Face Masks and COVID-19
A reader sent me this video interview of a physicist who disbelieves in the efficacy of face masks as a tool to reduce COVID-19 cases and asked me to review it.
A few points: (more…)
Assessing the Relative Value of Energy Resources
Capacity factor is a percentage, calculated by dividing the unit’s actual electricity output by the maximum possible output, i.e., it’s a measurement of how fully a unit’s capacity is used. Nuclear has a huge CF, because, except for downtime for maintenance, it runs at full capacity 24 hours a day; it’s not ramped up and down according to the changing load. Solar and wind have low CFs for the obvious reason that they are variable/intermittent energy sources by nature; in addition, wind is often “curtailed,” meaning shut off due to low electricity demand. (more…)
Tagged with: assessing the value of an energy resource, capacity factor, coal going away because of its toxicity/lethality, costs of solar and wind continue to fall, nuclear and renewable sources have low carbon footprint, Nuclear has a huge capacity factor, nuclear high power density, power purchase agreements are being signed at various places in the U.S. at $0.015 per kWhr, Solar and wind have low capacity factors, solar and wind variable/intermittent energy sources, wind often curtailed
What’s Up with All These Poll Closures?
Gosh that’s so strange. More than 1600 polling places closed, which obviously makes it harder for people to vote, especially people who have to rely on public transportation. Why would anyone want to suppress voter turnout?
If only there were some commonality among these states–maybe something about where they’re located geographically. No, doesn’t seem to be any.
What a mystery.
CNN Fact-Checker: “Trump Relentlessly Dishonest About the Coronavirus”
According to Daniel Dale, a CNN fact-checker, “Trump has been relentlessly dishonest about the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s a video breakdown of some of his important recent nonsense about the state of the crisis, about testing, and about ventilators.” (more…)
Prizes for Environmental Photography
From “Treehugger,” a couple of powerful images in the “climate change” and “water scarcity” categories: (more…)
Tagged with: climate change and water scarcity
Allowing Russian Bounty on American Troops Isn’t Treason. Then What Is?
What does it take for a crime to rise to the level of treason? The president of the United States learns that an enemy nation has put a bounty on the heads of U.S. soldiers and does nothing to stop it. That doesn’t get the job done? Does he need to kill the soldiers by his own hand before he’s stopped?
Getting Emotional About the Pandemic
We know we need to keep a cheery demeanor during this pandemic. There is enough cynicism and hopeless without manufacturing more of it.
Given, however, that there’s nothing to be cheery about, maybe anger is a better response. (more…)
Tagged with: coronavirus on the rise
Volkswagen Phasing Out of Fossil Fuel-Powered Automobiles
German automaker Volkswagen will no longer build internal-combustion engine vehicles at its Zwickau plant in Mosel, in its transition to the production of electric cars. The plant will henceforth produce only EVs for Volkswagen, Audi, and Seat.
Some say that this rapid change in strategy resulted from the horrific public relations backlash from the emissions scandal a few years ago. (more…)
Tagged with: Fossil Fuel-Powered Automobiles
Caveats on Hydrogen as Fuel
El hidrógeno puede satisfacer hasta la mitad de la demanda final de energía del Reino Unido para 2050 y desempeñar un papel importante en el cumplimiento de los objetivos de emisiones netas cero del país, según una investigación de Aurora Energy Research…. or… (more…)
Tagged with: hydrogen as fuel
Restoring America’s Sanity
This guy asks a good question. Sure, the intensity of all this hatred will start to attenuate when Trump leaves office, and certainly the visibility of these racist slobs will die down as well when there are no longer rallies whose purpose is to bring them together and whip them into a frenzy.
But regardless of the landslide by which Trump loses in November, there will be many millions of people, like those pictured above, who will believe Trump when he screams that the election was rigged and that he was removed by the deep state, or some other mysterious force for which there is no evidence.
This is why a very long period of time will be required to restore any level of sanity to this country–if it can be done at all.
Tagged with: Restoring America's Sanity
