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Woman of a Certain Page's avatar

Not sure how to message a link to you, I'll drop it here--an interview with Kim Stanley Robinson re evil billionaires and their dreams of space colonization.

https://www.codastory.com/stayonthestory/silicon-valley-elon-musk-colonizing-mars/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0lYybc81jNeD9Hk6VXCqx9YfZFyeGK3yZvZBKmqnwTdU5xknQPsoPvZFE_aem_gLoTfhvxhg0C6Wn_MBsz7A

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Zyxomma's avatar

Ta, Dok. Biden has been far, FAR better on climate than I would have expected. Vote Biden-Harris in November. EVERYTHING depends on keeping Putin's puto out of the WH.

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Mary Beth Brown's avatar

Speaking of Donald pocketing historical treasures on tour...did we the people ever get a full inventory of the White House contents to make sure he didn't take anything beyond classified documents? Those are OUR antiques and treasures!

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Dina's avatar

I'm surprised he didn't smuggle the Resolute desk out of the Oval Office.

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JCfromNC's avatar

"This is mine... this is mine... this is crap, they can keep it... this is mine..."

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You Should Ice That Burn's avatar

Paul Begala was on NPR this evening being unhelpful as fuck.

"You ask people who would be better on inflation and they say Trump because Biden's too old, even on who would protect democracy better they pick Trump, because Biden is too old, which is wrong because Jan 6 but there's nothing you can do about too old!" Thanks for nothing purported Democratic party insider! He took a job at CNN so he's got a tumbrel ride in his future if I can will this fakoktid timeline into one less dreadful.

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RRJKR's avatar

We hear about Global Warming all the time, however, higher atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are having a potentially much more devastating effect which is rarely mentioned. The acidification of sea water.

Between 1950 and 2020, the average pH of the ocean surface fell from approximately 8.15 to 8.05, which is about 25% more acidic than preindustrial times. This is faster than any known increase in acidity in Earth's geologic history, and the ocean is more acidic now than it has been in the past two million years.

Much marine life, particularly shell forming organisms, have evolved to exist in a very narrow pH range.. Rapid changes, as we are seeing now, can be lethal to them. Why is this important? Because they form the bottom of the food chain in the oceans. Kill them and everything dies.

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CJLB's avatar

In the last year or so I read somewhere that there are thousands of abandoned natural gas wells in fields and prairies around the country that are spewing methane without monitoring. Anyone have any information on this issue?

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Jeff, still got my guitar's avatar

Here's a map of the 2,777 in CA. 81,000 nationwide. It's a serious problem that we need to clean up. Sooner rather than later, if possible. https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/Orphan%20Well%20FactSheet%20CA.pdf

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CJLB's avatar

Thanks.

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John Thorstensen's avatar

Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, but it does decay over time into CO2 and water. I saw a talk by the great atmospheric physicist Ray Pierrehumbert a while back where he suggested that CO2 is the greater concern long-term, since it does not decay on its own.

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Oblio's Cap's avatar

No methane emissions?!

Steak, milk, and cheese prices should skyrocket. But leather might be a bargain.

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Tessie's avatar

"Methane leaks"

`

*runs in late, out of breath*

Hay, you guyzes! Has anyone made a fart joke out of this yet?

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Birb-General of the US's avatar

I live in a city with a famously old underground gas piping infrastructure. In fact, due to historically important economic forces, the city didn't even get electricity in homes and businesses until 1910, when the city's lighting started to transition from gas lights to electric. Driving or walking around, I routinely smell gas (mercaptan) coming right out of the ground in random locations. When there is a water main break, it is obvious and gets attended to, but outdoor gas leaks aren't particularly noticeable and can go on for a long time. Likewise I often smell leaks at outdoor gas meters in homes I visit for work. I am curious how much gas leaks out of the system into the atmosphere before arriving at the point of use. I would guess a lot. The metro area is gradually transitioning to electrical infrastructure and solar, so fifty years from now gas will seem as archaic as burning wood. ("You mean you used to have 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘷𝘦, Grandma?"

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Sunshine Moonshine's avatar

OT but sort of related, green energy and all that: Is anyone else on this wanking-motion.gif webinar for elmo's inverters? It's supposed to address Sales and Engineering, which are two areas with limited crossover. Sales cares about one thing, Engineering cares about another. Also, it's all words, no pictures. How can the technical visual people learn anything from boring words on the screen? Ugh I hate this. Comments are turned off. I try so hard to hold my tongue when asking questions because I know the average email-replyer is not a ride-or-die elmo fan.

I am ride-or-die MLPE and Enphase because I don't like DC in the attic.

This feels like we're going backward. Safety backward. I guess that tracks with all the stupid stuff happening these days. Let's get rid of OSHA while elmo's brand is pushing for rooftop DC again. Feelings are strong on this one. Does OSHA recognize the workplace hazard of excessive eye-rolling?

Also, head hurts. Also, afternoon will be spent in the triple digit sun teaching solar to kids. This headache would love a pre-sun nap, but instead, brain is melting at stupid webinar.

Ugh now there's a picture of the rolling metal box they designed to fail in the rain, connected to a household electrical service that isn't compatible with the products they sell right now.

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el duderino's avatar

You have to go with Enphase

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Sunshine Moonshine's avatar

100% yes! Also, they’re easy to carry, unlike everything else.

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Birb-General of the US's avatar

Not a fan of ANY unprotected current carrying conductors in the attic or interior, conduit or no conduit. I think the array power conduit should be strictly on the exterior whether AC or DC. Their lax attitude comes from the electrical industry focusing on the consumption side for the last 110 years and losing consciousness about hazards on the generating side, since it was always "provided by others," IMO.

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You Should Ice That Burn's avatar

by "unprotected" what do you mean exactly? Please tell me bobbin and tube un-insulated attic wiring isn't making a comeback!

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Birb-General of the US's avatar

“Unprotected” in this context means that if there is a short circuit anywhere in the unprotected wire, no fuse or circuit breaker will turn off, and current will continue to flow in a continuous burning arc until enough of the conductor and/or conduit melts all the way through to interrupt the current flow.

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You Should Ice That Burn's avatar

Ah, gotcha, sounds like for DC the old school solution would be a fusible link.

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Birb-General of the US's avatar

But that’s hard to do because the short is not associated with a significant overcurrent condition. The resistance in the panels insures that the current does not get high between the panel and the combiner or inverter, so the short just keeps on burning..

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Jul 9, 2024
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You Should Ice That Burn's avatar

I see what you did there..

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Nancy Naive's avatar

James Inhofe has been recalled to the Oklahoma cesspool from which it came.

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John Thorstensen's avatar

Lived to 89! There is no justice.

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Nancy Naive's avatar

A benefit of wealthy and white… really, really white,… really, really wealthy.

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𝔅𝔢𝔢𝔩𝔷𝔢𝔟𝔲𝔟𝔟𝔞's avatar

Maybe now he'll notice the rise in temperature.

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Wokey McWokeface's avatar

Methane is the missing ingredient in the Frank Drake equation.

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calliecallie, aka pollyanna's avatar

OT, but in case you need something uplifting, here's a news story about a guy who mows lawns and rescued a cat. In fact, I actually have watched this guy's lawn mowing videos in the past, don't ask me why. But anyway, I'm not crying, you're crying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxNpTC-PACo

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LuluBean12 StarGeezer's avatar

Thanks for the link.

I saw the original video months ago. Just a great story and he does great work.

I never thought he'd be a news story though.

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Axomamma's avatar

Thank you!

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Land Shark 🇺🇦 🏳️‍⚧️'s avatar

"So, Bessie, you're going to need to have this filter stapled to your ass."

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Tessie's avatar

I *beg* your damn...

Oh, wit.

You said, "Bessie".

Carry on.

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Lionel “8647” Hutz's avatar

They say even while sleeping during his trial, the proven rapist, fraud and convicted felon Trump constantly was leaking methane.

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