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May 15, 2014 06:12 AM UTC

Thursday Open Thread

  • 26 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

"Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions."

–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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26 thoughts on “Thursday Open Thread”

  1.  

     

     

    Is anyone surprised by this..?

     

    Utilities Launch Campaign Against Home-Based Solar Energy

    [Money Talks News]
    By Marilyn Lewis

    Home solar panels, not usually a subject of controversy, have become a hot issue in statehouses around the country.

    Utilities and advocacy groups have launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to end what they say is an unfair advantage some states give to homeowners with rooftop solar panels.

    Writes the Los Angeles Times:

    The Koch brothers, anti-tax activist Grover Norquist and some of the nation’s largest power companies have backed efforts in recent months to roll back state policies that favor green energy. The conservative luminaries have pushed campaigns in Kansas, North Carolina and Arizona, with the battle rapidly spreading to other states.

    Another group working to repeal solar laws and green energy requirements is the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC, which brings conservative state lawmakers together with business and industry representatives to write draft legislation.

     

    http://finance.yahoo.com/news/utilities-launch-campaign-against-home-161101128.html

    1. No surprise at all. The Koch's insatiable greed and the ignorance and idiocy of politicians who cut and paste ALEX legistlation and pass it as their own will earn America a historic condemnation from the world's people and scientists.

      If we funded solar and geo and renewable energy research with the vim and vigor that we fought WWII, the planet and all its people would be looking at a very different ecological future.  And we would truly be "exceptional". 

      Instead we've taken the path to drill baby drill and burn baby burn.

       

      1. And while we suffer from this Koch infestation in state legislators across this country, Germany marches on with its Energiewende (the energy transition), last Sunday producing 74% of its national energy demand from renewables.  While the majority of Coloradans continue their support for the New Energy Economy established under Governor Ritter, Colorado courts just slapped down an attempt by a Koch-backed group to roll back our renewable portfolio standard, the second-most aggressive standard in the nation.  While Coloradans deal with the environmental effects and unjust economic effects of the 'Drill Baby, Drill!!' syndrome that, like the plague, has infested our politics on both sides of the aise, we drown in real, infinite, energy resources — and solutions.

        We lack nothing but political will to make this transition.  We didn't leave the Stone Age because we ran out of stones – it's time to stop believing the lie that our future lies at the tip of a drill bit.  A 21st-century economy no longer needs to be powered by dinosaur poop.

          1. I'm going to start incorporating coprolitic into my speeches wink

            My friend Leilani Munter tagged me with the nickname Dung Beetle in 2010 – we all have our crosses to bear!  Not to fear, it's actually a badge of honor for those of us who grew up on farms and/or ranches. Not long after that and after hearing about what Leilani had done (in giving me the nickname) Allan Savory, whom I've worked with in Zimbabwe on soils issues – bought me a hand-carved dung beetle from a local artist in Victoria Falls.  I've made the request that someday it ends up on my tombstone… Dung beetles rule!

            Dung beetles play a remarkable role in agriculture. By burying and consuming dung, they improve nutrient recycling and soil structure.[13] They also protect livestock, such as cattle, by removing the dung which, if left, could provide habitat for pests such as flies. Therefore, many countries have introduced the creatures for the benefit of animal husbandry. In developing countries, the beetles are especially important as an adjunct for improving standards of hygiene. The American Institute of Biological Sciences reports that dung beetles save the United States cattle industry an estimated US$380 million annually through burying above-ground livestock feces.[14]

            1. What a way to shut down a conversation!

              But really, I like this:

              We lack nothing but political will to make this transition. We didn't leave the Stone Age because we ran out of stones – it's time to stop believing the lie that our future lies at the tip of a drill bit. A 21st-century economy no longer needs to be powered by dinosaur poop.

               

              1. wink  Our modern-day version of the buggy whip makers could do themselves a favor by reading the Joan Chittister book,  The Way We Were: a Story of Conversion and Renewal.  It talks about institutional renewal, and the problem that by the time most of them realize they need to change, they have neither the vision or energy to do so.  Unfortunately in our modern world, these institutions simply substitute the "lacking vision and energy" with money (in politics) – a ploy that extends the death of the institution far beyond a normal scenario. 

                It's institutional neuroses; they rely on their past vision of dominance, rather than a future vision which will demand collaboration, a higher adoption rate of technology and a move just severance tax rate. My conservative friends hate 'mandates', but that is the only tool left to a society in which there has been an absolute implosion of free market principles (privatinzing their profits and socializing their costs) and corporate oligarchy.

                 

                1.  free market principles (privatinzing their profits and socializing their costs) and corporate oligarchy.

                  We have seen the future…and it is us….

                  this must not continue…..

  3. Limbaugh nose dive continues in California. Is it possible his ratings decline has not been felt in CO as well? Is Limbaugh partly responsible for AM760's need to cut costs and fire Gloria? Is Clear Channel trying to save face by dumping its liberal talkers while it has been the conservative ones who are blowing out the books and causing advertiser problems?

    1. Zap,  Clear Channel is a business.  It tries to make money.  It keeps formats that have listeners and generate ad revenues.  It gets rid of formats that have few listeners and little ad revenues.

      Liberal talk radio has never been successful because it is boring and attracts few listeners.

      1. Yes, Zap – didn't you get the freaking memo:  only astute, conservative capitalists like Bain Capital are capable of running ruining a profitable business Clear Channel? 

        From Moody's:

        MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE has issued a report that CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS is facing a stiff challenge in managing the more than $10 billion of debt that will come due in 2016. They write that the company may be forced into a restructuring of its balance sheet. "The possibility of a restructuring or a distressed exchange remains high," team of MOODY'S analysts headed by SCOTT VAN DEN BOSCH said in the report. "Efforts to avoid a restructuring and refinance or extend its debt load will likely depend on the receptivity of the financial markets and moderate underlying interest rates."

        One thing we can be sure of: Mittens will exit unscathed (and richer) – and a variety of investors will be stuck with a mangy dog. 

        1. Investors schmestors . . . 

          I smell the scattered carcasses of thousands of long-time employees, retirees, and pensioners about who are soon to be turned into soylent green, while a few 1%ers check ads for new yachts . . . 

          1. Exactly. 

            Looks like we're learnin' AC a thing or two about finance and what private equity and hedge funds can, and will, do to even a "Conservative"-run business like Clear Channel: they'll f** them in the a**  and laugh all the way to the bank with their money and the carcass of the business they built. (See Hostess Bakery.)

            This is what Not giving a shit about anything but the next quarter's profit has given the American economy: a few very rich and very accomplished thieves.

  4. GOP oppo . . . (or, better GOPoOPPo . . . ) . . .??

    My guess is thatl thesemany recent "pingback" links to a Beauprez diary from eight years ago are some of Slimy Glessler's troops who want to make Beauprez's (lack of) military service an attackable issue in front of the primary . . . but, want to be able to blame that attack on "those despicable Democrats"???

    Other theories ???

  5. . . . that these many recent . . .

    (and, BTW, did Pols have "previewing" 8 years ago???  you know, in those golden days of blogging??? . . . .)

  6. O.K. I put this question at the tail-end of another thread yesterday and got no answer, so I'll try again. When I tried to read the commentary thread on the "Both Ways Bob" post yesterday, Google blocked it. It said there was malware attached to the Michelle Malkin material. Anyone else get anything like this?

    2. I haven't seen that error message, but someone is attacking Pols through posting spam on the "Beauprez Assailed on Military Record" thread. It already has 400+ comments, so takes a long time to load.

      If one clicks on the poster's ID, one gets anything from a nude dead guy to an ad for internet businesses.

  9. Republican policies are lowering the unemployment rate at a rapid pace since this past Christmas. Yep – I'm proud to give them 100% credit for the lower unemployment numbers reported today.

    As of today, you see, unemployment claims have dropped to their lowest levels in seven years, and they've been falling fast. Why? Because the official unemployment numbers only cover those on unemployment compensation, and Republicans – playing their assigned part of Ebenezer Scrooge – have blocked an extension of that compensation since Christmas. No unemployment checks, no unemployment – problem solved!

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