Politics And Current Events

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:34 pm

I'm pro-nuke, but come on: There can be no denying that the worst-case-scenario risks of nuclear are orders of magnitude beyond the risks of pretty much every other power delivery technology. We're nearly three decades removed from Chernobyl, and people still aren't allowed to be within 20 miles of the place for any extended period. The workers who are trying to encase the failed reactor core are only allowed to work something like 30 shortened work days before decontaminating for two weeks. The estimates are that it will be 20 or 25 thousand years before that area is safe for human habitation.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:38 pm

I'm pro-nuke/pro-extreme safety measures.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:33 pm

Starbucks Busts out the Red Holiday Cups and Christians are Threatening to Boycott
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/11/464648- ... o-boycott/

Postby **dodint** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:35 pm

lol, the only people that should be mad is Solo.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:52 pm

This "eh, let's deal with the consequences later" approach is just bizarre to me.
Why does this line of thought so rarely enter the conservative discourse on climate change?
Because we understand that the U.S. could re-enter the middle ages technology wise and with India and China living ca. 1950 Pittsburgh it will make zero effect in real life.

Conservatives also would be keen on actual clean energy, hello nuclear, not silly things that are not carbon neutral like electric cars (hello Sudbury, Ontario) and "green energy" outlays that themselves cost more energy to make than they create.
That's stunted thinking.

One of the biggest reasons China is such a problem child is because we outsource so much of our manufacturing to them. But hey, $$$$$ cha-ching, right? Who cares what long term harm it wreaks, Walmart has a sale this weekend!

And to the latter point, of course newer energy techs are less efficient; that's true of almost every new type of energy that has ever been invented. It takes time and development to improve efficiency, as with nearly everything. Just in the last year, the efficiency of solar cells has been improved by upwards of 50%. There's already enough power generated by the sun on an daily basis to power the world's electricity needs, the main problems are in sorting storage and delivery.

This talk is depressing to me. Every time it comes up, I'm thankful that modern 'conservatives' were nowhere near the political discourse of the 1960s. We never would have gone to the moon.

And the idea we could just move that manufacturing back to the States or that it would even help anyone, other than make white middle-class folks and Pat Buchanan feel good about themselves is retrograde thinking. Our standard of living is predicated on the poorest having access to televisions, a/c, cars, etc.. that they could not afford in a million years if we went back to building Zenith's in Uniontown.

Besides climate change folks are the biggest hypocrites on these kinds of things. If the big talkers would start walking the walk instead of just shouting doomsday scenarios every 5 minutes maybe some of us would take these things seriously.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:54 pm

Your last sentence also applies to the end of days crowd.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:59 pm

Your last sentence also applies to the end of days crowd.

Haha...quite true. Which is why I shake my head and mock them incessantly. I mean its not like the Bible says this or anything:

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." -- Matthew 24:36

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:19 pm

Dr. Ben:

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gall ... n-pictures

Postby **Algernon** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:31 pm

I'm pro-nuke, but come on: There can be no denying that the worst-case-scenario risks of nuclear are orders of magnitude beyond the risks of pretty much every other power delivery technology. We're nearly three decades removed from Chernobyl, and people still aren't allowed to be within 20 miles of the place for any extended period. The workers who are trying to encase the failed reactor core are only allowed to work something like 30 shortened work days before decontaminating for two weeks. The estimates are that it will be 20 or 25 thousand years before that area is safe for human habitation.

How is Japan habitable?

Never got that.

I'm sure different half life's.... Blah blah blah

Postby **CBear3** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:59 pm

So Dr Ben did double down on the horrible media after all. Which is actually a no brainer. Nothing riles up your base like saying everybody in the press is out to get you.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 5:30 pm

https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/stat ... 9812643840

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:44 pm

How is Japan habitable?

Never got that.

I'm sure different half life's.... Blah blah blah

Chernobyl released something like 10x the radiation as Fukushima. And to my knowledge, there's sill a 20km exclusion zone in Japan.

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:47 pm

And the idea we could just move that manufacturing back to the States or that it would even help anyone, other than make white middle-class folks and Pat Buchanan feel good about themselves is retrograde thinking.

It's not about moving manufacturing back here, it's more an acknowledgement that when we say "China is polluting!" it's in large part driven by our own consumer greed. We're accessories to the act, and we don't get to wash our hands of their bad acts and give a meow shrug and keep polluting our own environment.

Postby **Algernon** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:47 pm

How is Japan habitable?

Never got that.

I'm sure different half life's.... Blah blah blah
Chernobyl released something like 10x the radiation as Fukushima. And to my knowledge, there's sill a 20km exclusion zone in Japan.

Lmao, I actually forgot about fukushima.

I was talking about the bombs

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:49 pm

Chernobyl released something like 10x the radiation as Fukushima. And to my knowledge, there's sill a 20km exclusion zone in Japan.

I read an article recently about the wildlife returning to Chernobyl and how it is thriving. I think wolves especially were at almost record numbers. The scientists determined that the nuclear meltdown was far less harmful to "nature" than Man.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:52 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.

Postby **Gaucho** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:54 pm

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:56 pm

How is Japan habitable?

Never got that.

I'm sure different half life's.... Blah blah blah
Chernobyl released something like 10x the radiation as Fukushima. And to my knowledge, there's sill a 20km exclusion zone in Japan.
Lmao, I actually forgot about fukushima.

I was talking about the bombs

Just quickly looked this up, but by comparison: Fat Man and Little Boy had a combined amount of nuclear material of around 150 pounds. Chernobyl had over 180 tons, of which around 7 tons actually leaked into the atmosphere. Also, Chernobyl happened at ground level (which radiated the ground), while the atomic bombs were detonated like 1,500 feet above ground level with most of the radiated material being dispersed by the cloud.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:11 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.

Funny guy...

BTW, here's the article I mentioned.
http://www.cnet.com/news/animals-return ... ut-humans/

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:14 pm

And the idea we could just move that manufacturing back to the States or that it would even help anyone, other than make white middle-class folks and Pat Buchanan feel good about themselves is retrograde thinking.
It's not about moving manufacturing back here, it's more an acknowledgement that when we say "China is polluting!" it's in large part driven by our own consumer greed. We're accessories to the act, and we don't get to wash our hands of their bad acts and give a meow shrug and keep polluting our own environment.

I don't disagree.

I am a hardcore supporter of conservation and efforts at anti-pollution.

I just wish one could separate that mindset from the OMG MIAMI IS GOING TO BE UNDERWATER BY 2020 crowd.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:14 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.

Hew now...

Postby **columbia** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:17 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.
Hew now...

as I mentioned on the other board, I was rained on by Chernobyl (in Austria). No ill effects...yet.

Postby **shmenguin** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:19 pm

https://twitter.com/JessicaValenti/stat ... 9812643840

What a hot take from Hillary. She's finally taking a stand on a complex and nuanced issue.

Postby **tifosi77** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:33 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.
Hew now...
as I mentioned on the other board, I was rained on by Chernobyl (in Austria). No ill effects...yet.

How did that happen? Did it blow the whole way around the globe?

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:41 pm

It's possible to reproduce, despite genetic abnormalities. Look at West Virginia.
Hew now...
as I mentioned on the other board, I was rained on by Chernobyl (in Austria). No ill effects...yet.

Nice. How's that third eye working?