How Green Is “Green Energy”?

By William Teach November 1, 2016 – 10:30 am

It’s an excellent question

(Daily Caller) Wind and solar power aren’t as environmentally friendly as green energy activists often claim, according to a new study by scientists at Uppsala University in Sweden.

Researchers noted that wind turbines and solar panels are made of non-renewable resources that have to be dug out of the ground. Both solar and wind power use a lot of land and water, leading to habitat destruction. Additionally, hazardous materials like sulfuric acid and toxic phosphine gas factor in heavily in solar panel manufacturing. Modern wind turbines are also highly dependent on rare earth minerals mined primarily from countries with poor environmental records, like China.

We’ve previously learned from real world construction that solar can leave a massive toxic waste problem. Remember Solyndra? Warmists love solar and wind because it supposedly reduces CO2 emissions (and is a great way to financially reward campaign contributors), but, it isn’t very environmentally friendly, what with the solar panels and wind turbines having a limited lifespan, and creating environmental messes during production, installation, operation, and end of life.

And what of all the wildlife killed and habitats destroyed?

Environmental groups like the Center For Biological Diversity (CBD) have already begun opposing wind and solar projects due to their environmental impacts.

CBS has pursued legal action to block the creation of solar-farms out of fear that they would encroach on 32 endangered desert tortoises and that sunlight-concentrating panels act like super-heated death-rays for birds, killing tens of thousands of them per year. The same group has even sued to prevent the construction of environmentally friendly housing.

Many, many projects have been blocked or have seen attempts to block them, because they aren’t very green.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue the use of alternatives. We should make sure that they are actually environmentally responsible while also providing low cost energy, without leaving taxpayers on the hook.

Read: How Green Is “Green Energy”? »

Posted in Energy, Environment, Global Warming | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Major Things That Concern People: Selfies While Voting

By William Teach November 1, 2016 – 7:43 am

Welcome to 2016

(NJ.com) The state lawmaker looking to lift the ban on ballot selfies says New Jerseyans who want to post photos from the voting booth shouldn’t be too worried come Election Day.

But the prohibition remains law.

Last month, State Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson) introduced a bill that would legalize the practice of polling place self-portraiture, arguing laws forbidding such photos are behind the times.

His bill (A4188) unanimously cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee earlier this month, but won’t make it through the Legislature ahead of November 8.

According to an Associated Press review of the laws across the United States, New Jersey is one of 18 states where statutes are considered to prohibit the practice.

It would be easy to dismiss this as utter fluff, no big deal, and it should be that way, however, for many people, taking a selfie is Very Important. It’s a matter of Rights! Some people just have to take a selfie (or a picture of their food or beverage) on a constant basis, and probably start stressing out if they don’t, much like the joke about vegans

Just change it to “when you’re somewhere and haven’t taken a selfie in the last 5 minutes”. This is serious business

Court challenges to anti-selfie statutes have cropped up across the U.S. Last week, three New York voters filed a lawsuit seeking to have that state’s prohibition tossed. A month earlier, another federal court struck down New Hampshire’s ban.

Here’s an idea: go vote, then, when you’re outside the polling place, take your selfie. You can wait. Jessica Biel, wife of Justin Timberlake, waited. And then made fun of Justin. You’ll be OK. Breathe. And you won’t slow things down while attempting to take the perfect selfie, nor expose the faces of people who thought they were voting in private.

“I don’t think people should be worried about posting a ballot selfie on Instagram or Snapchat or whatever,” the assemblyman said. “In fact, I plan to.”

No, they shouldn’t be worried. I doubt anyone will prosecute. But, it is fun that Mukherji (Democrat) is explicitly stating that he plans to break the law.

Seriously. Selfies.

Read: Major Things That Concern People: Selfies While Voting »

Posted in Current Affairs, Elections | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Hillary’s Emailgate Is An Attack On Women Or Something

By William Teach November 1, 2016 – 7:20 am

Robin Lakoff has a bit of a hissy fit over at Time regarding EmailGate, deeming it sexxxxxist

Hillary Clinton’s Emailgate Is an Attack on Women

‘It’s not about emails; it’s about public communication by a woman’

I am mad. I am mad because I am scared. And if you are a woman, you should be, too. Emailgate is a bitch hunt, but the target is not Hillary Clinton. It’s us.

The only reason the whole email flap has legs is because the candidate is female. Can you imagine this happening to a man? Clinton is guilty of SWF (Speaking While Female), and emailgate is just a reminder to us all that she has no business doing what she’s doing and must be punished, for the sake of all decent women everywhere. There is so much of that going around.

The people are demanding Clinton act like moral exemplars, thundering from the pulpit like Jonathan Edwards or Cotton Mather. But Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and their many conservative friends are not remotely Clinton’s moral superiors. They are simply bullies, using gender discrimination to give a veneer of plausibility to their accusations.

So, we have to be Clinton supporters to demand that she act in a moral manner? Of course, it is years to late for that. But, hey, gender discrimination. Apparently, the super strong Hillary Clinton needs protection to operate.

FBI Chief James Comey has shown himself to be another bully of the same kind. He has repeatedly talked down to Clinton, admonishing her as a bad parent would a 5-year-old. He has accused her of “poor judgment” and called her use of a private email server “extremely careless.” If Comey’s a Boy Scout, here’s one old lady who will never let him help her across the street.

If you can believe it, an adult wrote that. Someone who is in charge of teaching. Teaching an obscure and rather meaningless discipline, linguistics, and works for the U of California Berkeley, but, an adult teacher nonetheless. Is it really worth responding on a point by point basis, or, use

It really doesn’t get any better, either. She even attempts to turn this whole thing into a Free Speech issue, which, apparently, only men are entitled to in this society, according to Ms. Lakoff. Because Free Speech has always been about initiating a private email server against federal law, Executive Office and State Dept rules, then pass classified and sensitive information through it, some at the highest levels of classification which people who received it had no security clearance to view it, then delete emails in violation of subpoena, then lie and obfuscate.

She ends with

Imagine the emails the Trump campaign must be exchanging … Now those would be legitimately interesting!

Probably. But, do they involve transmitting America’s secrets in a manner contradicted by law? Doesn’t matter, because this is about sexxxxxism.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

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Posted in Hillary Clinton, Special Snowflake Syndrome | 29 Comments | Trackback URL

Good News: All Cleveland Indians Fans Are Raaaaacists

By William Teach October 31, 2016 – 4:07 pm

The Cleveland Indians are on the brink of winning the World Series, being up on the Cubs 3 games to 2. So, obviously, it’s time for Social Justice Warrior David Leonhardt to whine about raaaaacism in the NY Times

Cleveland’s Unthinking Racism

For many of Cleveland’s passionate, patient baseball fans, their team’s logo is a joyful connection to the past. It’s a reminder of the players from their childhood and from generations earlier. The logo — which was the centerpiece of a 28-foot-high sign that welcomed fans to Cleveland’s old ballpark for many seasons — is one of the few constants across the decades.

But the logo is also an ugly racist caricature.

That much is undeniable, whatever else may be true. It consists of a cartoon face with bright red skin, grotesquely large teeth and a bent nose, topped by a single feather. The character is named Chief Wahoo, and the team, of course, is the Cleveland Indians.

Because something is always raaaaacist (or sexist, or whatever -ist you want) these days, so, someone must Do Something about it. Remember when Liberals told us that if we didn’t like something, change the channel? Now they will Make You Care. They’re always sticking their noses in things, and attempt to create National Conversations, because if they care, well, you will be forced to care.

This week, they’re trying to win their first World Series in almost 70 years. Which means that hundreds if not thousands of well-meaning Cleveland fans have gone out to a ballpark wearing an ugly racist caricature, while being watched on television by millions of other people.

So, all you Indians fans are raaaaacists. Whether you think it or not. Because shut up, you raaaaacists. You’re betters know better, and you’re unconsciously involved in a Hate Crime and Wrongthink.

As someone wrote to the Denver Post, which, along with lots of media outlets, are wringing their hands over Chief Wahoo,

“The only group with veto power over the image should be the people represented, and if they’re generally fine with it, then the matter is closed. We need to quit imposing our guilt and let them decide.”

That’s not good enough for SJWs. Their guilt is your guilt. Whether you want it or not. And, if you don’t have it, you’re raaaaacist.

Read: Good News: All Cleveland Indians Fans Are Raaaaacists »

Posted in Unhinged Tools | 10 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach October 31, 2016 – 1:00 pm

…is a wonderful greenspace which should be replaced by solar panels, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is A View From The Beach, with a post on yet another unhinged SJW who has a problem with……canoes!

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Posted in If All You See | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Know What We Really Need? A Revolution On ‘Climate Change’

By William Teach October 31, 2016 – 10:30 am

No, seriously

We Don’t Need a ‘War’ on Climate Change, We Need a Revolution

This year is on track to become the hottest ever recorded, and a growing number of environmentalists are using a particular type of language in response. Some are calling for a huge “mobilization” to “combat” climate change. In an article in the New Republic in August, Bill McKibben, the unofficial spokesperson of the climate movement in the United States, insisted in very literal terms that, we are at war with climate change.

In the United States, we are familiar with war metaphors; and they are often politically useful. We have been through wars on poverty, drugs, cancer and even Christmas. In these cases, metaphors are understood as metaphors, but when McKibben points to territory ceded, space invaded, cultural loss and human suffering, he intends to be taken at face value: “It’s not that global warming is like a world war,” he writes. “It is a world war.”

(blah blah blah, social justice, climate justice, raising taxes, yammer yammer yammer)

For this reason, Naomi Klein has called for solutions that go beyond the technological. She emphasizes, not just green energy, but also “people power.” Her most recent book and film, “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate,” feature a number of grass-roots movements resisting the forces that threaten people’s relationships with their environment — sometimes even in the name of “green” solutions, such as hydroelectric dam projects. We want to follow Klein’s lead in shifting the conceptual focus from technologies of power to relations of power. Despite his recent rhetoric, McKibben follows a similar course.

We urgently need to motivate action, but given the ambiguities and dangers surrounding war rhetoric, we need better orienting language. Perhaps, as some have suggested, “revolution” is the better path.

In other words, it’s just like so many of us Skeptics have been saying: this is all a left wing Progressive (nice fascism) movement to essentially change everything away from capitalism in the economic mode, forming a government dominated economic system. Call it Marxism, socialism, whatever you want. It’s all about government control. Espoused by people who, shockingly, get paid for their work.

Read: Know What We Really Need? A Revolution On ‘Climate Change’ »

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Which Climate Change Costume Are You Wearing This Halloween?

By William Teach October 31, 2016 – 7:09 am

You probably thought that the Cult of Climastrology had forgotten to drag Halloween into their silly beliefs. Of course not. And you can totally take Halloween to the next level

Take Halloween to the next level with these 5 statement costumes

Eco-themed Halloween costumes are definitely in. After all, it’s a night devoted to terror and excess. But how do you stand out in a sea of BP oil spills and sexy Ken Bones?

This year, don’t just dress like an environmental catastrophe. Act like one, too. Science has spit out some nasty (and terrifying) stats about our changing world lately. We have a few suggestions for ways you can be equally obnoxious this year. Just remember — it’s for the planet.

So, we get things like

Costume: Farty scape-cow

Fact: Methane emissions are 60 to 110 percent higher than we thought. Double, double, toil and trouble. Fires burn, and the cauldron is certainly bubbling. We’ve been underestimating methane emissions from oil, coal, and natural gas exploration by 20 to 60 percent, says a new study in Nature. Creepy.

Act it out: Cattle take a lot of the blame for methane emissions, but fossil fuels are big emitters, too. Explain this to partygoers while wearing your best cow suit and spritzing gag fart spray.

Sounds like you’ll be the life of the party. Bet you’ll have a lot of invites to next year’s party.

You can also go as

  • Wildfire
  • Average June
  • New York underwater (this is a group project)
  • Pissed off wilderness

Doesn’t this sound fun?

Halloween is all about getting scared, and pissing people off, for educational reasons. So rock that jerky costume. Wear it with pride. And tomorrow, crowdfund against pollution — or plant a native, organic, and water-wise garden — or support family planning and sexual education in your community. Yes these stats are spooky-sad, but get into it, have fun, definitely don’t light yourself on fire, and remember there’s still plenty we can do.

I never knew that Halloween is about pissing people off for education reasons. As for plenty you can do, of course this doesn’t require you to actually go carbon neutral in your own life. You can still drive a fossil fueled vehicle to the Halloween party where you’ll annoy everyone.

Read: Which Climate Change Costume Are You Wearing This Halloween? »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 6 Comments | Trackback URL

The FBI Director Is Damaging Our Democracy Or Something

By William Teach October 31, 2016 – 6:55 am

Alternate headline: Woman who knows quite a bit about thwarting transparency an damaging national security is upset. Jamie Gorelick, along with Larry Thompson, has written a typical moonbat piece for the Washington Post. You remember Ms. Gorelick, right? She was one of the 9/11 Commission members, who, we soon found out, was personally responsible for instituting the “wall” between law enforcement and intelligence during the Bill Clinton administration, making it oh so much easier for al Qaeda to plan and practice for their 9/11 attacks.

Both are big Hillary Clinton supporters

James Comey is damaging our democracy

The Justice Department has a proud history of enforcing federal criminal law without fear or favor, and especially without regard to politics.

So, it sounds like they should approve of the investigation. Of course not. And, of course, it’s only a section of the DOJ that is investigating, namely, the FBI. Loretta Lynch’s DOJ wants nothing to do with investigating Hillary. If she was a Republican, well, things would be different

It operates under long-standing and well-established traditions limiting disclosure of ongoing investigations to the public and even to Congress, especially in a way that might be seen as influencing an election. These traditions protect the integrity of the department and the public’s confidence in its mission to take care that the laws are faithfully and impartially executed. They reflect an institutional balancing of interests, delaying disclosure and public knowledge to avoid misuse of prosecutorial power by creating unfair innuendo to which an accused party cannot properly respond.

Again, you know that if Hillary was a Republican, this op-ed would have a much different tone, which would be cheering this action.

Decades ago, the department decided that in the 60-day period before an election, the balance should be struck against even returning indictments involving individuals running for office, as well as against the disclosure of any investigative steps. The reasoning was that, however important it might be for Justice to do its job, and however important it might be for the public to know what Justice knows, because such allegations could not be adjudicated, such actions or disclosures risked undermining the political process. A memorandum reflecting this choice has been issued every four years by multiple attorneys general for a very long time, including in 2016.

This would be like the refs deciding that they will not call any penalties, no matter how blatant, in the last 5 minutes of a close Super Bowl. Grab a facemask, mug a receiver, knock a quarterback out with a late hit to the head? Nope, sorry, last 5 minutes.

When they take their vows and assume office, senior officials in the Justice Department and the FBI become part of these traditions, with an obligation to preserve, protect and defend them.

Traditions are apparently more important than pesky things like law, order, investigating criminal conduct. All the complaints end with

As it stands, we now have real-time, raw-take transparency taken to its illogical limit, a kind of reality TV of federal criminal investigation. Perhaps worst of all, it is happening on the eve of a presidential election. It is antithetical to the interests of justice, putting a thumb on the scale of this election and damaging our democracy.

Interesting. People like Democrat voter Gorelick have no problem when the news media, seemingly an arm of the Democratic Party, release information (sometimes totally false and made up) against members of one political party. Does that not damage our democracy in the same manner? If the answer is no, why not? Would it be better to limit all last minute releases till after the election? We could put a moratorium on all transparency from, say, three weeks out from the election. Would that work? For Democrats, transparency is only something that should be practiced when it hurts Republicans.

Of course, the Washington Post is going full bore barking moonbat. We see opinion pieces like

And so many more. Again, imagine this had been about Trump. The media would have cheered.

Fortunately, the media is also keeping the story alive with their indignant stories and opinion pieces, which is probably the last thing Hillary wants. Whoops.

(formatting of blockquotes fixed)

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: The FBI Director Is Damaging Our Democracy Or Something »

Posted in Barking Moonbats, Hillary Clinton | 10 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach October 30, 2016 – 1:00 pm

…is a horrible laundry basket which leads people to using electronic and evil washing machines, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Not A Lot Of People Know That, with a post on wind farms causing stress and loss of sleep.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 9 Comments | Trackback URL

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

By William Teach October 30, 2016 – 9:14 am

Patriotic Pinup Bill Randall

Happy Sunday! A wonderful day in the once and future nation of America. Just a day away from Halloween, which, sadly, is not election day. It should be, at least this year. This pinup is by Bill Randall, with a wee bit of help.

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. The Other McCain has suggestions on what to do with Hillary
  2. The Geller Report notes Sweden banning Christmas lights to avoid offending Muslims
  3. The First Street Journal discusses voting with a clear conscience
  4. Shot In the Dark notes that some animals are more equal than others
  5. Patterico’s Pontifications says that Hillary owns this alone
  6. Neo Neocon covers the purpose of the income tax
  7. Moonbattery notes Bill de Blasio blaming food carts for global warming
  8. Jihad Watch wonders when the Islamophobia will end in Nigeria
  9. Fire Andrea Mitchell covers a newspaper calling on Hillary to resign
  10. DaTechGuy explains why he thinks Comey reopened the Hillary investigation
  11. Blazing Cat Fur notes some college students upset by a “Rally For America”
  12. Bizzy Blog has a feel good story for the day
  13. American Power covers American fears of violence on election day
  14. The Deplorable Climate Science Blog notes that symptoms of cooling and warming are the same
  15. And last, but not least, Legal Insurrection notes the irony of the DOJ warning the FBI

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page. While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your “Pinups for Vets” calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts and things that interest me

Don’t forget to check out all the other great material all the linked blogs have!

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. (BTW, since someone asked, the reason I leave links for the previous week up (or you might see a *) is because they are place holders for later in the day or for next weeks. Easier than rewriting all the time. Also, the listing order has to do with how they are added over time, not how good a post is. I just copy and paste from the previous week, then edit. If you see one of the *’s, go ahead and check out the blog anyhow, see if there is an update. I cannot update with my Android during the day.

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