If All You See…

By William Teach May 9, 2018 – 1:00 pm

…is a wonderful low carbon bike, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Political Clown Parade, with a post on the Obama/Kerry legacy.

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Most Environmentally Friendly State In Nation Rolls Back Solar Subsidies

By William Teach May 9, 2018 – 10:48 am

Because electricity costs are going up

(Daily Caller) Following a growing number of states, Vermont has chosen to reduce compensation given to solar panel owners and allow a more fair rate for all electricity customers in the state.

Vermont is scaling back the amount of money given to customers participating in the state’s net metering program. Changes need to be made to net metering in order to balance growth of the program while maintaining affordable electric rates, the Vermont Public Utility Commission determined, in a statement issued on May 1.

Rated in 2018 as the most environmentally friendly state in the country, Vermont certainly encourages growth of its renewable energy industry. Net metering offers an incentive for solar panel usage by paying customers an oversized amount of money for the electricity they send back into the grid. However — even in the progress enclave of Vermont — the state’s public utility commission has grown concerned about the effect expensive net metering prices are having on all electricity consumers.

“These financial incentives also make net-metering the most expensive of Vermont’s renewable energy programs because the utility is essentially ‘buying’ the net-metered output at substantially more than market rates for comparable renewable energy,” the commission explained in its statement. “[A] number of Vermont utilities expressed concern about the effect on rates of continued high net-metering prices.”

And the net metering costs are passed on to consumers, who end up paying more for a nebulous idea of energy created in homes when people generally do not need it. If you want to give tax rebates, cool. Subsidizing economic sectors? Not cool. And impractical.

One would think, though, if the people of Vermont were so uber-enviro/Warmist, they all put solar panels on their homes and disconnect from the grid.

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Red Flag Laws Popping Up All Over: Should There Be A Concern?

By William Teach May 9, 2018 – 8:23 am

Suddenly, at least where guns are concerned, Liberals are Very Concerned that people may use a firearm to take their own life. These are the same people who push for assisted suicide and yammer about “my body my choice.” But, let’s be realistic: there is a concern that some people who own a firearm could become a threat to themselves, and, more importantly, other people. So we get things like this

Most gun deaths are suicides. A bill now before Mass. Legislature could help prevent them

When we talk about gun violence these days, we picture madmen on rampages and gangs doing drive-bys. We conjure images of home invasions and random robberies gone wrong.

We talk about fear.

But most who die by gun violence are not killed by a mass murderer or a violent gang, and fear plays little part. Most gun deaths are suicides, and the person pulling the trigger is the victim. These shootings aren’t random or unpredictable or terrifying; quite the opposite. To those of us who have loved someone who has died by suicide, the loss feels frustratingly, painfully preventable.

That’s the familiar story that motivates Reed Shafer-Ray, a 22-year-old Harvard senior from Oklahoma who lost a close family friend to suicide in 2016. Shafer-Ray is one of the key advocates behind a bill, now making its way through the Legislature, that would give families a better chance to save the lives of their loved ones.

These “red flag” laws, also known as Extreme Risk Protective Orders, create a legal avenue by which families and law enforcement can take guns out of the hands of people who a court deems are dangerous to others or — more often — themselves.

Seems common sense, right? Not that they can’t kill themselves and others in some other fashion

In Massachusetts, police chiefs already have discretion over who can legally own a firearm. But depression can strike at any time, including affecting people who already own guns. At that point, depression can immediately turn deadly, and getting the gun away from someone in crisis can be lifesaving. The bill also provides for a quick decision from a judge and avenues for appeal.

“One of the reasons it’s so important is that it provides a channel for families,” said Jack Torres, a 16-year-old sophomore at Somerville High School. Torres is one of the founders of Students Against Gun Violence, which organized a phone campaign that recently inundated the State House — including the office of House Speaker Robert A, DeLeo. Last week, DeLeo announced his support, which should go a long way toward turning this bill into law.

The problem here is that the system is ripe for abuse, depending on how vague the laws end up being. Right now, there’s a lawsuit against the U of Michigan regarding their “bias” rules, in which we read “Under the University of Michigan’s rules, “the most sensitive student on campus effectively dictates the terms under which others may speak,” Speech First says” because “The existence of an offended party can be sufficient to prove “bias.”” Yes, a judge is supposed to be involved in these red flag cases, but, how strong are the safeguards for those being accused?

And, given the Democrats hatred of guns (for Other People), should we be concerned that they’ll use the red flag laws to restrict ownership rights for law abiding citizens over minor things? Democrats have already stated that they’ll use laws to do so, and have done so. And that each law passed is a small step towards overall bans.

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Trump Pulls Out Of Iran Deal, Isolating America From Europe Or Something

By William Teach May 9, 2018 – 7:55 am

What’s left of Mr. Obama’s legacy at this point? Bad deal after bad deal has been scuttled by President Trump. This NY Times article has had the headline changed at least 3 times, originally being about concern over America losing credibility in Europe

Trump Abandons Iran Nuclear Deal He Long Scorned

President Trump declared on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, unraveling the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama, isolating the United States from its Western allies and sowing uncertainty before a risky nuclear negotiation with North Korea.

The decision, while long anticipated and widely telegraphed, leaves the 2015 agreement reached by seven countries after more than two years of grueling negotiations in tatters. The United States will now reimpose the stringent sanctions it imposed on Iran before the deal and is considering new penalties.

Iran said it will remain in the deal, which tightly restricted its nuclear ambitions for a decade or more in return for ending the sanctions that had crippled its economy.

So did France, Germany and Britain, raising the prospect of a trans-Atlantic clash as European companies face the return of American sanctions for doing business with Iran. China and Russia, also signatories to the deal, are likely to join Iran in accusing the United States of violating the accord.

Realistically, they need the United States more than we need them. France and Germany are the primary nations that will throw a hissy fit, and both of them should remember which nation is their friend and which is the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism. China needs our markets for their under-priced goods. Russia? Wait, I thought they were now the enemy? We’re caring about that? Spending two years of grueling negotiations and getting virtually nothing out of the deal shows that the Obama negotiators stunk.

Because look at the third paragraph: tightly restricted its nuclear ambitions for a decade. Not ended them. Just slowed them down a bit, and, in exchange, Iran received billions from Obama, removal of sanctions, ability to sell its oil on the world market, and ability to buy and sell on the world market. And they gave up, really, nothing.

And Iran was already part of a deal stopping them from developing nuclear weapons: the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as subsequent NPT accords.

Mr. Trump’s decision will test his already frayed relationship with European leaders. President Emmanuel Macron of France, whom the president welcomed with a state dinner two weeks ago, learned of his decision in a phone call with Mr. Trump on Tuesday morning. Later, he said in a post on Twitter that the European allies “regret” his decision.

“The international regime against nuclear proliferation is at stake,” he added.

They like to write about frayed relationships, but they can’t point to them in detail. Perhaps European leaders, meaning France and Germany, should consider taking our side and following our lead, rather than demanding we do what they want.

Few people were more stung by Mr. Trump’s decision than those who worked for Mr. Obama. Though he has moved methodically to dismantle his predecessor’s legacy, his reversal of the Iran deal was particularly painful, given the five years of effort that went into imposing sanctions, and the more than two-year-long negotiation led by Secretary of State John Kerry that yielded the accord.

“No rhetoric is required,” Mr. Kerry said in a statement. “The facts speak for themselves. Instead of building on unprecedented nonproliferation verification measures, this decision risks throwing them away and dragging the world back to the brink we faced a few years ago.”

If your neighbor keeps throwing their dog poo into your yard, and you negotiate a deal in which the neighbor promises not to throw poo into your yard for 10 years, and to not develop a poo stockpile which requires verification (but a 2 week notification and sections of his yard is off limits to inspection), and, in exchange, you give the neighbor a bundle of money and access to your apple trees and swimming pool, your spouse might call you a dumbass for negotiating that deal.

At the end of the day, most EU nations aren’t involved, a chunk are with us (like Poland), and France, Germany, and Britain can either stand with their #1 ally or stand with Iran.

Yay!

Read: Trump Pulls Out Of Iran Deal, Isolating America From Europe Or Something »

Posted in Barry Obama, Current Affairs, Donald Trump | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Person Goes Through Hurricane, Declares Self “Climate Refugee”

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 4:34 pm

Remember, hurricanes never happened before CO2 went over 350ppm. And this is the kind of junk science that outlets are pushing on teenagers, as the article is in Teen Vogue. Of course, few probably read it, because they’re there for the fashion and sex advice, not loopy junk science written by Agnes M. Torres Rivera

Hurricane Maria Made Me A Climate Change Refugee

Hurricane Maria changed my life overnight. The chaos and destruction of the storm, which made landfall on the island as a Category 4 storm in September 2017, changed the lives of millions of Puerto Ricans who call the island home. It forced thousands of people like myself to flee home and build a new life on the United States mainland. Upwards of 2,200 Puerto Ricans have been displaced to Connecticut post-Maria alone, including more than 1,800 children.

I left Puerto Rico in January to study as a visiting student at Trinity College in Hartford. After the hurricane, working towards my master’s degree in Puerto Rico was a challenge because the electricity and internet were not reliable. Coupled with the economic crisis that Puerto Rico is facing, living on the island seemed impossible.

Wait, she took a fossil fueled trip? Huh.

Since arriving in Hartford, I’ve connected with local organizations like Chispa Connecticut, an organizing program of the League of Conservation Voters, to meet with other displaced Puerto Ricans and plan the next steps in our lives. In doing so, I’ve realized that every person I’ve met who was forced to relocate has a similar story to share: of bravery and persistence, yes, but also of a forever-altered landscape and of communities, like mine, that are being torn apart by climate change. (snip through some stories)

There are thousands more Puerto Ricans who have stories just like these. The record-breaking rainfall, flooding, and destruction driven by Hurricane Maria — not to mention Hurricanes Harvey and Irma — is what climate change looks like. And, as sea levels continue to rise and air and water temperatures continue to warm, these storms are likely to worsen. Hurricane Maria showed us that we can’t afford to wait another day to fight back. We are climate change refugees, and our collective stories serve as a cautionary tale that government officials need to hear.

What they are deluded, brainwashed Victims. Because tons of people (primarily Leftists) seem to want to be a Victim these days. Just a couple decades ago, people talked about how strong they were, that they wouldn’t break, that they would rebuild. Now, they’re just whiners. When people went through other hurricanes, they got to work. Now they want Government to be their mommy and daddy and kiss their boo boo.

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If All You See…

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 1:00 pm

…is carbon pollution making the sky look grey, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Flopping Aces, with a post noting the application of the law depends on your political views.

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UN: “Climate Change (scam) is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth” Or Something

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 10:44 am

Keep beating that dead horse, people who have outsized carbon footprints from living the good life and taking long fossil fueled trips to climate change conferences

(Breitbart) The United Nations Climate Change Secretariat released its first ever annual report this week, in which it held up its “Gender Action Plan” as a key to increasing the participation of women in responding to global warming.

“Climate Change is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa at the roll-out of the report.

“This annual report shows how UN Climate Change is doing everything it can to support, encourage and build on the global response to climate change,” Espinosa said, adding that “UN Climate Change’s mandate is to lead and support the global community in this international response, with the Paris Agreement and the Convention being the long-term vehicles for united global climate action.”

In his foreword to the report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, expressed a similar conviction that global warming poses a singular threat to the world in the third millennium.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time,” Guterres warned, “yet it is still accelerating faster than our efforts to address it. Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide are higher than they have been for 800,000 years, and they are increasing. So, too, are the catastrophic effects of our warming planet – extreme storms, droughts, fires, floods, melting ice and rising sea levels.”

So, basically, no matter what happens, they blame it on Hotcoldwetdry. It’s a cult. And, they’ll link it to everything, like women’s rights. Perhaps they should worry more about how women are treated in 3rd world shitholes and Islamic nations before worrying about …. oh, wait, right, the UN Climastrologers want women to be subservient to the Government. My bad.

Read: UN: “Climate Change (scam) is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth” Or Something »

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Kamala Harris Backs Striking Public Sector Workers Over Graduating Kids, People In Need Of Medical Service

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 7:57 am

Overall, though, this is less about Kamala, who is considered a leading contender to run for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 2020, and more about why public sector unions should be abolished

Sen. Kamala Harris backs out of commencement speech at UC Berkeley

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is heeding a boycott call by striking University of California employees and announced Monday that she will not be commencement speaker at UC Berkeley ceremonies.

Harris said she “regretfully” won’t attend Saturday’s spring commencement due to the labor dispute and the call for a university-wide speaker boycott. Instead, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address.

Harris says she wishes the estimated 5,800 students “success for the future.

She had made a commitment to be the speaker, and she reneged on it. For shame. Here’s the really important part

Thousands of UC custodians, security guards, gardeners and other service workers began a three-day walkout on Monday to address gender pay inequalities and demand higher wages.

The Associated Press reported that officials at UC Davis Medical Center were forced to reschedule more than 100 cancer exams and 150 radiology exams.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 called for the strike, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. The union includes 25,000 service workers.

The report said medical workers sympathetic to the strikers are set to join walkouts set for the next few days. Essential patient care will be provided, the report said. Hundreds of surgeries, however, were rescheduled.

Got that? These workers who are demanding a 20% pay hike on the public dime are already paid at or above market rate on the public dime have caused lots of problems for people who need cancer exams and surgeries. These are the people that Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are backing. Just remember the unhinged talk aimed at Trump and Republicans about PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE (non-essential) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE CLOSED. WE’RE DOOMED!!!!! during the brief shutdowns.

Public sector unions need to go. These are government employees. They live off the backs of the working American taxpayers. It would be one thing if the unions simply existed to protect employees from terrible bosses (don’t the Dems tell us that Government is awesome?), but when people whose salaries are paid for by the taxpayers decide to walk off the job and strike, causing problems for the taxpayers in a manner where the government is essentially extorting the government, there’s a problem.

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Everyone’s Saying Trump Will Pull Out Of Iran Deal, So, He’s Most Likely Staying In

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 7:41 am

Look, as stated many, many times, the Iran deal is a bad deal. America really gets little out of it. It is a one sided deal, brokered by people who do not understand how to conduct a win-win negotiation. So, what will happen? Here’s the Washington Post front page headline and sub-head blurb

Trump expected to impede Iran nuclear deal
President Trump is expected to announce that he will not continue to waive sanctions against Iran, according to current and former U.S. and foreign officials. Iran has threatened to reactivate its nuclear program if the United States reneges on any of its obligations under the 2015 pact.

The LA Times takes a middle ground

Allies and adversaries alike worry as Trump sets stage for reveal on Iran deal

President Trump on Tuesday could make good on his longstanding threat to tear up the Iran nuclear accord — or he could heap fresh disdain on the landmark disarmament pact while charting a course that would keep key elements in place, at least for now.

CNN is also middle ground

World holds breath for Trump’s Iran deal decision

President Donald Trump on Tuesday can land his most devastating blow yet on the legacy of Barack Obama, but a move to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal could also spark a dangerous global crisis.

ABC News and the UK Guardian

And, of course, the paper of record, NY Times

Unswayed by Allies, Trump Is Expected to Leave Iran Deal, Diplomats Say

President Trump is expected to announce on Tuesday that he is withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, European diplomats said after concluding that they had failed to convince him that reneging on America’s commitment to the pact could cast the West into new confrontation with Tehran.

Many others are claiming he’ll pull the U.S., and, since Trump always likes to do the unexpected, I expect him to stay in the deal at this time, while demanding full compliance to the letter of the agreement in full, while slapping restrictions and sanctions on Iran as much as he can. At this point, what difference does it make? Iran either works on making nuclear weapons now or nuclear weapons in the late 2020’s. And in the 2020’s is on Barack Obama and John Kerry. Plus, if Trump pulls out, none of the others will pull out, so, it won’t really harm Iran and all the money they now have flowing in.

Oh, hey, what’s this from the NY Times

Here’s How the Nuclear Deal Slowed Iran Down

That’s right, it slowed their nuclear program down. It did not stop it, despite all the happy “let’s make Obama look awesome” talk from news outlets.

The same outlets are also prognosticating doom if Trump pulls the U.S. out. They say that oil prices will spike, that there will be economic doom. In other words, everything will be fine.

Senator Marco Rubio: President Trump should nix the Iran nuclear deal

Rubio does a very good job of laying out how bad this deal is. The question here is, would it make much of a difference if the U.S. pulled out after these few years it has been in operation, when European nations and others will refuse to reinstate sanctions and just continue to do business with Iran? Remember, many of those same nations did business with Iraq under Saddam despite all the U.N. sanctions.

We’ll wait and see what Trump does.

More: For reals?

Read: Everyone’s Saying Trump Will Pull Out Of Iran Deal, So, He’s Most Likely Staying In »

Posted in Current Affairs, Donald Trump, Iran | 6 Comments | Trackback URL

‘Climate Change’ (scam) Believers Demand People No Longer Be Allowed To Have Single Family Homes

By William Teach May 7, 2018 – 4:16 pm

Perhaps we can start with Warmists like Barack Obama, Al Gore, Bernie Sanders, and all the rest

Green building isn’t enough; we need green zoning.

How can cities that have green building codes have zoning bylaws that protect low-density single family housing?

These days it seems that everyone is fighting over zoning. Housing costs in many cities are unaffordable but the great proportion of the cities are locked into single-family zoning and building anything but a detached house seems almost impossible. Right now we see these battles in Seattle, San Francisco, and Toronto, but they are happening just about in every successful city.

And the hilarious thing about it all is that these are also cities that have green building standards. San Francisco has a green building codedesigned to reduce energy use, Seattle’s green standard “saves resources and promotes renewable, clean energy”, Toronto’s standard’s intent is to “reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The great hypocrisy is that the single biggest factor in the carbon footprint of our cities isn’t the amount of insulation in our walls, it’s the zoning. (snip)

We have been saying it for years: denser urban living is the key to reducing our carbon footprint. Some, like David Owen, call for really high density; I have called for the Goldilocks Density; the fashionable phrase now is the missing middle; both describe density high enough to support local businesses so that one can mostly get around by walking, but buildings that are low enough that they can be efficiently built out of low carbon materials like wood.

Interesting. Forcing Everyone Else into tight urban areas. A lot easier to control them and keep an eye on them, eh?

We have been talking about the relationship of density and carbon for years, and we have been talking about green building codes, certifications and bylaws. But green building isn’t enough; we need green zoning. Any civic government that calls itself green while protecting low density single family housing is just being hypocritical.

What they mean is that government needs to pass regulations restricting single family housing. Sounds less like a science or more like authoritative government as pushed by idiots who think the bad parts will never effect themselves.

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Posted in Global Warming, Progressive Goals | 4 Comments | Trackback URL
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