The Race For 2024

[bilby]

30 Things Joe Biden Did as President You Might Have Missed​

Revitalize infrastructure (of which Republicans voted against and take credit for), combatting climate change, boosting renewable energy, reducing junk fees, strengthening unions, etc.

Not bad for a doddering senile old fart.

Point of information: Climate Change hasn't been combatted (it continues to worsen); And boosting renewable energy is a technique for making people think you are combatting climate change, without actually combatting climate change at all (which is why politicians love it - it is a vote winner amongst environmentalists and fossil fuel producers alike).

Renewable energy remains a way to promote gas burning over nuclear power. As such, it's the antithesis of "combatting Climate Change".

It is a theoretically excellent idea, as long as you are one of the vast majority of people who don't have clue one about the actual electricity supply from either an engineering or an economic perspective. Such people can be identified by their belief that scalable and affordable grid-scale storage is either an existing thing, or will shortly become a reality.

Meanwhile, Europe and most of North America long since passed the point where building any more wind or solar power was helpful, and now each new build of these technologies is making the situation worse.

 

[Shadowy Man]

30 Things Joe Biden Did as President You Might Have Missed​

Revitalize infrastructure (of which Republicans voted against and take credit for), combatting climate change, boosting renewable energy, reducing junk fees, strengthening unions, etc.

Not bad for a doddering senile old fart.

Point of information: Climate Change hasn't been combatted (it continues to worsen); And boosting renewable energy is a technique for making people think you are combatting climate change, without actually combatting climate change at all (which is why politicians love it - it is a vote winner amongst environmentalists and fossil fuel producers alike).

I think the following video does a good job at addressing whether or not progress is being made in combatting climate change:

 

[bilby]

30 Things Joe Biden Did as President You Might Have Missed​

Revitalize infrastructure (of which Republicans voted against and take credit for), combatting climate change, boosting renewable energy, reducing junk fees, strengthening unions, etc.

Not bad for a doddering senile old fart.

Point of information: Climate Change hasn't been combatted (it continues to worsen); And boosting renewable energy is a technique for making people think you are combatting climate change, without actually combatting climate change at all (which is why politicians love it - it is a vote winner amongst environmentalists and fossil fuel producers alike).

I think the following video does a good job at addressing whether or not progress is being made in combatting climate change:

I don't watch video online. What does it say?

 

[Shadowy Man]

30 Things Joe Biden Did as President You Might Have Missed​

Revitalize infrastructure (of which Republicans voted against and take credit for), combatting climate change, boosting renewable energy, reducing junk fees, strengthening unions, etc.

Not bad for a doddering senile old fart.

Point of information: Climate Change hasn't been combatted (it continues to worsen); And boosting renewable energy is a technique for making people think you are combatting climate change, without actually combatting climate change at all (which is why politicians love it - it is a vote winner amongst environmentalists and fossil fuel producers alike).

I think the following video does a good job at addressing whether or not progress is being made in combatting climate change:

I don't watch video online. What does it say?

I rewatched it and here's a summary:

He says that prior to the Paris agreement, scientists expected warming up +4C by 2100. But current governmental policies are expected to limit that warming to +2.7C (with an error bar of course), while currently submitted near and long term targets may limit warming to +2.1C. Now, ideally we would want to limit the warming to less than +1.5C in this century, so even +2.1C isn't good enough. However, in less than ten years, some actual progress has been made. He then points out that economic growth has been decoupled from emissions, with per capita wealth increasing while per capita emissions have been relatively stable (or even fallen in some areas). Even China's emissions may have peaked, as they've been investing in renewables faster than US and Europe.

He further discusses the decarbonization of some industries like concrete and steel production, with those efforts in their infancies but underway. Much of this awaits actual government action to enact policies supporting these sorts of efforts. In the future, more voters will be more politically aware of the climate crisis and there's hope that this may begin to influence future elections.

The "good news" may not be "good enough", but as he says, "there's no contradiction between acknowledging the severity of the situation we are in and the insufficiency of action to date and acknowledging progress made to date towards sufficient action." To not at least acknowledge how at least some things have improved leads to despair, which he states is an emotion that limits future action.

 

[ZiprHead]

Posts about Trumps fraud trial in NY have been moved to the proper thread.

https://iidb.org/threads/donald-the-orange-and-family-sued-in-ny.26558/

 

[Derec]

Renewable energy remains a way to promote gas burning over nuclear power. As such, it's the antithesis of "combatting Climate Change".

I do support nuclear power. But using more gas instead of coal is definitely helping as well.

 

[Derec]

Right-wing complaints about Ms. Swift flying a private jet are just typical hypocrisy. The good she can do from her "bully pulpit" far outweighs her carbon footprint which, of course, is large like that of all rich and successful businessmen.

That is not hypocrisy. It is hypocrisy to excuse TS's use of private jets to fly to the Superbowl just because you like her politics.

Sean Hannity has his own private jet; should we complain about that?

So? How many people here like Hannity? That's one thing. Another is that he doesn't give a shit about climate. People like TS pretend they do, but do not live that way.

The Trumplicker's top star isn't yet quite rich enough for a private jet; he flies commercial, as we know since he was kicked off a Delta plane in 2021:

Good for him. Flying commercial is far more environmentally responsible.

Derec keeps insisting he does not support the Trumplicking Ilk and of course we believe him! But he could get a good job at TheOnion pretending to be a Trumplicker.

So now anybody who criticizes TS is a "Trumplicker"? Really? You are becoming a parody of yourself Swammy.

Since he is eager to whinge when a rationalist makes an obviously deliberate exaggeration

Which supposed "rationalist" are you talking about here, Swammy?

and there's no other rebuttal available, I will correct the record re his claim here. Swift did NOT fly her jet to LA just for the iced coffee. She also ordered a blueberry muffin.

At least you did not lose your sense of humor.

 

[Derec]

Her tour is also an industry that only operates for a year or two, then years of downtime with no carbon footprint.

There is also a difference between carbon footprint of a business and carbon footprint of TS as an individual travelling for pleasure. Like taking her private jet to watch her boyfriend play sportsball.

 

[Derec]

Normally I would say people in high profile positions should not publicly voice their political opinion as it fuels divisiveness.

I agree that musicians, athletes, actors etc. do not have any special insight into political, economic, environmental etc. issues and thus should best "shut up and sing" (or shut up and play).

But have we crossed the Rubicon in these regards? Do people with so many ears turned toward them now have a duty to speak up? Maybe. I'm not sure if we are there yet.

Duty to speak up? Why?

On carbon footprint
I think it's about doing what we can within the context of our station in life. Should Taylor Swift not tour other countries because it increases her carbon footprint?

I do not think her use of air travel for her tour is an issue. But did she have to fly from Tokyo to Vegas just to see the game?
When environmentalists tell us regular people that we should drive less, or not use disposable plastics but excuse private jet by the gliterati, that is rank hypocrisy. Remember the DAPL controversy? Some celebrities, like Mike Ruffalo, were very opposed to the pipeline. But at the same time, he and people like him fly private and live in huge mansions.

Should SpaceX not put rockets up until such time as they can do so with little more than a few drops of water dripping out the tailpipe?

SpaceX is in business to make space launches more efficient by reusing launch vehicles.

 

[laughing dog]

So? How many people here like Hannity? That's one thing. Another is that he doesn't give a shit about climate. People like TS pretend they do, but do not live that way.

I have no idea how Ms Swift lives, but expecting rigid adherence without exception is childish. Less than perfection is not hypocrisy. Because if it is, everyone is a hypocrite.

 

[Derec]

So what?
He didn’t.

That's my point. It wasn't possible for him to do so since the accusation was so vague.

He was found liable.
Case closed.

Unfortunately, in our broken system that is the case.
But nobody - no matter what you or I think of that person - should be found liable based on such an infinitesimal amount of evidence.

 

[Politesse]

Typical conservative thinking. Hypocritical or incomplete goodness is somehow worse than just being straight up evil and proud of it. Well, I don't agree.

 

[Derec]

I have no idea how Ms Swift lives, but expecting rigid adherence without exception is childish. Less than perfection is not hypocrisy. Because if it is, everyone is a hypocrite.

Nobody is expecting perfection.

 

[Derec]

Typical conservative thinking. Hypocritical or incomplete goodness is somehow worse than just being straight up evil and proud of it. Well, I don't agree.

You should practice what you preach. Nobody is perfect, but there should be broad adherence.
And it goes both ways. If a conservative figure preaches conservative sexual mores but lives otherwise that is worse than somebody else being a libertine freely and openly.

 

[Derec]

In general I would agree--this is why statute of limitations exist in the first place.
However, his "defense" at the trial was so bad that I think he's guilty.

The guy can't help himself but put his foot in his mouth. It could well be the result of early stage dementia.
Given that there was no real evidence for EJC having been raped, there should not have been a verdict in her favor.

 

[laughing dog]

I have no idea how Ms Swift lives, but expecting rigid adherence without exception is childish. Less than perfection is not hypocrisy. Because if it is, everyone is a hypocrite.

Nobody is expecting perfection.

Then why the accusation of hypocrisy and “not living that way” based on a single instance ?

Maybe Ms Swift is a real hypocrite. Maybe she doesn’t really care about the environment. I don’t care one way or the other. I think what she does is no one’s business.

 

[bilby]

Renewable energy remains a way to promote gas burning over nuclear power. As such, it's the antithesis of "combatting Climate Change".

I do support nuclear power. But using more gas instead of coal is definitely helping as well.

Doing damage about half as fast is better than nothing, but it isn't exactly laudable.

 

[Derec]

Phillips is another rich businessman who decided to enter politics. His record isn't bad and he seems to support the same policies that Biden does. If Biden dropped out, I could see supporting him EXCEPT he has very little name recognition and he's no Barack Obama with the silver tongued ability to draw you in. I particularly dislike that his entire campaign seems to be Biden's old. Basically, I think he's unelectable because, as you've mentioned, no one has heard of him. The only thing that is 'interesting' about Phillips is..... well, nothing.

I have heard the idea that maybe Biden is waiting for primaries to end to declare he is stepping down. If he steps down now, Phillips could collect enough delegates. But if he waits until the primaries the delegates would be free to do cow-trading at the convention and nominate Kamala or Goodhair or whomever.

Same goes if Trump has to bow out. His delegates would not go for Haley, but if he were to drop out now, she might well collect most pledged delegates.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Normally I would say people in high profile positions should not publicly voice their political opinion as it fuels divisiveness.

I agree that musicians, athletes, actors etc. do not have any special insight into political, economic, environmental etc. issues and thus should best "shut up and sing" (or shut up and play).

But have we crossed the Rubicon in these regards? Do people with so many ears turned toward them now have a duty to speak up? Maybe. I'm not sure if we are there yet.

Duty to speak up? Why?

On carbon footprint
I think it's about doing what we can within the context of our station in life. Should Taylor Swift not tour other countries because it increases her carbon footprint?

I do not think her use of air travel for her tour is an issue. But did she have to fly from Tokyo to Vegas just to see the game?
When environmentalists tell us regular people that we should drive less, or not use disposable plastics but excuse private jet by the gliterati, that is rank hypocrisy. Remember the DAPL controversy? Some celebrities, like Mike Ruffalo, were very opposed to the pipeline. But at the same time, he and people like him fly private and live in huge mansions.

Should SpaceX not put rockets up until such time as they can do so with little more than a few drops of water dripping out the tailpipe?

SpaceX is in business to make space launches more efficient by reusing launch vehicles.

I don't know who you're agreeing with here.

"Duty to speak up?" Answered in the fist part of my statement you clipped.

Regarding jet exhaust by a celeb versus plastic bags and POV exhaust: I'd address what 330 million people are doing (120,000,000,000 plastic bags per year) if we want to get the most bang for our environmental buck. Beyond that, was TS just coming back to see a football game? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant, see boyfriend play football. I don't know of Taylor being some rabid NFL fan. But more than wanting to see Travis Kelce, many fans were likely expecting her there. Millions of teen/preteen girls suffered through that spectacle just to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift.

NEW YORK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The Kansas City Chiefs' overtime defeat of the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, with Taylor Swift cheering in the stands, drew a record 123.7 million U.S. viewers, according to Nielsen estimates on Tuesday.
It was not only the largest viewership recorded in the 58-year-history of the Super Bowl, but also, according to Nielsen data, the biggest U.S. audience for any event since the first astronauts walked on the moon in 1969.

She has yet to block out the moon landing.
Regarding other celebs who may be traveling by air and the mansions we assume they live in, there may be security concerns to factor in, security that air travel and walled off homes provide.

 

[Shadowy Man]

Regarding jet exhaust by a celeb versus plastic bags and POV exhaust: I'd address what 330 million people are doing (120,000,000,000 plastic bags per year) if we want to get the most bang for our environmental buck. Beyond that, was TS just coming back to see a football game?

Unless her next flight was back to Japan one would presume she would be flying back to the States anyway.