Amazing that they survived the storm so well. — unenlightened

I think it’s incredible. Apparently if your roof survives, and they’re built to code, then they’ll likely survive as well. Some people even remove them before a big storm and then put them back, which is also cool.

This is actually an interesting idea. Seems impractical, of course, but it makes sense. We need scholars. We need people out there simply thinking about things. It leads to a better world, but in ways we can’t predict.

I think a more practical approach is making education free, so at least those that do dedicate thelmselves to study aren’t turned into debt slaves.

On the other hand, there should be some requirements — not all areas of study are equal. Attached should be some pro bono work, whether in your area of expertise (teaching or tutoring, using skills in specific domains to help build or fix things) or in an unrelated area with pressing needs (if the neighborhood is full of trash, volunteer to clean it up; if the local library or food bank needs help, dedicate some time there).

This is interesting as well (apropos of the above):

Jamaicans Have Been Turning to Solar Power. It Paid Off After the Storm (gift article)

Solar panels remain beyond the reach of many Jamaicans, but prices are falling rapidly as Chinese gear floods into the market. In recent years the Jamaican government has also started providing a solar income-tax credit, and banks have begun to offer more financing. Jamaica’s electric utility also now compensates solar households for excess electricity they put back into the grid.

That’s helping Jamaica make progress toward its goal of generating 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

A natural progression. China exporting cheap solar panels to an island that wants to ween itself off of imported, polluting fossil fuels. Panels have not only been resilient to extreme weather, but those who have them get their power back much quicker— which, as noted, benefits the entire neighborhood.

Progress these last few years has been encouraging:

Rooftop solar has grown significantly in Jamaica over the past decade, from less than 1.4 megawatts in 2015 to nearly 65 megawatts in 2023, a significant amount for a small island, experts say. Overall, solar and other forms of renewable energy made up about 10 percent of Jamaica’s power generation in 2023.

Still too slow — this would have been nice to hear in 1995 — but it seems inevitable.

Fair enough — but it’s really quite something. China’s actions are having global effects. EVs, Solar, wind, nuclear— being rolled out at incredible speed and being exported to other countries while bringing down costs. Renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels. That’s remarkable.

With the dopey US abdicating, China will now pull way ahead. Biden’s inflation reduction act wasn’t going to get us ahead, but now with that repealed there’s no chance of catching them. This has consequences beyond climate change — it has enormous political consequences too. When they say China is the engine, they’re right.

You just answered some of my above questions. — baker

Oh? Please elaborate. Which one?

How many people actually want mankind to survive?
How many people actually want all the currently living people to die of natural causes?
Is mere survival even a universally desirable goal? Does everyone want it?
How many people are even willing to survive even if that meant a significant lowering of their quality of life? — baker

So what answer did I provide to those questions in my asking about discussing China’s role in tackling climate change? Like the fact that they’re building as many nuclear reactors as the rest of the world combined, and now sell half of all cars as EVs?

I can’t wait for your usual on-topic, detailed reasoning. Because there’s no way you just wanted to bring the discussion into the realm of naval-gazing bullshit so as to have some shot at participation, knowing next to nothing about the topic as you do, and being unwilling to read or learn and all. I know it couldn’t be that, given your sterling reputation.

And you wonder why people aren't eager to combat the deterioration of climate! — baker

Yes, it must be because of unfriendly responses to silly comments on an online forum. Nailed it.

This is supposedly a philosophy forum — baker

And there’s all kinds of threads to naval gaze on. This one happens to be about climate change and its consequences. But I personally don’t care if you raise these questions — it’s just that it’s laughable in its childishness.

I just posted an article on China— care to discuss that? Or is that too hard?

I think that for successfully taking action against climate deterioration, the above questions, and then some, would need to be openly discussed. — baker

This level of naval-gazing approaches satire.

“Before we turn on the air conditioner, certain fundamental questions must be addressed— like whether we all really want to not be sweltering, and if we want to even go on living.”

Good thing you’re not in charge of anything.

The issue I see is that even if the west were to get its act together and transition off of fossil fuel, China will be off doing their own thing. — frank

Actually, China is in many ways leading the way. Which you would know if you bothered to read anything. But please go on with your outdated slogans.

I don't get why China is accelerating coal use now. They could go nuclear instead. — frank

They are. They’re building more reactors than the rest of the world combined. Which you would know if you bothered to read anything.

How China Raced Ahead of the US on Nuclear Power

Is this supposed to be encouraging? — RogueAI

Yes. Remember, that’s with rapidly increasing demand. The fact that it decreased at all is significant, and the impact it’s having elsewhere is likewise significant. I think the article outlines China’s influence on the rest of the world pretty well.

Catastrophic warming is already baked in. — RogueAI

True, but every tenth of a degree matters.

Yes.

Worth looking at this piece:

‘China’s the Engine’ Driving Nations Away From Fossil Fuels, Report Says

I gifted as a free article for anyone wanting to understand just how significant China’s actions are.

When the world’s fossil fuel use will peak also comes down to the pace of that change in China itself.

China still burns more coal than the rest of the world combined and emits more climate pollution than the United States and Europe together. The country has not yet seen a decline in coal usage overall, though its total greenhouse gas emissions have reached what looks like a plateau.

But last year, China met 84 percent of its electricity demand growth with solar and wind power, according to the report. That meant it was able to cut fossil fuel use by 2 percent, despite a growing demand for power.

Mr. Black said that decline in fossil fuel use was largely due to burning less coal to produce electricity. He pointed to a number of recent policy directives that have reallocated subsidies and production incentives away from coal and toward solar and wind.

China is still building dozens of new coal-burning power plants, he said, but instead of running constantly like many existing ones, they might be at full capacity only during peaks in energy demand. Meanwhile, the contribution of wind and solar to the grid was quickly growing, he said.

“Coal is increasingly acting like training wheels,” said Yuan Jiahai, a professor at North China Electric Power University. “It provides balance and backup while the clean electricity system gains strength and confidence.”

Been digging the Gould version of Bach’s Goldberg variations.

Kirk publicly stated—to cheering audiences no less—that people he doesn’t even know are abominations. — praxis

But he didn’t say that verbatim, therefore he isn’t really a bigoted culture warrior who made millions off of “gotcha” clips debating college kids.

To wave all this off with “too hot? Try more air conditioners” is something I felt compelled to call out. — Mikie

Saying something like “maybe we need more air conditioners” in relation to climate change is a dismissive, ignorant statement. And I’m sure you know it. So why say it?

Yes, there are trade offs to building things. The externalities involved in fossil fuel infrastructure, extraction, and use are enormous and destructive, and have existed for decades. The damage to the ecosystem, apart from the floods, droughts, wildfires, and agricultural destruction is beyond comprehension.

To wave all this off with “too hot? Try more air conditioners” is something I felt compelled to call out.

If it gets too hot, maybe we need more air conditioners. — Hanover

This is the kind of analysis I would expect from Karoline Leavitt.

So the genocide temporarily ends, now that Gaza has been long bombed into rubble and tens of thousands of children killed.

Israel has done itself irreparable harm. But glad to see them doing the bare minimum.

:rofl: Good one, “risible” guy.

:up:

Is Hastie someone to cheer for or not? Lol

See above.

So more backpedaling and face-saving. You’re bad even at sophomoric equivocation. :yawn:

Next time, skip commenting on things you don’t understand.

Why is it not possible? — BitconnectCarlos

Because as long as Gaza is occupied in an open-air prison, there will be people fighting against it. Understandably. Plus there’s no way to do it. It’s not like destroying a building. Hence why there’s been no criteria for what would constitute the “destruction” of Hamas, and why Hamas is alive and well, now going on 2 years. This genocide will only lead to more members.

But it’s never been a realistic goal anyway. It’s just a pretext to placate apologists for state genocide like you.

Are you, in theory, in favor of the destruction of Hamas? Or those who committed the massacre? — BitconnectCarlos

Both. In theory. But I’d like to see the destruction of the bigger terrorists in Likud.

You're ok with Israel destroying Hamas — BitconnectCarlos

Since that’s not possible, and thus just an obvious, unfalsifiable, infinitely used pretext for genocide — no. I’m not ok with bullshit excuses.

Sure. But that’s not what they’re doing, and you know it. So does the rest of the world. Including, shockingly, the majority of the US.

Japan — BitconnectCarlos

Yeah, exactly. More sad, tired deflections.

Israel is committing genocide. Has been for 2 years. When you address that by condemning it, you’ll be taken more seriously.

You're the genocide apologist and fascist. — BitconnectCarlos

:rofl:

Good one.

Going from house to house murdering, raping, and torturing certainly doesn't mean good. — BitconnectCarlos

Pretty awful, actually. Now times that by a couple thousand, and you get the Israeli government. A far greater terrorist organization than Hamas. But be know you can’t see that in your bubble.

Case in point of a genocide apologist and Nazi sympathizer.

Right, right, it’s really the PALESTINIANS that are to blame. Cool diversion. May have actually worked two years ago. No one is buying it now. But please keep repeating it, as it drives more people away from the savage regime you defend. :yawn:

At this point we should change this thread to genocide apologism”.

Good game. I resign. Chess.com is being wonky so it won’t let me right now, but I do.

Saw that move yesterday but then forgot when I moved knight. Also, I should have opened with Kings Indian or French. Would have been a little more exciting.

I see you play 5 minute games— happy to play either that or 3 if we can coordinate a time.

You take the queen, and the game is over. In my opinion. But y’all do what you want.

Not exactly sure we’re talking about the same thing. I’m curious as to why he hasn’t taken your queen yet.

Don’t worry, I beat his ass a few years back. :strong: lol

Wtf?

Oops.

Americans’ Support for Israel Dramatically Declines, Times/Siena Poll Finds

Disapproval of the war appears to have prompted a striking reassessment by American voters of their broader sympathies in the decades-old conflict in the region, with slightly more voters siding with Palestinians over Israelis for the first time since The Times began asking voters about their sympathies in 1998.

Nice to see good news. Unfortunately the genocide continues with government approval anyway. Really stupid move by Trump— one of many.

Thanks.

Weird that there's barely any mention of the most high-profile political assassination — AmadeusD

There’s 11 pages worth of it, in fact. Try paying attention.

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/16164/the-ballot-or/p1

The majority of responses have not been on Twitter, but even had they been (im not on it - i imagine it is rife) they are not 'the world is ending' tweets at all. — AmadeusD

They are. Not being on it, it’s ridiculous to assert otherwise (for anyone wanting to be taken seriously, so this excludes you of course). There’s talk about revolution, about civil war, about things being “forever changed” after this, etc etc. (Let me guess: that doesn’t count because it’s not literally talking about the end of the world.)

I have still yet to see anyone present anything (that isn't clipped in bad faith) that might be held up to prove his sins. — AmadeusD

What a shocker.

The left continues to simply pretend political violence is both inevitable and justifiable — AmadeusD

No one is saying that. No one serious. Try getting out more.

Ironic, considering a right-winger was shot to death and celebrated by the left. — AmadeusD

No one serious is celebrating his death, despite what the conservative narrative would have you believe. Try getting out more.

I also note no denunciation of the murder. — AmadeusD

Then, as usual, you aren’t paying attention. In fact, it was strongly condemned immediately by political leaders, business leaders, celebrities, and the vast majority of Americans. Takes real effort not to notice this and then embarrassingly claim there was “no denunciation.” What dream world are you living in exactly?

I’ll skip the rest. I assume it’s more of the same. Go back to pretending to be a free thinker while inadvertently repeating Brietbart talking points verbatim. :up:

Haven’t had time to follow too closely, so I wonder: how is labor doing so far and what are Albanese’s polling numbers like? Particularly interested in climate policy.

Thanks guys. :up:

Why is it impossible to upload a picture? It says paste link to image, and that usually doesn’t work either. I just want to load a picture of a chess board.

Sounds good. :up:

@Moliere

Good game.