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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Excellent question.  It all depends on how and if we get through this disaster with the Trump supporters, the stolen election narrative, and all the anti-science garbage that is currently making it difficult if not impossible to control the pandemic.

This could turn out to be just a tragic but short-term event like the Salem Witch Trials.  Of course, the genie we have let out of the bottle here is far larger in scope: an entire country rather than an isolated area, and tens of millions of people, rather than residents of a small town.  Yet it is possible that somehow we’ll come to our senses, get our educational system back on track, and pull ourselves out of this mess. Finding Trump guilty of multiple felonies like election tampering and inciting a riot will be an important start.

On the other hand, this could be remembered as the definitive start of the demolition of American democracy, and the United States as a superpower.  For many decades, people have been saying that the “American Empire” is in the process of falling.  Perhaps the events of the last five years will be remembered as the time at which this slow erosion reached critical mass and the implosion occurred in very short order.

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by Jane MarshPosted on Posted in Efficiency

Using hydrogen as a fuel source may bring back unpleasant memories of the Hindenberg Disaster in 1937, but our technology has evolved quite a bit since then. Today, hydrogen fuel cells are self-contained, emit water and oxygen as their only exhaust and while not as common as electric vehicles or other green and sustainable options, are slowly emerging as another eco-friendly alternative.

Beyond passenger cars and construction equipment, there are also applications for this clean technology as a tool for disaster recovery. How can hydrogen fuel cells help aid recovery after a natural or human-made disaster?

Disasters Are Growing Worse

Climate change is having a devastating effect on natural disasters around the globe. Heatwaves, floods, massive storms, and wildfires are sweeping the globe, devouring everything in their path. As the planet warms, thanks to climate change, these disasters will only continue to get worse.

Many of these disasters will also happen in quick succession — wildfires will strip the landscape, then the rains that follow will trigger flash floods because there is no longer any vegetation to stop the heavy rains from washing away the top layers of soil.

These chain reactions are happening everywhere. Heatwaves — even in places like Europe and the Pacific Northwest that typically have mild summers — are leading to droughts and wildfires.

Overcoming Power Loss

There are a variety of challenges that affect the population after a disaster but the most common is power loss. High winds break power lines, wildfires overrun power stations, and leave homes and businesses without power.

In addition to making things uncomfortable for residents, a lack of power can interfere with emergency responders and their ability to help those affected by a disaster. These can be clean alternatives that are easy to transport and set up. Homeowners can even invest in fuel cell generators for their own homes as a backup power source instead of relying on more traditional diesel generators or battery backups.

An Ounce of Prevention

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but while we can’t prevent weather or natural disasters, we can prepare for them and even predict them with a growing amount of accuracy.

We can track hurricane paths, study earthquakes and predict where tsunamis might land or when volcanoes might erupt. Other disasters, like wildfires, floods, and tornadoes, are more difficult to predict, leaving those in their paths with minutes to take shelter or escape — if they’re lucky. The average lead time for a tornado warning is only about nine minutes as of 2021.

Researchers are using artificial intelligence and machine learning to better predict these disasters before they happen, by collecting data on past events and comparing them to current criteria. From there, these systems can determine the probability of a disaster occurring. Google is working on a system to predict flooding in India, a part of the world prone to monsoons. The downside of these systems is that the computers that run the programs, and the sensors that collect the data both require power.

A hydrogen fuel cell backup generator could be invaluable if the power grid fails during a disaster, allowing researchers to continue to collect data throughout the disaster to aid in the predictions of new ones.

Supporting Restoration Efforts

Some forms of restoration — such as starting repairs after floods or other forms of water damage — need to start as soon as possible, as soon as it’s safe to return to the space. The longer that water damage is allowed to sit, the more likely it is that mold and mildew will grow, making the damage even more difficult to repair. Hydrogen fuel cell generators could help to support property restoration efforts before the power grid is back up and running.

It’s Time To Start Preparing

Disasters aren’t always avoidable, but hydrogen fuel cell technology can help support both rescue and recovery efforts while we wait for the power grid to be restored.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

The nation marvels at the implosion of Rudy Giuliani, a man who, 20 years ago, was deemed “America’s Mayor” for his leadership following the 9/11 attacks, and today is a near-destitute guy facing numerous criminal investigations, shaving in a restaurant.

He’s clearly mentally ill, and this will become even more obvious when he’s forced to speak in public when his criminal cases move forward.  If the damage he has inflicted on our country weren’t so extreme, people would likely just feel sorry for him.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Interesting to see that the public reaction to the 1918 pandemic wasn’t qualitatively different than it is today.  Apparently, there were people who needed to be told, “Do not disregard the advice of a specialist just because you don’t understand,” and “Do not think you are entitled to special privileges.”

There are, however, some important differences.

Quantitatively, one suspects that the percentage of anti-vaxxers/anti-maskers must have been much lower back then.  It’s doubtful that there were entire cults built around the theory that the government was conspiring with the medical health community to control the mind of the public. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Of course.  But that was before we had Trump supporters, QAnon, flat Earthers, climate deniers, and all the other idiots who reject science.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Lindell appears crazy, but it’s far more likely that he’s simply a showman, profiting from every second he’s on camera.  In any case, his followers are far crazier than he could possibly be himself.

His claim: “I have irrefutable evidence that the election was rigged.”  Nobody seems to be responding, “Well, do you mind actually showing it to us?”

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

A friend sent me this and asked for my comments.

Until 1865, most of what existed south of the Mason-Dixon line was built predominantly by white ownership of black slaves.

More importantly, the remnants of those days still remain in place.  Black Americans are severely underrepresented at the top of the corporate hierarchy and the highest echelons of government. They face discrimination in virtually every aspect of life in America: income, wealth, health, housing, lending, country club membership, education quality, criminal conviction and punishment, and political representation (Congress has had 11 blacks in 255 years).

The oncoming effects of climate change and other types of environmental disaster will disproportionately affect blacks, just as there is an above-average level of chemical toxicity in black neighborhoods today.

I invite those who may question all this to check out this short but powerful video:

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

If I’m not mistaken, “being vocal” in today’s climate means speaking out about the stolen election and the rest of the far-right idiocy.

For me, this brings back to mind the days in the 1990’s, when I was running a marketing services agency with as many as 110 employees.   It never occurred to me to concern myself with their politics. Only a few had bumper stickers, so the subject would have had to come up in conversation, which it rarely did.

Of course, it didn’t matter much.  Clinton was in office, a moderate Democrat.  He beat George H.W. Bush, and then Bob Dole and Ross Perot.  None of these people were sociopaths, and had one of my employees favored one, it wouldn’t have bothered me.

Fast forward to today where being a Republican means buying the Big Lie, denying climate change, accepting (or perhaps engaging in) white nationalism, and maintaining that vaccinations are an attempt by the government to control our minds. I can’t say I would be as sanguine with having that belief system in my office.

I can understand that identifying oneself as a lunatic might be a career-limiting move.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

IMO, the U.S. president is given too much blame when bad things happen and too much credit when good things happen.

Reasonable people hate Trump for his brazen criminality, but not for every mishap that took place around the globe over his four years in office.

Biden didn’t evacuate 58,700+ people from Afghanistan personally; he followed the directions he received from a huge team of advisors.

Last week Biden took a hit for pulling out.  Do you think he did this countermanding what his generals were telling him?

We commonly see idiots blaming Biden for high gas prices, as if he creates the supply and demand conditions that determine that price.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

More than 70% of the calls to poison control in the state of Mississippi concern the use of ivermectin, a horse dewormer, as a treatment for COVID-19, even though the medical community has been clear that this is as dangerous as it is ineffective.  Where could all these people be getting their tragic misinformation? See video below.

Anyone can see what’s going to happen next.  The loved ones of all these murder victims will sue.  Fox News’ attorneys will make the case that no reasonable person takes anything on the channel seriously.  This line of defense will prevail, as it always has in the past.  Then it’s on to the next atrocity.  “Rinse and repeat,” as they say.

 

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