After watching "Planet of the Humans" @PlanetHumansDoc, I got "Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism" (2012) by @OzzieZehner. I've finished the first 2 chapters, which claim that both solar cells & wind turbines are inadequate
replacements to fossil fuels. Having been around Sierra Club types most of my adult life, I had always assumed that these technologies could replace fossil fuels & we could more or less maintain our current level of consumption. Zehner's book & the movie are critical of this view
I haven't gotten far enough into the book, but I think a key concept Zehner is attacking is "productivism." Our consumption is a function of energy we produce. Because we're so committed to consumption, we view our energy policy as a production issue.
As Zehner spoke about solar cells & wind turbines, I remembered that in my teenage years (c. 1983) I read a book by @HudsonInstitute futurist Herman Kahn in which he sold me on the idea that in my lifetime we'd have nuclear fusion reactors providing practically unlimited
pollution-free electricity. Another book which supports the general critique of productivism is "Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth" by Adam Frank worldcat.org/oclc/1054000668
Frank claims that physics shows that theoretical limits preclude ever increasing
consumption, as envisaged in some future scenarios such as that portrayed by the TV series "Year Million" imdb.com/title/tt694570…
Here's a quote from Zehner summarizing his conclusions at end of the 1st 2 chapters:
"The United States doesn't have an energy crisis. It has a consumption crisis. Flashy diversions created through the disingenuous grandstanding of alternative-energy mechanisms act to obscure
this simple reality."
My interest in this topic was renewed after listening to a recent lecture by @NaomiOreskes & @MichaelEMann
I caught the last set & a half of Marat Safin's victory over Roger Federer in 2005 Australian Open semifinal on @TennisChannel. Unbelievable #tennis & drama. Full match here
My impression is that nobody has lost more Grand Slam matches having had match points than Federer. Is that true?
In fact, Federer has a long list of tough losses in Grand Slam matches: this one to Safin, the Australian Open final to Nadal, Nadal's victory in the dark at the Wimbledon final, Novak twice at US Open down match points, 2 5-set Wimbledon finals losses to Novak, US Open loss
I had questions about the plausibility of what I saw. Many others did as well google.com/search?q=fact+…
Regardless, I think it captured a big limitation on human colonization of the solar system and beyond: our psyches. I get moderately depressed with lack of sunlight in winter. What would happen to me traveling 9 months in the total black of space? Add in the solitude, the
What songs describe social media? When you first use @Facebook, it feels like @billyjoel "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant (1977)"
Then you get in political arguments & it feels like @FinalLevel's "Colors"
Then you read about how corporations & government use the data they collect and you realize that it's also @rushtheband's "2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx"
The way #OrangeFungus drop-kicked Rudy Giuliani reminded me of some passages from the Quran describing how both those who lead people to evil and those who follow share in the consequences theguardian.com/us-news/2021/j…
Star Trek S1E02 "Who Mourns for Adonais?" #TOS#StarTrekimdb.com/title/tt070848… has interesting features 1) sexism tempered by female crew members' competence, (2) advancement of Ancient Aliens theory & 3) use of Pre-Modern anti-Muslim slur 4) appearance of Walter Koenig: Chekov
For the 1st time, Michelle Nichols as Uhura performs a technical task. In previous episodes, she basically was a receptionist or a switchboard operator.
After Scotty the Chief Engineer oogles Leslie Parrish as Lt. Carolyn Palamas on the bridge, Capt Kirk basically states that women won't go far in Star Fleet because they end their careers for marriage. She's part of the landing party where she & Kirk exchange these lines: