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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Outside of the fact that it’s corrupt, no one except Trump knows the precise nature of America’s relationship with Qatar. And as the Qataris become the first and only sovereign nation with a military base on U.S. soil, we have to wonder why.

And Idaho? I suppose if you wanted it any more poorly located for a Mideastern country, you could put it on Guam or American Samoa, but let’s think about Idaho for a minute. What will the locals think? Outside of the Deep South, is there anywhere else in the U.S. where there are more ignorant, hateful xenophobes who detest Muslims more than Idaho?

Of all the weird crap going on in the White House, this may not be the most strategic, but it certainly is interesting.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Richard Rohr sounds like a good, intelligent guy to me. But of his statement at left: bullcrap.

The evangelicals have been noted for their hypocrisy long before Trump was born, and will be taking absurd positions on political life as long as we have an organized civilization here.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

BOOOOOO. Sounds great for Halloween! The lights come up for a moment — then down — and then it’s totally dark! Spooky, albeit a bit dangerous for pedestrians.

Hugely expensive though, probably 500 – 1000 times conventional approaches.

Actually, it’s worse, now that I look at it more closely.  The turbines are encased in columns that block the air flow.  You’ll get just as much wind in your basement.

 

 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Good one!

It would be hard to pick a less belligerent city in America than Portland.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

As I’ve written elsewhere, I find it amazing that there haven’t been hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths associated with ICE raids on private property.

I live in a rural region of California, in which virtually everyone owns a gun.  I would predict that if 100 masked men pried open 100 windows in this neighborhood, several of them would die of gunshot wounds to the head.

And if I were on the jury on these cases, every single person who stood his ground in this manner would walk.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

I’m not a subscriber to the Washington Post, so I don’t have access to this article, though I love the thought presented in the title, and I have to say that I’d be interested in any intellectually serious argument to the effect that America isn’t on a steep and long decline.

At this point in time:

• It looks like the nation is headed for authoritarianism, and we’re not just accepting it; we’re ushering it in, as if it were the New Year.

• The divide between rich and poor continues to widen, as the federal debt explodes, and the proceeds are handed out to the wealthiest Americans.

• The federal government, formerly a source of help to Americans in terms of education, a sane and helpful liaison to other countries, a military led by seasoned generals and admirals, a justice system that worked independently of the will of the president, an environmental policy dominated by science–all have largely been eviscerated.

• The state of healthcare in the United States lies in the hands of a madman.

• A steadily declining educational system, showing what little regard we have for America’s future.

America, I love you like a sick child. I’m sitting at your bedside, rooting with all my heart for a speedy recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

We do seem to be dancing around this, don’t we?

If you tune into even the left-of-center cable shows like MSNBC and CNN, you won’t find a single mention of the only thing that really matters in the United States, i.e., that the nation is headed towards autocracy.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Good point here.

We regard the German people of the early 20th Century as willfully ignorant.

That’s certainly not good, but it’s far better that today’s Trump supporters, who openly welcome authoritarianism, as it gets them what they want: white supremacy, the militarism of our cities, mass deportation, the dismantling of the federal government, Christianity in schools, the removal of LGBTQ rights, etc.

Ignorance and hate.  They go together.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s an excellent article that explains, from the perspective of a foreign journalist who’s covered the slide into autocracy of nations like Turkey and Hungary, why the U.S. and its people need to remain hopeful that Trump can be prevented from becoming a dictator.

I found the piece on protests particularly important.

My perspective: If Trump hasn’t “overplayed his hand” by this point, it’s hard to know when he will, and exactly what this means.  Using the military to intimidate democrats in our country’s major cities, using the Justice Department to punish his enemies, quashing the criminal indictments against him, pardoning hundreds of the convicted insurrections who happen to support him, using his position as president to enrich himself, eviscerating the federal government to provide tax breaks for his mega-wealthy donors, kicking tens of millions of people off of healthcare–it’s impossible to know where this will stop.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

When my son was younger, he was considering investing in a franchise, and I told him I’d help him determine if this was a sound idea.  Although this concept has been dead in his mind for many years, every time I see an ad like this, I still wonder about the variables that would determine legitimacy of such an investment.

Of course, this one caught my eye, insofar as it concerns Americans’ diet as they affect environmental sustainability.

Here, I wonder about the overall top-line variables, without doing any work on this at all.

 

How is the company doing overall?

Dickie’s top-line revenue has decreased about 35% since its peak in 2023.  That’s considerable.

 

Are there trends that may affect success?

The trend toward meatless restaurants is growing, driven by consumer interest in health, sustainability, and ethics. This shift is reflected in the increasing popularity of plant-based dining, with more restaurants offering vegan options and dedicated meatless establishments opening and gaining mainstream appeal. While the sector faces challenges like supply chain disruptions and competition, it is also a significant and expanding market with strong potential for innovation.

Having said that, Dickie’s target market is the young, workwear demographic, that may be less concerned about all this than more upscale markets. 

 

How does the quality/appeal of Dickie’s stack up against its competition?

Dickie’s is the largest in its category, but it’s also the worst.  Its average Yelp rating is 3.0 stars.  

 

How has the typical franchisee done recently, considering the franchise fee, cost of operations, etc.

I don’t know; this would take some work, but it appears that the company may be under stress. 

 

Does this package appear to me, personally?

Of course not.

First of all, I’m suspicious that the company is in a desperate attempt to rescue its failing financial position by selling more franchises.

More to the point, it sickens me that people want to eat this garbage.  But that’s just me. I long for a day when Americans care about animal cruelty and environmental sustainability.  Of course, I’m not holding my breath. 

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