It’s no secret that science is taking a terrible drubbing here in the United States, as tens of millions of people, without any education in the arena, are “doing their own research” by watching media outlets like Fox News and looking at YouTube videos that are loaded with disinformation. (more…)
Here’s a little zinger from cartoonist Dan Piraro, reminding us that our society in doing essentially nothing about a set of conditions that is in the process of wiping us out.
This is a good representation of the horror of the last five years of life here in the United States.
Of course, it’s what the Trump supporters think about people like me, whom they dub “sheeple” and “libtards.”
When I come across an idea like this, one that requires angel investment to bring this new concept in ocean wave energy into fruition, a project that is clearly asinine, I ask myself: Is this fraudulent? Are these people simply paying themselves handsome salaries with investors’ money?
Or (more…)
I hate to base an entire blog post quibbling about the meaning of a word, but the problem with the U.S. Congress and climate change mitigation is not “dithering,” which means being indecisive, vacillating. The fact is that Republicans and Democrats have reached yet one more impasse, which is the precise Republican strategy, i.e., to ensure Biden cannot accomplish anything for which he’ll receive credit.
Our planet is on fire, and the GOP is making sure it stays that way. If you’re not angered by that, I don’t know what to tell you.
Being uninterested in politics was never a reasonable position to take, as people 2400 years ago, including Socrates and Plato, told us. Yet, until 2015, American politics was something of a snooze. It was defined, unfortunately, by corruption, meaning that very little progress could be made in the direction of anything good: environmental stewardship, universal healthcare, better education, etc., as the established players in each of these sectors invested heavily in buying the relevant lawmakers.
Now, however, it is defined by insanity, and thus demands our constant attention. We have an entire political party that is all wrapped up in the stolen election narrative, the anti-vax movement, anti-science–all at the same time that the pandemic is raging and the planet is on fire.
Of course, the corruption hasn’t gone away, in fact, it’s gotten worse, but now it’s been shrouded by pure lunacy.
Question: As you look at the bar chart below, presenting the renewable energy generation in each of the 50 states, what’s the first thing you notice? (If you wish, see if your observation coincides with mine.)
Answer: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: Getting to 100% carbon-free energy will take a huge push.
A friend who sells water purification systems to homeowners just got the vaccination, after holding out these many months. I commended him, and said that, since he goes into other people’s houses, and some of these people must be concerned about COVID transmission, he might want to get a button he could pin to his shirt that reads: ‘I’ve Been Vaccinated.’
He responded that this would turn off about half his prospects, who are Trump supporters, and therefore think the vaccine is an attempt on the government’s part to control the population.
How sad is this? Almost half the country has joined a cult in which accepting science is against the rules. That’s just terrible.
This sign reminds of a time I suggested a space for a huge solar array in a certain part of what I called an “otherwise worthless desert.” I was told that there is no such thing as a worthless desert, because of its habitat for a great number of plants and animals. That was a mistake I never made again.
Looks like whoever created this sign is under the same misconception that I was.
Don’t confuse stupidity with malice. He knows what he’s doing. He thinks it’s good politics. And he just might be right.
