides the opportunity to influence the future from a position of power rather than subservience.

I have no problems with adapting to the environment but our current system to include food production and sources of freshwater are not capable of adjusting quickly. Also there is a finite ceiling to our resources so #1 is long term unrealistic. We cannot continue to extend our resources infinitely. It is a positive feed back loop. Extending resources leads to increase in populations which requires increased resources which leads to increased populations.....

If you feel so strongly I suggest you rent rather than own in Charleston, SC. I am looking forward to Raleigh becoming a beach front community.

Italics or not this attitude is infuriating because I know people actually think this is a valid point.

LED bulbs everywhere for me, it is a convenience and cost savings thing. I moved to live close to work and school so we drive half as much or less than we did a year ago, waste of time and money was incredible. And I have looked into solar and geothermal for my home. Reduced dependence on the grid given a high likelihood of eventually having big problems with a hurricane or ice storm are factors that would make me pay a premium. City codes, HOA architectural committees and general lack of good information get in the way. Solar is a joke since you need batteries to have any sort of grid independence and the efficiency falls off pretty well after a few years.

Awesome. Some states are moving to outlawing living off the grid and proposing laws to prevent expansion of alternate sources of energy. I wonder why? I know several people who live comfortably off-grid. I am moving that way as well. I don't need 24-hour electricity. The majority of any given day my house is unoccupied. I am working with a smart thermostat right now to maximize the energy needed to run my house. There are companies working on a smart grid for houses. These are all things that can help.

Geothermal is a great example, lower your A/C costs by 80% and long term maintenance are a fraction of the cost as well. If all the efforts on solar were put into geothermal we would have huge reductions in consumption. New home construction could use this pretty cost effectively but home builders aren't serious about anything but granite.

Agree. Not all sources are a one size fits all solution. It may and could be multiple sources that lead to independence. It probably should be so as to limit damage done by acts of god or any other unforseen events.

 

[Cackalacky]

My impression is kind of half-way between.

How much of the issue was caused by taking all of those stabalizing nuclear reactors off-line after Fukishima? Renewable energy, at this point, is not reliable enought to form the base of your power supply. Coal is much better in that regard right now.

So if you are replacing the losses from the nuclear plants, I can see why they are turning back to coal.

I agree as well. We learn through failures more than successes. But we know how much coal and oil cause long term problems. I know we cannot stop and switch but we should be pursuing these technologies, identify road blocks and correct them.

 

[connor_in]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PBy5LgQ6Cq4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[condoms SUCk]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PBy5LgQ6Cq4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Now that Obama has nothing to lose he will do whatever he wants to do, Congress wont stop him and SCOTUS wont push back when they have the opportunity.

This is going to get very interesting.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Now that Obama has nothing to lose he will do whatever he wants to do, Congress wont stop him and SCOTUS wont push back when they have the opportunity.

This is going to get very interesting.

Obama is achieving all his goals and he will push forward in fundamental transformation with little resistance. Pen and a phone.

 

[condoms SUCk]

Obama is achieving all his goals and he will push forward in fundamental transformation with little resistance. Pen and a phone.

Yup, and the vast majority of us will just sit by and watch it happen.

 

[dshans]

Obama is achieving all his goals??? No one is stopping him???

How does one gain access to this alternate universe???

Is there a height requirement to get on the ride???

 

[Wild Bill]

Obama is achieving all his goals??? No one is stopping him???

How does one gain access to this alternate universe???

Is there a height requirement to get on the ride???

Absolutely not. No photo ID requirement either.

 

[connor_in]

Obama is achieving all his goals??? No one is stopping him???

How does one gain access to this alternate universe???

Is there a height requirement to get on the ride???

I wouldn't necessarily agree to the statement you are referring to, but remember, he told us he has a phone and a pen and wouldn't be shy of using executive orders, just adding regulations issued from whatever govt agency, and then there is always the question of will Holder and the administration feel the need to actually enforce an existing law they don't like

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Obama is achieving all his goals??? No one is stopping him???

How does one gain access to this alternate universe???

Is there a height requirement to get on the ride???

Step out of any college professors' lounge, the MSNBC headquarters, or the editorial room of the new york times. Amazing stuff out there.

 

[condoms SUCk]

Obama is achieving all his goals??? No one is stopping him???

How does one gain access to this alternate universe???

Is there a height requirement to get on the ride???

Here's my point. If you believe the premise that the Obama Presidency is "done" and you are in his shoes what would you do?

1). Just sit back and relax
2). Continue to push your agenda where you can via Executive Order.

I argue that he will go with option 2. Congress be damned.

 

[RDU Irish]

Because the vast majority of organisms on this planet require CO2 to live. It should be neutral. and in line with the natural processes. Again we should live within nature.


Fuck Al Gore. Nature already sinks it through natural processes. We are the ones who upset that through using carbon fuel sources. As to the dujour pollutant, net neutral technologies solve this. If you use it you should have a neutral way of ridding its waste components.

I have no problems with adapting to the environment but our current system to include food production and sources of freshwater are not capable of adjusting quickly. Also there is a finite ceiling to our resources so #1 is long term unrealistic. We cannot continue to extend our resources infinitely. It is a positive feed back loop. Extending resources leads to increase in populations which requires increased resources which leads to increased populations.....

"In society after society, he saw, when the mortality rate falls—specifically, below 10 deaths per 1,000 people—the birth rate follows, and population growth stabilizes. “It goes against common sense,” Gates says. Most parents don’t choose to have eight children because they want to have big families, it turns out, but because they know many of their children will die."

With Vaccines, Bill Gates Changes The World Again - Forbes

Increased standards of living lead to lower birth rates? You mean we aren't just a bunch of rabbits that will overpopulate without a natural predator knocking us down a peg?

Look at the US, the number of children produced is directly related to poverty. The richer you get, the fewer kids you have. Maybe if we stopped subsidizing poor people having kids they would choose to have fewer?

Now look at Europe, Japan and even the US if you back out immigration. Those populations are not growing. Increases in longevity account for as much population growth as anything. In developed nations, people wait longer to have children (stretching out generations) while having fewer total children.

 

[GoIrish41]

Haven't heard much about Benghazi lately in this thread. Wonder why?

GOP’s Benghazi humiliation: Capture of suspect upends deranged agenda - Salon.com

 

[Cackalacky]

The majority of population growth is from the undeveloped portion of the world. We are set to cross 7 billion people real soon.

 

[connor_in]

Haven't heard much about Benghazi lately in this thread. Wonder why?

GOP’s Benghazi humiliation: Capture of suspect upends deranged agenda - Salon.com

Benghazi Suspect Was Well Known To Journalists Long Before His Capture

 

[RDU Irish]

Here's my point. If you believe the premise that the Obama Presidency is "done" and you are in his shoes what would you do?

1). Just sit back and relax
2). Continue to push your agenda where you can via Executive Order.

I argue that he will go with option 2. Congress be damned.

Anyone surprised to see him push an extremely liberal agenda really hasn't paid attention from day one. He was one of the most liberal senators in his brief stint and has extreme views. This was all known before he was elected for anyone paying attention. Still amazes me how anyone from either side of the aisle could be elected with views so far from center and no relevant experience.

 

[BobD]

Here's my point. If you believe the premise that the Obama Presidency is "done" and you are in his shoes what would you do?

1). Just sit back and relax
2). Continue to push your agenda where you can via Executive Order.

I argue that he will go with option 2. Congress be damned.

He has lots of catching up to do, right?

Executive Orders

 

[GoIrish41]

Benghazi Suspect Was Well Known To Journalists Long Before His Capture

So was Bin Laden before he was tracked down and killed. He used to send them tapes of him denouncing the United States.

 

[RDU Irish]

The majority of population growth is from the undeveloped portion of the world. We are set to cross 7 billion people real soon.

And the best way to curb population growth in the undeveloped world is to get them developed. Or do you dispute what Bill Gates spent billions of dollars to figure out?

 

[Cackalacky]

And the best way to curb population growth in the undeveloped world is to get them developed. Or do you dispute what Bill Gates spent billions of dollars to figure out?

I am not sure that is possible. Maybe if we alter the way urban areas are developed and figure out ways to deliver our current level of services to say India or China. I don't dispute his findings but bringing the third world to first world conditions is gonna be tough without advances in technogy and resources. Imagine if an additional 790,000,000 Chinese and 500,000,000 Indians draw out all the water the Average American does. We already struggle to provide California with enough water to grow our country's largest agricultural area.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

More progressive "tolerance" in our schools. NRA.com? Blocked. Christianity.com? Blocked. Guide to Islam website...come on down!

Townhall, Other Conservative Sites Blocked at CT High School - Sarah Jean Seman

 

[ACamp1900]

Howard Zinn would be very proud... Mold Minds... according to your own ideology.

 

[connor_in]

 

[RDU Irish]

I am not sure that is possible. Maybe if we alter the way urban areas are developed and figure out ways to deliver our current level of services to say India or China. I don't dispute his findings but bringing the third world to first world conditions is gonna be tough without advances in technogy and resources. Imagine if an additional 790,000,000 Chinese and 500,000,000 Indians draw out all the water the Average American does. We already struggle to provide California with enough water to grow our country's largest agricultural area.

You are putting your cart miles ahead of your horse. Vaccines and basic living standards (concrete floor, potable water supply, proper latrenes) alone would vastly improve mortality in third world countries. Add in access to cheap, reliable electricity and you are well on your way from someone having 10 kids b/c they aren't sure any will live.

Not sure if your solution is to back the US to third world standards or kill off the rest of the world so they don't hog the resources we want for ourselves?

To sum up the whole argument, how exactly does 1/20th of the world population save the world if the other 95% aren't going to play along? It seems to me like driving the speed limit on a crowded expressway when everyone else is going 20mph over. In your mind you are being a safer, law abiding, responsible driver. In reality you are going to get run over or pushed off the road. You aren't really doing yourself or anyone else any favors.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Problem is, people make up what they want to believe, and desperate people make up things far from reality.

So the farther what people make up is from reality, the wilder, or additionally further it gets.

Normally this is okay, and moderated by decent civil discourse and good citizenship, etc. But that is all gone. Even here in conversation people are "throwing rocks at each other," instead of listening and trying to resolve issues.

Forget any comments about bias. This guy is a master of comedy because of his talent to point out "absolute human stupidity in action." Without further ado :

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A good test of the truth I stay, is there is hardly a statistic that hasn't been misquoted, lied about, or based on illogic by the "climate change is a fraud" crowd.

 

[RDU Irish]

To summarize, people are not full of shit, they are full of themselves. Which is significantly worse because the worst thing in life is being convinced you have all the answers.

 

[Ndaccountant]

To summarize, people are not full of shit, they are full of themselves. Which is significantly worse because the worst thing in life is being convinced you have all the answers.

And yet, we are to believe Washington when they say they have answer.......

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

This country will be unrecognizable by the time Obama leaves office. And this is what most of the American left wants. Fundamental transformation.