Official Current Affairs & Politics Thread II

[vincecarter4pres]

Had to take some time off from the board as a relative contracted COVID and had to be hospitalized. Although she lost her husband, she's physically doing a lot better. The Inauguration helped her along with a lot of the liberals, moderates, and Never-Trumpers of my family, mentally.

Sorry to hear Rich. Covid really **** sucks. Also, **** Trump where he breathes.

[Prokorov]

Read on Twitter

Harden reaching out to help the people of texas while piece of human filth ted cruz bails on his state and goes on an early spring break to cancun

but i guess these players should just "shut up and dribble"

[MrDollarBills]

Read on Twitter

Harden reaching out to help the people of texas while piece of human filth ted cruz bails on his state and goes on an early spring break to cancun

but i guess these players should just "shut up and dribble"

The sad part is that outside of Houston and other big Texas cities, the locals who have been left to die by the state's Governor and Congressmen will be voting GOP down ballot next year.

I feel bad for the ppl in Houston for having to deal with these sadistic brain dead rednecks who helped pave the way for this disaster.

[Whiskey Slick]

Actually this crisis was caused by an unusual cold front and snowstorm that swept thru Texas, and those dopey windmills froze to a stand-still. So much for the switch to windmill energy, YOU WOULD THINK, at least in the states that routinely experience snowstorms and cold winters, BUT NO, because we only have ten years to live if we don't make that transition ASAP. Don't take my word for it. Just ask a 12 year old girl who seems to be setting the climate change agenda. We must make the transition RIGHT NOW, even if the technology is insufficient.

When you look at it that way, some people freezing to death or going hungry in the winter is a small price to pay when the alternative is ALL OF US being dead in ten years ... and we have no time to waste.

[LOUiS-D]

Actually this crisis was caused by an unusual cold front and snowstorm that swept thru Texas, and those dopey windmills froze to a stand-still. So much for the switch to windmill energy, YOU WOULD THINK, at least in the states that routinely experience snowstorms and cold winters, BUT NO, because we only have ten years to live if we don't make that transition ASAP. Don't take my word for it. Just ask a 12 year old girl who seems to be setting the climate change agenda. We must make the transition RIGHT NOW, even if the technology is insufficient.

When you look at it that way, some people freezing to death or going hungry in the winter is a small price to pay when the alternative is ALL OF US being dead in ten years ... and we have no time to waste.

You're blaming the windmills? The 3% of the state's energy windmills? You know windmills operate in climates that are colder than this snow storm. The real problem is slashing public infastructure and regulations out of a misguided belief that free market capitalism operates in the best interests to serve Texans in an economicly viable way. Those same companies that cut corners on nationally regulated safe guards sent out bills for tens of thousands of dollars to Texans who they deprived of electicity through their economic rationalism.

Turn Tucker Carlson off my man.

[Whiskey Slick]

You're blaming the windmills? The 3% of the state's energy windmills? You know windmills operate in climates that are colder than this snow storm. The real problem is slashing public infastructure and regulations out of a misguided belief that free market capitalism operates in the best interests to serve Texans in an economicly viable way. Those same companies that cut corners on nationally regulated safe guards sent out bills for tens of thousands of dollars to Texans who they deprived of electicity through their economic rationalism.

Turn Tucker Carlson off my man.

Wait a minute, am I going crazy or did people lose electricity because the windmills shutdown due to the snowstorm and freezing temperatures? That last remark is a straw man and ad hominem that was uncalled for and has zero relevance here. It's either objectively true that the windmills froze to a stop or they didn't?

[LOUiS-D]

Wait a minute, am I going crazy or did people lose electricity because the windmills shutdown due to the snowstorm and freezing temperatures? That last remark is a straw man and ad hominem that was uncalled for and has zero relevance here. It's either objectively true that the windmills froze to a stop or they didn't?

You equated climate change action to the whims of a 12 year old girl. That's what I took exception to.

Windmills froze, gas piplelines froze. Neither was necessary. Both are the result of negligence and lack of foresight. What pisses me off is this being used to fearmonger against energy sector reform. I don't know what's going to happen in the future regarding climate change. Some people are going to be wrong. I hope that it's not the existential threat that I (potentially niavely) believe it to be.

[MrDollarBills]

Wait a minute, am I going crazy or did people lose electricity because the windmills shutdown due to the snowstorm and freezing temperatures? That last remark is a straw man and ad hominem that was uncalled for and has zero relevance here. It's either objectively true that the windmills froze to a stop or they didn't?

You equated climate change action to the whims of a 12 year old girl. That's what I took exception to.

Windmills froze, gas piplelines froze. Neither was necessary. Both are the result of negligence and lack of foresight. What pisses me off is this being used to fearmonger against energy sector reform. I don't know what's going to happen in the future regarding climate change. Some people are going to be wrong. I hope that it's not the existential threat that I (potentially niavely) believe it to be.

Here is a great article by the Associated Press that breaks down why the Texas Power grid failed in the midst of weather that doesn't even cause a blip in the state of affairs in the Northeastern United States:

https://apnews.com/article/why-texas-power-grid-failed-2eaa659d2ac29ff87eb9220875f23b34

WHAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS?

Plunging temperatures caused Texans to turn up their heaters, including many inefficient electric ones. Demand spiked to levels normally seen only on the hottest summer days, when millions of air conditioners run at full tilt.

The state has a generating capacity of about 67,000 megawatts in the winter compared with a peak capacity of about 86,000 megawatts in the summer. The gap between the winter and summer supply reflects power plants going offline for maintenance during months when demand typically is less intense and there’s not as much energy coming from wind and solar sources.

But planning for this winter didn’t imagine temperatures cold enough to freeze natural gas supply lines and stop wind turbines from spinning. By Wednesday, 46,000 megawatts of power were offline statewide — 28,000 from natural gas, coal and nuclear plants and 18,000 from wind and solar, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state’s power grid.

“Every one of our sources of power supply underperformed,” Daniel Cohan, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University in Houston, tweeted. “Every one of them is vulnerable to extreme weather and climate events in different ways. None of them were adequately weatherized or prepared for a full realm of weather and conditions.”

The staggering imbalance between Texas’ energy supply and demand also caused prices to skyrocket from roughly $20 per megawatt hour to $9,000 per megawatt hour in the state’s freewheeling wholesale power market.

That raised questions whether some power generators who buy in the wholesale market may have had a profit motive to avoid buying more natural gas and simply shut down instead.

“We can’t speculate on people’s motivations in that way,” said Bill Magness, CEO of ERCOT. He added he had been told by generators that they were doing everything possible to provide power.

the rest of the article goes into further detail. It's a good read.

Either way, Texas is a state run by a government that denies climate science. Is it any wonder why they got caught with their pants down?

[Whiskey Slick]

Replying to the two previous posts:

First, both were well said and enlightening. I apologize for being so glib at the outset. While I admit to being a climate change skeptic in a sense, which is to say I'm neither a denier or a skeptic of climate change in general, but I tend to have a less alarmist POV than the doomsday prognosticators. There's a reason for this and I'll make it brief. I'm old enough to have lived thru two previous scares regarding climatology. First, when I was very young, elementary school age, the coming of another ice-age was a virtual certainty, and by the calculations at the time, said ice-age would long since have occurred by now and wiped us out as a species. This was not some crackpot philosophy mind you, but pretty much standard science and curriculum when I was a child.

Anyhow, when it became apparent that the ice-age prognostications were greatly exaggerated, there was a brief respite from doomsday scenarios attributed to the climate ... and then came "global warming", the new climatology threat to mankind as a whole, mostly due to the hole in the ozone layer we were creating, which began the practice of recycling. Yes, I was there at the outset and actually remember when "recycling" was not even in the lexicon, much less practiced. But the dire predictions of global warming wiping us all out, AND WHEN, has long since passed and low & behold, we're still here.

Then, once again there was a brief respite from the climatology doomsday scenarios, until the phrase "climate change" was dropped on us like an atom-bomb. I also can't help but notice, as a stickler for language, how the first two doomsday scenarios were far more direct, thus more easily refuted or at least noticeable when it wasn't happening as rapidly as predicted, whereas "climate change" is more ambiguous, elusive and all-encompassing.

So, having lived thru the first two false alarms, and I repeat, according to the predictions at the time we should all be dead by now, well, I am naturally skeptical of the prognostications of a third such doomsday scenario, but they learned that language matters and its to their advantage to use a more ambiguous and elusive term.

THAT SAID, I repeat, while I may be naturally skeptical due to my own life's experiences, that does not make me an outright denier. Certainly I account for the possibility that THIS TIME the most dire predictions can be true.

So I am willing to indulge different forms of energy. HOWEVER there are two prerequisites for me and they are non-negotiable. First, it must be affordable for the poor and working classes, not just the middle class, upper middle class and wealthy. They can endure the financial burden however expensive, the poor and working classes cannot. They'll just wind-up freezing in the winter and dropping dead from heart attacks and heat exhaustion in the summer, perhaps even homeless because they can't pay their bills.

Second, the technology must be reliably sufficient regardless of the weather conditions.

So long as these new forms of energy meet those two criteria, skeptic or not, deal me in.

However if they fail to meet those two criteria, I will oppose any such transitions. Instead I will support drilling for our own oil, becoming energy independent, and keeping the prices under control (affordable to everyone).

Lastly, just adding a little levity to the discussion ...

Watch on YouTube

[Prokorov]

Climate change aside, it really boils down to:

-The infrastructure (including traditionally gas and power lines) was not insulated to handle harsh weather
-Those weather conditions in texas, are rare
-Someone at the top for what is a for-profit energy sector in texas, ran a cost-risk analysis and didnt want to pay to mitigate what wa small risk
-that small risk, materialized and they responded in the worst possible way, denying faulty, charging their customers thousands of dollars for 1 month service when rates increased due to demand.

shameful. I can ALMOST be sympathetic to them not seeing the risk as viable enough to invest the money into insulating for extreme weather (for that region) but then, you know, energy people are kind of the worst when you talk greed or caring about people/the enviornment over the dollar

[Prokorov]

just read the GB thread on meyers leonard. im putting the over under on how many on the GB were part of storming the capital at about 90%.

it amazes me how people can not just brush off, but defend leonards actions, then point out they do the same on the regular. one person said he hears the "N word" dropped every time he goes online, and said "but thats just the culture so whatever"

gross.

Mike Tyson had it right,... too many people can go online and say stuff without having to worry about getting punched in the face

[MrDollarBills]

just read the GB thread on meyers leonard. im putting the over under on how many on the GB were part of storming the capital at about 90%.

it amazes me how people can not just brush off, but defend leonards actions, then point out they do the same on the regular. one person said he hears the "N word" dropped every time he goes online, and said "but thats just the culture so whatever"

gross.

Mike Tyson had it right,... too many people can go online and say stuff without having to worry about getting punched in the face

I would not be shocked if there were more than a few posters on this website that were at the capitol on January 6th.

I've been called the N word so many times online by people i lost count. And as much as I hate to admit it, being called that word actually hurts like hell....but you can't explain that to these people because to them, it's "just a word". Just like how they just brush off what Leonard said, because they aren't the ones who deal with the historical context and weight of the abuse being hurled at them.

[Whiskey Slick]

just read the GB thread on meyers leonard. im putting the over under on how many on the GB were part of storming the capital at about 90%.

Mike Tyson had it right,... too many people can go online and say stuff without having to worry about getting punched in the face

I never visit the GB forum and probably never will. It sounds like a real dumpster fire I'd rather avoid.

As for Mike Tyson's observation, truer words have never been spoken. He and I both grew up in scary places, but ironically people were far more polite to one another because you knew that talking out of turn could get you punched in the face, OR WORSE, a lot worse, so it made sense to be polite unless someone tried to punk you.

Conversely, today everyone online is a killer.

As for the pipes freezing in Texas because they weren't properly insulated, I believe it because we get hit with freezing temps and snowstorms in the northeast every winter and our electricity doesn't shutdown, at least not for that reason and not to that degree. So I believe it and agree that it is "shameful" they weren't prepared. Just because something rarely happens in certain regions, doesn't mean it will never happen.

[MrDollarBills]

just read the GB thread on meyers leonard. im putting the over under on how many on the GB were part of storming the capital at about 90%.

Mike Tyson had it right,... too many people can go online and say stuff without having to worry about getting punched in the face

As for the pipes freezing in Texas because they weren't properly insulated, I believe it because we get hit with freezing temps and snowstorms in the northeast every winter and our electricity doesn't shutdown, at least not for that reason and not to that degree. So I believe it and agree that it is "shameful" they weren't prepared. Just because something rarely happens in certain regions, doesn't mean it will never happen.

I think that with a bit of foresight and actually listening to scientists, this could have been prevented or at least the damage could have been lessened especially from an economic and people aspect. When you hear horror stories of people having to run their cars all night otherwise they would freeze to death, that's heartbreaking stuff. I feel like the elected officials in Texas let down their constituency in a major way leading up to that and after.

Elections have consequences, but I still feel bad for people who have to suffer from something that we up here in the northeast deal with without a second thought.

[Prokorov]

just read the GB thread on meyers leonard. im putting the over under on how many on the GB were part of storming the capital at about 90%.

Mike Tyson had it right,... too many people can go online and say stuff without having to worry about getting punched in the face

As for the pipes freezing in Texas because they weren't properly insulated, I believe it because we get hit with freezing temps and snowstorms in the northeast every winter and our electricity doesn't shutdown, at least not for that reason and not to that degree. So I believe it and agree that it is "shameful" they weren't prepared. Just because something rarely happens in certain regions, doesn't mean it will never happen.

I think that with a bit of foresight and actually listening to scientists, this could have been prevented or at least the damage could have been lessened especially from an economic and people aspect. When you hear horror stories of people having to run their cars all night otherwise they would freeze to death, that's heartbreaking stuff. I feel like the elected officials in Texas let down their constituency in a major way leading up to that and after.

Elections have consequences, but I still feel bad for people who have to suffer from something that we up here in the northeast deal with without a second thought.

Yeah, it was also sad that the first reaction is minimizing, blame, coverup and not help and disaster recovery.

During Katrina for instance, they had the saints stadium used to house and feed people whose houses were destroyed. Jerry Jones has an enormous state of the art stadium with shelter, generators thats seats 100,00+. but people are freezing in cars paying 20/gallon inflated price to keep it running with the heat on. where are the disaster recovery measures

it is also a TRAVESTY that it needs to go to congress to get people back money who were charges $10,000+ for 1 month of gas/oil because of rate surges during this thing. that is shameful. people were also billed on autopay, draining their checking or maxing out crtedit cards.

[MrDollarBills]

As for the pipes freezing in Texas because they weren't properly insulated, I believe it because we get hit with freezing temps and snowstorms in the northeast every winter and our electricity doesn't shutdown, at least not for that reason and not to that degree. So I believe it and agree that it is "shameful" they weren't prepared. Just because something rarely happens in certain regions, doesn't mean it will never happen.

I think that with a bit of foresight and actually listening to scientists, this could have been prevented or at least the damage could have been lessened especially from an economic and people aspect. When you hear horror stories of people having to run their cars all night otherwise they would freeze to death, that's heartbreaking stuff. I feel like the elected officials in Texas let down their constituency in a major way leading up to that and after.

Elections have consequences, but I still feel bad for people who have to suffer from something that we up here in the northeast deal with without a second thought.

Yeah, it was also sad that the first reaction is minimizing, blame, coverup and not help and disaster recovery.

During Katrina for instance, they had the saints stadium used to house and feed people whose houses were destroyed. Jerry Jones has an enormous state of the art stadium with shelter, generators thats seats 100,00+. but people are freezing in cars paying 20/gallon inflated price to keep it running with the heat on. where are the disaster recovery measures

it is also a TRAVESTY that it needs to go to congress to get people back money who were charges $10,000+ for 1 month of gas/oil because of rate surges during this thing. that is shameful. people were also billed on autopay, draining their checking or maxing out crtedit cards.

Jerry Jones was too busy profiting off of the pain and suffering of other people to give a damn:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/02/19/jerry-jones-gas-company-jacks-prices-during-texas-power-crisis

As Texans continue to go days without power or heat, shale-driller Comstock Resources Inc., a publicly traded company of which Jones is the majority stockholder, has, according to NPR, been selling gas at “super-premium prices.” It has been “like hitting the jackpot," Roland Burns, Comstock’s president and CFO, said on a Wednesday earnings call.

[Prokorov]

I think that with a bit of foresight and actually listening to scientists, this could have been prevented or at least the damage could have been lessened especially from an economic and people aspect. When you hear horror stories of people having to run their cars all night otherwise they would freeze to death, that's heartbreaking stuff. I feel like the elected officials in Texas let down their constituency in a major way leading up to that and after.

Elections have consequences, but I still feel bad for people who have to suffer from something that we up here in the northeast deal with without a second thought.

Yeah, it was also sad that the first reaction is minimizing, blame, coverup and not help and disaster recovery.

During Katrina for instance, they had the saints stadium used to house and feed people whose houses were destroyed. Jerry Jones has an enormous state of the art stadium with shelter, generators thats seats 100,00+. but people are freezing in cars paying 20/gallon inflated price to keep it running with the heat on. where are the disaster recovery measures

it is also a TRAVESTY that it needs to go to congress to get people back money who were charges $10,000+ for 1 month of gas/oil because of rate surges during this thing. that is shameful. people were also billed on autopay, draining their checking or maxing out crtedit cards.

Jerry Jones was too busy profiting off of the pain and suffering of other people to give a damn:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/02/19/jerry-jones-gas-company-jacks-prices-during-texas-power-crisis

As Texans continue to go days without power or heat, shale-driller Comstock Resources Inc., a publicly traded company of which Jones is the majority stockholder, has, according to NPR, been selling gas at “super-premium prices.” It has been “like hitting the jackpot," Roland Burns, Comstock’s president and CFO, said on a Wednesday earnings call.

And probably getting a tax break for it....

[Whiskey Slick]

Yeah, it was also sad that the first reaction is minimizing, blame, coverup and not help and disaster recovery.

During Katrina for instance, they had the saints stadium used to house and feed people whose houses were destroyed. Jerry Jones has an enormous state of the art stadium with shelter, generators thats seats 100,00+. but people are freezing in cars paying 20/gallon inflated price to keep it running with the heat on. where are the disaster recovery measures

it is also a TRAVESTY that it needs to go to congress to get people back money who were charges $10,000+ for 1 month of gas/oil because of rate surges during this thing. that is shameful. people were also billed on autopay, draining their checking or maxing out crtedit cards.

That makes me want to take my gas and electric OFF of autopay ASAP

If that happened to me I would be financially wiped out and homeless. Of course they can get you either way. If you don't pay they'll just shutdown your electricity, so you might as well BE homeless.

[LOUiS-D]

How twisted a grip on reality do you have to have to blame and target asian american civilians as being responsible for.... f***ing any of this situation. By conservative estimate Trump has 400k souls on his conscience and people are shooting up massage parlors. Where's the justice? Where's the humanity? It's so sickening. Beyond upsetting.

[MrDollarBills]

How twisted a grip on reality do you have to have to blame and target asian american civilians as being responsible for.... f***ing any of this situation. By conservative estimate Trump has 400k souls on his conscience and people are shooting up massage parlors. Where's the justice? Where's the humanity? It's so sickening. Beyond upsetting.

I agree, it's utterly appalling and we need to see a hardline crackdown on white supremacist terrorists.