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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Dolphins behave similarly; they form fast-moving cylinders in which they trap the fish they will eat.

What are the take-aways from this piece about the ants?

Very little intelligence, at least as we conceive it, is required to optimize well-being for everyone.

We are born with an instinct to take care of one another.

Our civilization has “evolved” to the point that the most core elements of our being have been stamped out.  The result: the systematic destruction of our only home.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

We often see claims that a certain EV is equipped with solar panels and thus never needs to be charged from external sources. Yet when we do the math we can see instantly that such a car would be extremely limited in power and range.

Here’s one that actually works according to its inventor’s assertion. Cute idea.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Those wishing to know why present-day Americans are so vehement in their rejection of science, consider this piece from Bertrand Russell:

“It is science that has destroyed the belief in witchcraft, magic and sorcery. It is science that has made the old creeds and the old superstitions impossible for intelligent men to accept. It is science that has made it laughable to suppose the earth the center of the universe and man the supreme purpose of the creation. It is science that is showing the falsehood of the old dualisms of soul and body, mind and matter, which have their origin in religion. It is science that is beginning to make us understand ourselves, and to enable us, up to a point, to see ourselves from without as curious mechanisms. It is science that has taught us the way to substitute tentative truth for cocksure error.”

The answer to the question lies in the last sentence. Our educational system is failing, and uneducated people love to be “cocksure.”

Cults, perhaps the most notorious for their rejection of science, don’t want doubters; they demand that their followers be certain.  In fact, some of them sell certainty as one of the benefits of membership.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Fifteen years ago, if you had wanted to bet me that I’d be a huge fan of a child of Dick Cheney in the year 2022, you would have a thousand dollars against a nickel.

Wow, this is hot stuff, and, regardless of how all this turns out, she’ll be regarded as among the bravest patriots in U.S. history.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science
Re: the question at left, Reader A replies:
Maybe as an elective but not part of the main curriculum. Too few people use it.
Reader B responds:
Not true! MANY people use cursive writing! I know I still do. It is a functional communicative art that is also as individualistic as one’s fingerprint! It should not be delegated to a substandard communication device ever!
IMO, the thing to keep in mind is that classroom time is limited.  If you want to teach cursive, that means you’re not teaching something else. I’d prefer that a seven-year-old (?) get a little better at reading and writing, maybe a bit further along in math or in the appreciation of nature.
Also, as Reader A said, it’s falling into disuse. Is anyone learning to take dictation using shorthand?  I hope not.
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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

What the House select committee is doing and how it’s doing it are certainly true, but why it’s doing it is unclear.

Most Americans hope that Merrick Garland and his people are conducting their own investigation simultaneously, and that the report from the House committee will add impact to what he’s accomplished thus far.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Through the years, I’ve helped a great many people, including my children, with their résumés and cover letters.  The key, it seems to me, is understanding the mindset of whoever’s going to be doing the reviewing, and making sure that every word addresses that.

Unlike Matthew Monagle, I’ve never used the opportunity to cut up.  I admire his sense of humor.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

About 40% of our readers live outside of U.S. borders, and unless they happen to be particularly attuned to the nuances of American demographics, they will have little response to the accuracy of the map below.

About which, I would ask: Are you telling me that the states of West Virginia, Maine, Idaho, Michigan and Florida are hotbeds of atheism? Seems a bit hard to swallow.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Is life in Florida any more irrational and stupid than it is in any other state in the deep south, Oklahoma or West Virginia?  That’s not clear, but from all the news that comes cascading down on us on a daily basis, one would have to suspect the answer is probably yes.

Their governor is just a young Donald Trump, their surgeon general is an anti-vaxxer, their “don’t say gay” policy further endangers the safety and mental health of LGBTQ school kids, they have vigorous voter suppression laws in place, and propose to have special police forces in each polling place.

A good place to avoid.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

If it weren’t for all the damage Donald Trump has done to our nation, we could all have some mighty fine laughs.  Here’s the 45th President of the United States announcing the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State Group, who killed himself during an operation by U.S. special forces in northwest Syria.

 

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