Middle Finger Symphony Theater

 ~ No Tuxedos Required ~

Brought To You By BLUESJUNKY: Middle Finger Symphony Chair of Music

We Already Possess the Cure for Poverty and Climate Change.

During the recent power outages and denial of interweb service, I took up reading a book I picked up a while back on a subject I have always had questions: The Case for Nukes: How We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, Open, and Magnificent Future by Robert Zubrin (Polaris Books 2023). It's a very thoughtful argument that debunks the toxic falsehoods that have been spread to dissuade us from using it by the ignorant, the fearful, and the fanatical from returning to the use of Nuclear power as a remedy to our festering Twenty First Century problems. Here's a quick synopsis of what I culled from his book.

In a very literal sense, energy technologies have molded humanity. The invention of cooking with fire by those small brained Homo Habilis dudes cut the metabolic energy needed to digest meat, making it safer to consume and allowing the primates to eat more small animals or their enemies. Evolution directed some of these surplus calories to their brains, enabling the hungry organ to grow in size and ability, leading to the industrious little guys, Homo Erectus, the forerunner us, the Bozo Sapien.

Over the millennia, humans learned to harness fire to smoke meats, craft pottery, bend metal, and more, forming much of the material basis of the pre-fossil fuel world. Wood power (or what is now called “biomass”) was such a good deal that parts of Europe started running out of forests in the 1700s. Britain was the first nation to innovate itself out of this dilemma, which they did by burning coal.

Mastering coal and other fossil fuels prevented energy scarcity, but also led to an unforeseen revolution in human life. Synthetic fertilizer, electricity, cars, plastics, smart phones, x-rays, ChatGPT—nearly all elements of modern life—exist because of fossil fuels. Today billions of people enjoy a prosperity that would be unimaginable to their ancestors.

This history of energy begins The Case for Nukes. Robert Zubrin, an American aerospace engineer of three decades tells the history of energy to set the stage for one of his core arguments, that humanity should use more energy. Over 700 million people languish in extreme poverty today and billions have not reached a standard of living equivalent to that of a developed country.

In contrast, radical environmentalists urge people to use less energy, which they believe is necessary to avert climate and ecological apocalypse. Zubrin contends that slashing energy use would be so harmful as to be borderline genocidal, but he does recognizes that the environmental harms of fossil fuels are unsustainable. Thus he endorses nuclear energy, asserting that only atomic energy can lift all people out of poverty while conserving the environment.

Zubrin makes a strong case that nuclear plants are safe. Unlike what the fear-mongers say, nuclear reactors cannot explode like atomic bombs; it is impossible thanks to the laws of physics. A nuclear reactor contains only low-enriched fuel and cannot create fast neutrons, and thus cannot produce the devastation of an atomic weapon. To quell radiation fears, Zubrin notes that nuclear reactors actually reduce the amount of radiation that enters the atmosphere. One 1000 MW natural gas plant releases more radiation every month than the entire Three Mile Island nuclear accident, one of the worst nuclear accidents in history.

Nuclear waste is a non-issue. Nuclear waste has never hurt anyone and there is very little of it. The nuclear waste issue also reveals the duplicity of the anti-nuclear movement. Civilian nuclear waste can be safely stored in geologically stable rock formations, a solution already implemented by the US military for its nuclear program. 

Zubin also goes into detail the problem with cost overruns. Simply put, the US federal government has strangled the American nuclear industry with an oppressive regulatory regime. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sometimes alters regulations mid-construction, forcing crews to reconfigure already completed systems.

Being what the internet would call a “nuke bro,” Zubrin argues that fashionable solar and wind projects cannot meet humanity’s energy needs; however, his review of these technologies is too brief given their political success and general popularity.

Regardless, The Case for Nukes is a persuasive and engaging look at an indispensable technology. Philosophically, The Case for Nukes falls firmly within the ecomodernist tradition, a school of thought that sees advancing technology and human prosperity as necessary to preserve an ecologically vibrant planet.

I say let's start smashing some fucking atoms and keep the lights on. How bout you?

Tell Me Again. Who's the Real Threat to Democracy??

State Media Laments Biden Government's Restricted

 Censorship Privileges on Free Speech

The State Media has been in meltdown again every since Judge Terry A. Doughty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued an injunction Tuesday ruling the Biden administration and other federal agencies suppressed free speech and ordered to stop the government from colluding with social media (as the Twitter files clearly proved) by stripping Americans’ of their right to free speech.

Doughty ruled members of the Biden administration, including officials with the FBI, DOJ, Biden WH and Department of Health and Human Services could not communicate with social media companies for “the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

In expected due course, the usual talking heads on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and elsewhere who you would expect to defend free speech instead formed up for a media circle jerk and defend Biden and their government 'god of Big Brother', lamenting the ruling Wednesday by calling it "far reaching" and "Dramatic". 

Tulane University history Professor Walter Isaacson, CEO of the controversial 'Aspen Institute', said on MSNBC’s Squinty & Meat Puppet in the Morning, the decision “goes too far,” while also saying the “Twitter Files” showed the government and big tech companies did take it “a bit far.” Gee, ya think?

NBC’s Ryan Reilly argued the real problem is the FBI is NOT policing social media enough.

NBC's Ryan Nobles, speaking on a network known for pushing hoaxes and misinformation, questioning whether “elections could be undermined” without censorship of alleged disinformation.

Really Mr. Nobles?? On MSNBC no less?

The New York Times raised a similar argument, painting the ruling protecting free speech as one that hurts the government’s ability to protect Americans from alleged disinformation.

Like the incomparable Lieutenant Columbo, I have just one more question for these supposed constitutional experts. Just where in the constitution does the government hold the scepter of truth (a purveyor  of propaganda itself) have the right to suppress free speech, on the corner soap box or social media?

I think the First Amendment makes it clear. FJB

Daily Caller

NYT

MSNBC

The Strange Case Of the White House Library Cocaine

A WH Secret Service detail found a suspicious white powder substance in the library during a routine round at the White House on Sunday that tested positive for cocaine. It remains unknown to whom the substance belonged or how it arrived at the premises. But I'm sure tomorrow speculations will run wild in the media it could have been left over from the Trump administration.

The FBI has sent their garage door noose squad to the scene to join in the investigation. The discovery came soon after first son Hunter Biden's visit to the White House on Friday after which he and daddy Joe left for Camp David.

Newsmax host Robb Schmitt said during a report on the cocaine discovery: 'It wouldn't be a thumpin' July 4th weekend without Hunter Biden ripping a few lines off of a bust of Teddy Roosevelt.'

EARL's Latest

~ Thank You WHATFINGER NEWS for the Linkage! ~

 

Happy Independence Day!

In lieu of real fireworks, I can only give you a Virtual Firecracker. 

I met this young lady in 2011 or 12, not sure now, when she brought her band at the time in for the N.O Jazz Fest. As a favor to some local musicians she had connections to here, she came by and laid down two drum tracks for their project which was in the early works. I remember being very impressed watching her work, by the technical knowledge of the her chosen instrument's resonance and the approach she took to her technique. She has since gone on to become very well known.

                             Your viral 4th of July Fireworks - Meytal Cohen. 

A Good Monday Morning

Your Official Almost Semi-World Famous Irredeemable Big Ass Weekend Open Thread

Your Beloved Blog Editrix reluctantly turns things over to You, the Reader.  Got somethin' to say then now is the time because you never know. Down the road you could get hit in the head with falling space debris or something and get a case of brain damage.  And who would want to take you serious with brain damage? As Always, Keep all Weapons in Plain Sight, .......and use the Damn Coaster.

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This Week, Your Glorious Exercise in Free Speech is Brought to You By:

The International Secret Society of Experimental Frog Breeders. 

"Our Mission Is World Domination"