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November 12, 2021 06:59 AM UTC

Friday Open Thread

  • 52 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”

–Bill Gates

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52 thoughts on “Friday Open Thread”

  1. Good morning.

    A special shout out to all of you who are struggling with addiction, mental illness, or depression within yourself, or with a loved one.
    In the US, those of us who can pay can find help. We still have to overcome the reluctance to admit that we are not heroic and strong enough to “suck it up” and just deal on our own.

    With the exception of some 12 step groups (which have a religious basis not everyone is comfortable with) there is little to no free counseling, therapy, or support for the rest of the struggling souls. So while we see folks that are clearly ill and need professional help, just saying “ You should get some help,” does little or nothing.

    I think that there are funds for mental health help in the 2nd “Build Back Better” bill, but not in the “bipartisan infrastructure” bill that was just passed by the House.

    1. Thanks, kw. ❤️ I lost a friend to depression a couple of weeks ago and it’s still a little raw. Now, more than ever, we need to be vigilant about the mental health of everyone around us. 

    2. 31 years ago I walked into a room in a church basement and asked for help, and that help was given.

      I would respectably disagree the 12 step program I am in has a religious basis. It is a program that suggests a spiritual path to recovery not religion. But I fully agree more resources and awareness are needed, because here on Earth God's work must truly be our own.

      Religion is for people who don't want to go to hell. Spirituality  is for people who have been there and don't want to go back.

    3. The Biden Administration is leading in several ways to offset the challenges of food insecurity, access and inflation. This is just one of them, but a very important policy shift.

      There is zero daylight between providing a safety net for the least amongst us and the billions Trump showered upon farmers to offset the China tariff shit show:  

      Boosting SNAP Will Put More Food on Millions of Tables. It Will Also Prevent Depression and Anxiety.

      The emotional toll of food insecurity is about more than material deprivation. It’s about social exclusion, too. Experts argue that in wealthy nations like ours, poverty is best defined as the inability to afford a typical standard of living. Unwillingly deviating from the norm sends a message that one stands outside society, corroding one’s self-regard and their mental health in turn.

    1. Let’s go with some Molly Ivins this morning: 

      “I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag.”

  3. November 12, 1905 – Norway holds a referendum resulting in popular approval of the Storting's decision to authorise the government to make the offer of the throne of the newly independent country.

  4. Maybe global citizens organize and send them a bill for their externalities?
     

    #ExxonKnew

    This is the equivalent to the young man who murdered his parents and then asked for mercy from the courts as he was now an orphan.  

    Governments risk 'trillions' in fossil fuel climate litigation

    Governments which enact climate legislation risk being sued for trillions of dollars by fossil fuel companies seeking compensation for lost revenue and stranded assets, according to data that campaigners warn threaten pledges made at COP26.

  5. Interesting to read about the NRA apparently violating campaign donation laws for various Republicans, including Cory Gardner.

    More interesting to read in today''s Daily Kos that there will be a court fight over it, too.

    Former Rep. Gabby Giffords is kicking ass and taking names in a lawsuit filed this week against the National Rifle Association. In it, her eponymous non-profit alleges that the NRA engaged in a years-long scheme to violate campaign finance laws by illegally coordinating ad spending with the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Senators Josh Hawley, Thom Tillis, Cory Gardner, Matt Rosendale, Tom Cotton, and Ron Johnson. The complaint, first flagged by the Daily Beast, points to $35 million in illegal expenditures and demands that the court assess that amount as a fine payable to Uncle Sam….

    US District Judge Emmet Sullivan [issued] an order Monday deputizing Giffords [the organization] to sue the NRA itself. Which is exactly what it did, filing this complaint on Tuesday in coordination with the Campaign Legal Center. And because it's designated a "related case," it's on Judge Sullivan's docket.

    Cory may have some 'splaining to do.

    1. The NRA might have to pick out more modest accommodations in Dallas. They are already bankrupt.  $35mil is a big number.  It would be so Monty Python of them to treat this as just another minor cut.  It's also going to be hard for them to get donations from the dead.  Giffords is an incredible inspiration of people who forge ahead in the face of threats and violence.  Go Gabby's team.

  6. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room,the undiscussed source of inflation: behemoth, monopolistic corporations (cough, cough, Koch Industries, Exxon) with record profits that are using price rises as a pretext for making even more.

    Does any Republican (or Joe Manchin) really think this is a bad thing? As record profits grow, more and more money is funneled into dark PACs, resulting in ever-friendly legislation (and judiciary) protecting said monopolies…and the cycle continues.

    We need to talk about the real reason behind US inflation

      1. Didn’t they learn you anything in the Holyoke public school system?!?! 
         

        Fertilizer prices have skyrocketed, nor because of any increase in money supply (although Ttumpy poured billions into farmers mailboxes) but because Hurricane Irma blew out a major manufacturing center. Climate change has come home to roost, but try telling that to the locals at the coffee shop in Holyoke or Wray. 
         

        Rising gas prices?  We could have increased our liquid fuel supplies by 30% had we embarked on Sec Vilsack’s vision of a distributed network of 1,000 advanced biofuel plants using ag waste (proposed during the Obama Administration).
         

        The good news is that for every electric car put on the road as a result of the BBB plan, the less fossil fuel we need in the future.

        We know (and have the technology) to fix these damn problems.  All we lack is political will 

        1. Don't confuse specific price increases with general inflation.  If the money supply is constant, an increase in fertilizer costs would have to be offset by price cuts elsewhere.  It's basic keynes\friedman.

          That's not to say tight money can't cause hardship.  But only an expanded money supply can cause inflation — too much money chasing too few goods.

        2. I think electric cars should be the future in highly urbanized areas. But I question their current practicality in driving the long distances we have here in the West. As an example, if I want to go to Grand Junction from Lakewood, that is past the limit for most EVs. So I have to stop in Parachute for 6 hours to recharge? 

          There are also the costs of manufacturing the vehicles and the batteries. EVs are competitive now primarily due to the federal tax credit. A hybrid might be a better option.

          1. Couldn’t agree more, CHB. I’ve put a deposit on a Ford Lightning with an extended range battery as I would like to have something with more than a 200 mile range and that fits my needs better than a car. I don’t need to get to Yuma County and back without charging, but I’d like to get to Denver and do some running around before I need to look for a station.  

            I love my Suburban and as an alternative would kick the tires on the new Chevy version with the turbo-charged engine (it has a 700 mile range). I’d prefer to burn biodiesel, a good B100, but that isn’t widely available.  I know the entire impetus through the Gov’s staff is on electricity but we could sure use one, good biodiesel plant here. JBS in Greeley and Cargill in FoMo produce enough animal fat to supply a moderate-sized plant. Here’s what’s happening with animal fat in Nebraska. 

          2. CHB…

            Huxley pointed out, in "the Third Wave", the inevitability of decentralization as the "Information Revolution" progresses. But too, customization in manufacturing is a benefit accrued from those same forces. You are correct in seeing the need for options until a specific need is alleviated by an all electric vehicle. The money allocated by the new IB will really help with that.

            The change needs to be only as rapid as is practical…but we need all hands on deck. No foot draggers.

            1. I have to share a Facebook posting by one of our beloved pole cats out yonder that we haven’t heard from in a while: (we miss you NeonNurse)

              I know it’s totally inappropriate, but I think we should capitalize the F in Bipartisan InFrastructure Deal, making it a #BFD.

              We have a fun collection of rebels and misfits in a small, private group, all progressives from small towns across (mostly) eastern Colorado.

          3. You're probably basically right at this point in time, CHB, but keep checking back. "They" (folks smarter than me) are working on creating faster chargers and better batteries, the State of Colorado is working on getting more public chargers up on major highways outside of the Front Range, and there's even an interstate regional EV plan to better equip the southwestern states.

            1. 2J2D: I've made the long drive up to Montana several times in recent years to visit family up along US 2. The straight shot from Billings & the interstate is due north on the same road, but with three different numbers.

              There is a small town a few miles north of Billings with a couple gas stations. Then there's nothing but the classic Big Sky Country until US 2. I'd hate to run out of juice along that road.

          4. CHB — 6 hours?  DC fast chargers for Teslas and open systems like Electrify America for other auto brands can charge most EVs up to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes depending on the vehicle.  Sure, it’s not as fast as gasoline (yet, the new 4680 batteries need about 10 to 15 minutes for the same charge), but there is no reason to think 6 hours is the fastest you can charge an EV unless you have a 10 year old Nissan Leaf.

            Fer chrissakes, it only takes 3-4 hours when I charge mine overnight in my garage on a regular 240v circuit! I don’t need to get my shoes all sticky and smelly at a gas station anymore.

            1. Still love your Tesla, Harry?  I’m toying with buying one.  But it is 190 miles from home to my farm, and no charging station until 40 miles on in Ogalala, Neb.

              They are very pricy but the S&P has been kind to my IRA.

               

              1. Yep, 18 months and it is doing great.  Only maintenance has been a 4 wheel alignment and a flat tire due to road debris.  My biggest gripe is that the Michelin all-weather Cross Climate tires I want don’t come in the right size for my Model Y.  I don’t like swapping for winter tires, so I go easy during snow covered days.

                With its 300 mile range, I only charge about once a week at home.  Prices have been creeping up, as with all vehicles, so hopefully Build Back Better will cut prices by $10k or so next year.

                The nav system automatically plots the charging locations, speed, estimated charge time and number of available stalls.  Here is the map for reference: https://www.tesla.com/findus

                I should add that you can home charge off any 110 or 220 volt outlet at your farm. It won’t be as fast as a dedicated Tesla wall connector, but so what? That’s what overnight charging is all about.

                1. I wouldn’t buy dollar bills from VW for 50 cents each.  Those lying liars lied about their diesel emissions, cheated the government, poisoned the air and laughed all the way to the bank.  There is a name or people like that and it sure ain’t Fahrvergnugen.

                  1. One good thing that came out of VW's cheating is the billions they are spending creating the ElectrifyAmerica DC supercharging network for all non-Tesla EVs.  That's part of the reason they are offering the first 3 years of free charging if you get an ID.4.

            2. So, I’ll charge for 3-4 hours in Parachute instead of 6?

              At this point in time, I remain the lucky owner of a 15 year old (as of mid-December) Nissan Xterra with over 189,000 miles. It still runs great. I’m hoping to get another 40-50,000 miles out of it. It’s also an actual 4×4, meaning it has low range 4WD and skid plates. I didn’t get the tow package because I have nothing to tow.

              1. I have a 2006 Honda CRV–with just 50,000 miles on it.  Fabulous car.  For 37 years I walked to work instead of driving and that largely explains the very low mileage.

              2. Uh, no CHB.  You drive from Lakewood to Grand Junction blowing right past Parachute, because you don't need to charge at all in a Tesla for that distance.  But if you are nervous, you can stop for 5 or 10 minutes in Glenwood Springs or Silverthorne at one of their Superchargers and top up along the way.  Then, before you decide to return to Lakewood, you can also stop by a Tesla Supercharger in Grand Junction, and spend 30 or 40 minutes "filling up" for a fraction of the cost of gasoline (electrons are cheap).  You have plenty of options.  It's only 240 miles from Lakewood to Grand Junction.  I've gone from North Park Hill up Pikes Peak and back (over 200 miles) and had 94 miles of range left.  Then I plug my Tesla into my garage outlet (not a DC Supercharger, but a slower AC outlet) which costs 13 cents a kilowatt (3 cents a mile).  That's why it takes 3-4 hours — I don't have a Supercharger in my garage.

                Here is what a typical Supercharger offers:

                Grand Junction, CO Supercharger

                Mesa Mall 2424 U.S-6 Grand Junction, CO 81505

                Driving Directions

                 

                Roadside Assistance(877) 798-3752

                 

                Charging
                6 Superchargers, available 24/7, up to 150kW

                 

                Restrooms
                Mesa Mall (M-Sat 10a,-9pm and Sun 11am-6pm)
                IHOP
                Olive Garden

                Wifi
                Starbucks (opposite side of mall)
                Barnes & Noble (Patterson Rd)

                Restaurants

                 

                IHOP
                Taco Bell
                Outback Steakhouse
                Olive Garden

                Amenities
                Mesa Mall

                 

      2. Supply & Demand; not money supply. Demand shifted from services (hospitality, travel, massages) to goods. That is different from an increase in the money supply. GDP has barely budged, but it has shifted dramatically from services to physical objects, causing prices for certain things to go up dramatically. Give it a year to work its way out as Capitalism figures out where the profits are and increases supply.

        Supply chain constraints go beyond overloaded ports. They include factory shutdowns in Asia, chip-makers unable to deliver power-window controllers, inability to deliver wood products, home building insufficient since 2008. The one that fascinates me is how rental car agencies sold off their fleets in 2020, and are now buying up as many used cars as they can. My 2016 Toyota is worth $4,000 more than I paid for it used two years ago! 

        Incidentally, I don't believe Keynes really talked about the money supply. Keynes was particularly famous for trying to explain collapsing demand, which cause recessions. The solution was for government to step in to guarantee demand – fiscal policy, not monetary policy.

        Maybe you're thinking of Milton Friedman, a flash-in-the-pan economist who once was considered smart, but whose Money Supply theories failed upon closer examination.

        1. Actually, Keynes big book was called "The general theory of money and interest.". 

           he dealt with both inflation and depression.

          Uncle miltie was no flash in the pan, unless you consider a nobel prize a flash.

            2. I’m not sure and, sadly, neither is the federal reserve.  The big x factor is trillions, not billions, in corporate profits repatriated and otherwise, basically doing nothing except buying their own stock back, which adds nothing to our real economic output.  If those profits get invested in new capacity, it could be a wild ride.

              I figure 2 years, at least, to get back to normal — whatever normal is these days.

               

               

              1. When change is as rapid and ubiquitous as today, pinning down what amounts to normal, may easily take a couple of years.

                Just about every way, every aspect of society you can adjust…a virus just did that.

        2. Demand shifted from services (hospitality, travel, massages) to goods. 

          Boom.  During the pandemic those of us who previously traveled extensively and were foodies who typically ‘ate out’ regularly had no place to spend those dollars.  We turned to online experiences we could do at home (who didn’t learn to make sourdough bread during the pandemic?). “Things”, most of which will go back in the closet once travel and outing return to a more normal pace.  

    2. In the October issue of “Hightower Lowdown,” Jim Hightower talks about tackling monopoly power. Unfortunately, the research job could have been better.

      As an example, he talks about airline de-regulation and how four investment powerhouses (Black Rock, State Street, Vanguard, Prime Cap) are primary owners of the Big Three: United, Delta, American. But he overlooks Vanguard’s structure as a non-profit corporation owned by its investors. He doesn’t consider Southwest Airline or Fidelity Investments. (Disclosure: my retirement IRAs are in Vanguard funds).

      He also misses out on Medicare Advantage plans and drug stores.

      Still, one may want to check out http://www.hightowerlowdown.org .

      1. I got asked to give Jim a Hemp 101 class a few years ago thanks to a common good friend. He really is a special soul and a great advocate for the industrial hemp plant (amongst so many other things).

        I always enjoy his newsletter. 

  7. Musical birthdays today:

    Booker T. Jones (77)

    Neil Young (76)

    Donald Roeser, a.k.a. Buck Dharma, of Blue Oyster Cult (74)  "Don't Fear the Reaper"

     

     

    1. yes

      Nice. For a celebratory treat, check out Buck's guitar solo on BOC's Dominance and Submission (from Secret Treaties, 1974) and/or the entirety of Buck's Boogie from BOC's 1975 live album.

      Happy belated birthday to music god Steven Wilson (54), who's reforming Porcupine Tree (along with Gavin Harrison and Richard Barbieri) after 11 years. At my age it's much easier and more common to get angry than to get stoked, but I am stoked AF about that.

    1. The judge took 103 seconds of the court’s time to talk about his fricking text messages? How has he been retained all these years?

      Do the “Bubbas” keep voting him in? It isn’t the hordes of “Black pastors”, I guess. 

    2. We'd best get comfortable with the idea that Rittenhouse is going to walk. A jury acquittal is all but certain, and in the highly unlikely event of a guilty verdict ol' Judge Shitburger will just set aside the verdict and enter a judgment of acquittal sua sponte.

    1. Sweet! Pols, this should be helping us all Get More Smarter! 

      I’m sure Lala Bobo preached on it, along the lines of “Prophets without honor in their own country…”

      However, her staff would misspell it to read “Profits without honor”, which is dead accurate.

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