We put a deposit down on rooftop solar. Ain’t cheap, especially with a big battery to keep running during blackouts. But it will pay for itself in ten years (less if data centers drive up electricity costs) and we’ll produce enough to be self-sufficient most months. (Not much sun here in winter.)
My 2 year lease is up, so tomorrow I'm replacing my Honda EV with.....the exact same Honda EV, only newer. Uses $6 worth of electric per week vs the $26 I'd be paying for gas. EVs are awesome and prologues, which are being discontinued, are heavily discounted right now. If you need to replace a car and can swing it, go get one.
Ta, Dok. I borrowed McKibbon's Here Comes the Sun from NYPL, so I've already done the reading. Here at the pied-à-nuage, our first step is winterizing our home, which was built as a hunting lodge and has insufficient insulation. Sweetheart husband called a contractor this week. When I started visiting Up Here, I was always cold because the wood stove wasn't enough. Darling Meccalopolis had a heat pump installed, and got the Biden era tax credit for it. It has improved things immensely. We want to get rooftop solar, battery storage, and a small scale windmill farther up the mountain on our property. Meanwhile, we're still using propane for the water heater. Baby steps until we can take the big ones.
A family member just got her 1st full post-solar-installation bill and it was a whopping $0!! She felt compelled to call and confirm, while quietly doing high kicks while on hold. She's still on propane for her furnace and hot water, but plans to transition over when it's time to replace them.
We installed solar panels for our new house. We don't have storage, so we have to pay them $4.20 a month to use their lines.
Also put a small panel on our hangar for the trickle charger on the plane, because they wanted to charge me $28+ to deliver the 5-6 kw we used per month (that's the commercial rate).
"So, Your Honor, we were flying a couple hundred feet over the expressway, making really good time, you bet! But then, the CHECK FUEL light came on. The driver saying "Don't worry, we got at least 20 miles left" is the last thing I remember"
Speaking of climate, first seasonal day we've had in awhile. So, rather than enjoy it, I shall wait for the other shoe to drop...
I ordered the book through Wonkette's account at bookshop.org, and thank you Dok! I'm excited to read this one!
Bill M. has been known to make room in his schedule to attend a No Kings rally from time to time. Speaking of, the next one is October 17th, this Saturday! I won't be taking a sign, because I will have received my flu and covid shots earlier that day, but I will be wearing my UNPAID PROTESTER lapel button. I will go home as I start to succumb to the shots and will sleep as much as I can this weekend. And heating soup to eat.
I still have to work on figuring out my ballot questions and then I can early vote next week. GO FORTH AND VOTE WONKERS!! And may we prevail in the war on our democracy.
There's a brewery that uses the heat generated by their bitcoin setup to use in their process. Interesting integration of what is otherwise a byproduct.
Here's the thing: onsite solar/battery is ideal for data centers, and once the grid is fully decarbonized, plentiful cheap electricity can even go to stupid shit like AI without climate harm (yes, we still have all the other evils of AI)
The first solar panels that I bought over 30 years ago are fairly primitive compared to newer ones that I’ve added to our system over the years. But they still work great with little or no decrease in output. Seems like getting anything that reliable is a rarity these days. I’m completely sold on solar and I think that for at least a fair number of people individual systems that don’t depend on the grid are a great way to go.
Surprise Adam Smith twist: market forces have now made the clean energy transition inevitable. Renewables are cheaper, more efficient than fossil fuels.
But first we gotta pry Big Oil's dirty, very visible hands off our necks.
OT, sorta. Wish Gav were still alive to laugh at this “flying car.” He couldn’t even envision an alternate chassis for a flying car. When the first bombers were designed, engineers drew from nature, such as the fastest fish, swifts and swallows. Elon draws from bad sci-fi.
"I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes..."
Henry David Thoreau
The alley can not endure snowplowing, so superheated exhaust is out. I'm guessing that it'll have to be a No Take Off or Landing Zone, which will be damn inconvenient...
Reminds me of that flat earther guy who killed himself trying to vault himself into space…eventually, he died. Cars are 100k. Who has money for flying cars? Oh right, the America’s Golden Age new robber barons.
I've read Here Comes the Sun, it's very optimistic. You guys will love it.
We put a deposit down on rooftop solar. Ain’t cheap, especially with a big battery to keep running during blackouts. But it will pay for itself in ten years (less if data centers drive up electricity costs) and we’ll produce enough to be self-sufficient most months. (Not much sun here in winter.)
My 2 year lease is up, so tomorrow I'm replacing my Honda EV with.....the exact same Honda EV, only newer. Uses $6 worth of electric per week vs the $26 I'd be paying for gas. EVs are awesome and prologues, which are being discontinued, are heavily discounted right now. If you need to replace a car and can swing it, go get one.
Ta, Dok. I borrowed McKibbon's Here Comes the Sun from NYPL, so I've already done the reading. Here at the pied-à-nuage, our first step is winterizing our home, which was built as a hunting lodge and has insufficient insulation. Sweetheart husband called a contractor this week. When I started visiting Up Here, I was always cold because the wood stove wasn't enough. Darling Meccalopolis had a heat pump installed, and got the Biden era tax credit for it. It has improved things immensely. We want to get rooftop solar, battery storage, and a small scale windmill farther up the mountain on our property. Meanwhile, we're still using propane for the water heater. Baby steps until we can take the big ones.
A family member just got her 1st full post-solar-installation bill and it was a whopping $0!! She felt compelled to call and confirm, while quietly doing high kicks while on hold. She's still on propane for her furnace and hot water, but plans to transition over when it's time to replace them.
Excellent choice!
We installed solar panels for our new house. We don't have storage, so we have to pay them $4.20 a month to use their lines.
Also put a small panel on our hangar for the trickle charger on the plane, because they wanted to charge me $28+ to deliver the 5-6 kw we used per month (that's the commercial rate).
NY's plug in solar law has passed both houses; what's the hold up, Kathy?
"So, Your Honor, we were flying a couple hundred feet over the expressway, making really good time, you bet! But then, the CHECK FUEL light came on. The driver saying "Don't worry, we got at least 20 miles left" is the last thing I remember"
Speaking of climate, first seasonal day we've had in awhile. So, rather than enjoy it, I shall wait for the other shoe to drop...
Reading Bill McKibben is a pleasure. I look forward to this. Thanks Dok!
I ordered the book through Wonkette's account at bookshop.org, and thank you Dok! I'm excited to read this one!
Bill M. has been known to make room in his schedule to attend a No Kings rally from time to time. Speaking of, the next one is October 17th, this Saturday! I won't be taking a sign, because I will have received my flu and covid shots earlier that day, but I will be wearing my UNPAID PROTESTER lapel button. I will go home as I start to succumb to the shots and will sleep as much as I can this weekend. And heating soup to eat.
I still have to work on figuring out my ballot questions and then I can early vote next week. GO FORTH AND VOTE WONKERS!! And may we prevail in the war on our democracy.
It’s half past five right here and that sound you hear is a cork coming out of a bottle. Have at it shipmates.
I wont be able to exercise my drinking spanners for at least another 2 hours. Pity poor tom, for he's a sober...
On our drive from New London to Boston there are several sizeable solar farms. I just hope its not all going to data centers.
There's a brewery that uses the heat generated by their bitcoin setup to use in their process. Interesting integration of what is otherwise a byproduct.
Here's the thing: onsite solar/battery is ideal for data centers, and once the grid is fully decarbonized, plentiful cheap electricity can even go to stupid shit like AI without climate harm (yes, we still have all the other evils of AI)
For better or worse AI is a thing. We're going to have to figure out how to best use the pluses and curb or kill the bad shit.
The first solar panels that I bought over 30 years ago are fairly primitive compared to newer ones that I’ve added to our system over the years. But they still work great with little or no decrease in output. Seems like getting anything that reliable is a rarity these days. I’m completely sold on solar and I think that for at least a fair number of people individual systems that don’t depend on the grid are a great way to go.
I've wanted solar since I first found out about it when I was in college.
Surprise Adam Smith twist: market forces have now made the clean energy transition inevitable. Renewables are cheaper, more efficient than fossil fuels.
But first we gotta pry Big Oil's dirty, very visible hands off our necks.
"But first we gotta pry Big Oil's dirty, very visible hands off our necks."
Good luck, cuz petro fascists are the most psychotic of all.
OT, sorta. Wish Gav were still alive to laugh at this “flying car.” He couldn’t even envision an alternate chassis for a flying car. When the first bombers were designed, engineers drew from nature, such as the fastest fish, swifts and swallows. Elon draws from bad sci-fi.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/16/elon-musk-reveals-worlds-first-flying-car-spacex
Stupid stunt. There are flying cars headed for production that are actually somewhat practical.
Trump’s ballroom has a flying car heliport
I have $100 that says that thing is at most capable of what was shown.
Less than 30 seconds of run-time and only a few seconds of RCS gas.
Its basically a spacecraft thruster system inside a carbon fiber shell with some wheels.
Remembering that carbon (huh? wat? you can afford titanium!) Titanic submarine
Yeah sure. Another count for the shareholders' lawsuit. Shameless self-promoting fraud
I saw this this morning.
Bullshit. Now we'll have cars dropping down out of the sky and killing people.
In my geography, peeps are fighting a proposed Amazon drone delivery scheme.
We still don’t have Amazon drones bringing us eggies.
I can just imagine trying to get insurance on one of these things..
Where do I fuel my boosters?
With what?
Will I need special EPA approved clothing?
"I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes..."
Henry David Thoreau
The alley can not endure snowplowing, so superheated exhaust is out. I'm guessing that it'll have to be a No Take Off or Landing Zone, which will be damn inconvenient...
I will stick with the H̶y̶p̶e̶r̶l̶o̶o̶p̶ subway
*insurers slowly backing away*
I am picturing them running in full flight, routed from the field by the prospect of underwriting liability coverage for retail rocketry
Reminds me of that flat earther guy who killed himself trying to vault himself into space…eventually, he died. Cars are 100k. Who has money for flying cars? Oh right, the America’s Golden Age new robber barons.
It's all just hype fraud bullshit.
Trillionaire vaporpoop
I can't trust people in two dimensions, I don't want them trying 3.
And pedestrians get gassed to death by those nozzles. SMRT!!
But they're just losers and left-behinds, so it's OK!
"He's an innovator!"
He's a fucking creativity void who slaps his name on anything in his eyeline, like a sick dog pissing everywhere.
"using technology from his aerospace company SpaceX..."
So he's reinvented the car bomb. Oh goody.
Gotta love that suction, though :) Real Millennium Falcon
Birb likes to Learn and she likes the Clean Energies, because thees World does not need any more Pollutes, ichh.
I will get thees book, either at Bookshop or maybe the Liberry.
A thanke.