American Politics

[Tiny 12]

So when are you going over to the Ukraine to volunteer your services fight for freedom? I am not going to hold my breath.

The truth is that it has been a bloodbath over there with no end in sight since the Russian invasion began under Joe Biden and this Russian invasion would never have happened in the 1st place if Trump had been President and not the brain addled Joey Biden.

I am very dubious as to whether Trump can actually pull off a real deal between Russia and the Ukraine, ie a lasting peace and an end to all hostilities, but he is thinking outside the box. The alternative is a continuance of the death and destruction for years & years & years. So, I am going to hold off my judgement of this until I see the results. Yes, it might be a no go and nothing comes of it, or it might be another Neville Chamberlain "peace in our times" piece of bull shit, or it just could be a lasting peace where Ukraine survives mostly intact and becomes a part of the European Economic Community (EEC). Who knows? But I am sure we will all find out pretty soon.

Great post. I'm more hopeful than you are Axel, that an end to death and destruction is in sight. Trump, while being firm, improved relations with Russia and North Korea by developing a relationship with their leaders. I suspect you're right, the war in Ukraine wouldn't have kicked off under a Trump presidency. From memory, North Korea ceased medium and long range ballistic missile tests after Trump improved relations, only to start them up again under Biden. I may have problems with Trump's tariffs and what he tried to pull after the 2020 election. But he did a great job with Russia and North Korea.

[EihTooms]

Shame on USA with Trump lying about money sent to Ukraine, about 120 billions, less than what Europe sent, but now trying to rob 500 billions to poor Ukraine and sucking swallowing shameful dictator Putin, to make business with him, when he knows he lost for economics versus with far higher quality Europe and cheap China, with only his taxes to fight, so now trying to rob Ukraine. Just a shameful chicken robber, elected and representing USA, for so bad image. USA can t look great with so shameful Trump, twin with shameful Putin. I really wish Europe and Ukraine will resist to these 2 shameful.

That was an amazing moment, one of the most shameful in a long list of shameful Trump moments.

And I assume very, very few MAGAs will ever know about it. Or understand what happened even if they did ever hear about it on Fux News and the rest.

Or care even if they understood the full implications of it. If anything, love their America-hating lord and savior even more for it.

Which is exactly the premise on which con man Donald Trump operates. It is the reason he is a Repub and could never have run as a Dem. He operates on the premise that his supporters are astonishingly stupid and / or hate America as much if not more than he does.

Old fat con man Trump starts lying in public about the man who is sitting right there next to him. And since Trump has now abdicated the President of the United States' 80 plus year unchallenged position as The Leader of the Free World and has turned his job and the USA into a pathetic laughing stock of an anti-democratic wannabe dictatorship, Macron had ZERO qualms about sticking out his hand, grabbing that fat lying clown's arm and stopping his lie dead in its tracks, correcting him in mid sentence.

Fat lying Clown Trump seemed shocked by the move and then sat there like a snot-nosed 7 year old who just got his knuckles cracked with a ruler, rolling his eyes, but enduring it because he KNEW he was just busted on a huge, critically-important lie.

Then what is fat lying clown Trump's only way he can figure out to ease out of the most humiliating moment any POTUS in history has ever suffered in public on the world stage over such an all-important foreign policy matter and at the HAND of the now presumably real Leader of the Free World, the very man fat lying clown Trump was lying about?

He simply repeated the lie about the man!

What the hell else does he know about how to deal with any and every issue that his golfing is interrupted for him to deal with? LIE, of course.

And every World Leader on the Planet, even the ones from countries Trump would denigrate as "sh*thole countries", knew he was lying and watched him lying about it. Twice. And they now fully understand how shamefully, historically low the once-great USA has fallen in just one month.

For any real American patriot, it was nauseating to watch as well as for anyone else in the world who ever revered and looked up to America or at least the idea of America as a symbol and embodiment of whatever good might be achieved in this world.

[Spidy]

No, I do not "got it". Calling a car an EV when it has a combustion engine and a gas tank is pretty fucking stupid. I know you did not make this up yourself but that is a political definition not a real one. As for your praising BYD for not making ICE cars when they have engines and cars with gas tanks is likewise stupid and quite frankly is BS Democratic douche save the planet bullshit.

For you MAGA Luddites, still having trouble, keeping up the changing times and EV technology and terminology...listen up and pay attention!

Let me be clear, once again! When I (or any non-MAGA, with a lick of intelligence) talks about the classification of EVs and hybrids, it means, they fall under the broader classification of "electrified vehicles", equipped with some form of electric propulsion.

Got it...Good!

Oh, and BTW, when the term NEVs (or new energy vehicles) is used, this will refer to BEVs, PHEVs or FCEVs. If you have any further difficulties with auto vehicle nomenclature, may I suggest you take it up with whatever automotive governing bodies makes that call.

My apologies, if that was too much for MAGA Luddites to learn in one post! (...kkkk!)

Mining for Lithium is good but mining for crude is bad? WTF is that? Well, someone finally put a pen to paper and looked at it, and the best cars in terms of pollution were not EVs but PHEVs, https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoice...full-evs-today.

That really shocked me.

Thing is the batteries in PHEVs are 1/6 the size of those in EVs. The batteries were only good for going 20 to 50 miles but now they have PHEVs that are up to 80 miles per charge. That is HUGE. The study estimates that people will use gasoline 30% of the time. If you can get 80 miles per charge, I bet you could do even better than that.

Hey, as much as that article was more of a Toyota propaganda piece, to sell more HEVs and PHEVs over BEVs, that's really fine and okay by me, if they can bamboozle enough buyers to believe them, like they're trying to do with their hydrogen cars (FCEVs) (...kkkk!). Hey, the more EVs, the merrier, the smart consumers, will figure it out for themselves!

You should know, HEVs and PHEVs, are just gateway vehicles to BEVs anyways and are merely bicycles with training wheels. Soon enough, their owners will take-off the training wheels and graduate up to owning a BEV, once they see through all the bullshit about EVs, as they get better and cheaper every year.

[Beno69]

Let's see if he can destroy the world in 1 year.

[Sirioja]

In your very first link regarding Zellenskyy declaring martial law and suspending elections, this is the all-important context we see IN that link you provided but Elvis would not:

See, this is why links matter. Oh, so sorry if providing context and substantiation is "tiresome" for the Trumpster MAGAs. Because they generally refute every lie Trumpster MAGAs need to spin.

I knew with 100% certainty that an ordinary link would provide the context that Elvis was avoiding like a vampire avoiding sunlight.

Without it, the liar was suggesting that Zellenskyy was somehow anti-democratic, maybe a Nazi dictator. FIVE Pinocchios. And FIVE for you too for supporting his Lie.

Oh look. It is simply that the country can not conduct a free, fair and legitimate election while Russa Russia Russia Russia is engaged in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nothing whatsoever to do with Zellenskyy being anti-democratic or a Nazi dictator. PUTIN is more responsible for suspending elections in Ukraine than Zellenskyy.

The rest of your links also illustrate why Elvis was lying with his out-of-context spin on it. And you too for defending him for it.

When Trump doesn t respect USA constitution, Ukrainian constitution which is before Zelensky, tell: no election under war. Trump and Putin are just liar twins, when Putin is a international law criminal dictator and Trump sucking swallowing Putin to get new business with him and lying about money sent to Ukraine, when USA never protected USA, but he tries to rob Ukraine now.

[Axel Heyst]

Shame on USA with Trump lying about money sent to Ukraine, about 120 billions, less than what Europe sent, but now trying to rob 500 billions to poor Ukraine and sucking swallowing shameful dictator Putin, to make business with him, when he knows he lost for economics versus with far higher quality Europe and cheap China, with only his taxes to fight, so now trying to rob Ukraine. Just a shameful chicken robber, elected and representing USA, for so bad image. USA can t look great with so shameful Trump, twin with shameful Putin. I really wish Europe and Ukraine will resist to these 2 shameful.

So when are you going over to the Ukraine to volunteer your services fight for freedom? I am not going to hold my breath.

The truth is that it has been a bloodbath over there with no end in sight since the Russian invasion began under Joe Biden and this Russian invasion would never have happened in the 1st place if Trump had been President and not the brain addled Joey Biden.

I am very dubious as to whether Trump can actually pull off a real deal between Russia and the Ukraine, ie a lasting peace and an end to all hostilities, but he is thinking outside the box. The alternative is a continuance of the death and destruction for years & years & years. So, I am going to hold off my judgement of this until I see the results. Yes, it might be a no go and nothing comes of it, or it might be another Neville Chamberlain "peace in our times" piece of bull shit, or it just could be a lasting peace where Ukraine survives mostly intact and becomes a part of the European Economic Community (EEC). Who knows? But I am sure we will all find out pretty soon.

[EihTooms]

Maybe you need to read the 1st sentence in the 4th paragraph again, Britain did hold elections during WWII. And the 3rd sentence 4th paragraph, There were also numerous elections to fill in empty seats in parliament during the war.

And maybe you have heard of the cell phone and the internet?

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024...tronic-voting/

Estonia was the first country in the world to use online voting in 2005. Last year, the European country held "the world's first mostly digital elections", with more electronic votes (51%) cast than paper votes (49%) for the first time.

In India, almost 1 million people will vote this year using e-voting machines at polling stations, according to Euronews.

Russia and Turkey are among other countries rolling out e-voting systems, while Norway and Mexico are allowing e-voting in this year's elections for citizens living abroad.

France has an online voting system, but this isn't used for national or local elections, according to data visualization specialist Statista.

Some areas of Switzerland are offering e-voting, reports news site SWI swissinfi. Ch.

End of link.

And as of now, Loony Tooms, Ukraine would have an election that is every Democratic douche's dream: one candidate, one party, and state run media.

Do you even understand what is stated in your own link?

It provides beatutiful substantiation, in context, for why Britain did not hold elections during WWII, when the country was being bombed by the Germans. Almost the exact same reason Ukraine has not held elections in Ukraine while Russia Russia Russia Russia is bombing Ukraine with the added bonus of experiencing a Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine by Russia Russia Russia Russia that Britain was largely spared.

Come on, admit it; until you read my posts about this you have been so insulated inside the Winger MAGA mis- and dis-information bubble created by Russia Russia Russia Russia that you had no idea any part of Ukraine had been bombed by invading aggressor Russia Russia Russia Russia or that so much as a square meter of Ukraine had been invaded by Russia Russia Russia Russia, right?

Seriously. Admit it.

That is the only possible excuse for this truly bizarre MAGA lie you are desperately trying to float.

Tiny hasn't even come up with a link providing "opinions not subject to fact-checking" as proof that Ukraine has not once been struck by a bomb from Russia Russia Russia Russia or so much as had a single Russian soldier cross the borders into Ukraine in, oh, at least 3 years.

That is how far off you are from the truth.

And are you now seriiusly suggesting elections be held in Ukraine over the Internet the way they are only now trying to set up such systems in other countries that, oh lookie here, are NOT currently being bombed and experiencing a Full-scale Invasion from Russia Russia Russia Russia?

Have you ever heard of "No Internet Available" or "No Wifi", "Please Try Again Later"? That can go on for days in some areas of USA today!

Sure, maybe Britain should have conducted elections over the telephone during WWII. I am sure there were intermittently working phone lines here and there throughout London, perhaps one working phone for every 6-7 Brits back then. Assuming the Germans didn't figure out what was going on and start targeting the telephone powerlines and interchanges throughout the country to drop a few bombs.

Ceratainly Russia Russia Russia Russia would never catch on about that Internet thingie. Even with President Elon Musk and his assistant Trump aiding and abetting them every bomb of the way. Ha.

Good lord.

The level of MAGA willful ignorance is just astonishing.

[Sirioja]

Shame on USA with Trump lying about money sent to Ukraine, about 120 billions, less than what Europe sent, but now trying to rob 500 billions to poor Ukraine and sucking swallowing shameful dictator Putin, to make business with him, when he knows he lost for economics versus with far higher quality Europe and cheap China, with only his taxes to fight, so now trying to rob Ukraine. Just a shameful chicken robber, elected and representing USA, for so bad image. USA can t look great with so shameful Trump, twin with shameful Putin. I really wish Europe and Ukraine will resist to these 2 shameful.

[Elvis 2008]

Well, why you are citing Britain not conducting elections during the WWII bomb attacks

Maybe you need to read the 1st sentence in the 4th paragraph again, Britain did hold elections during WWII. And the 3rd sentence 4th paragraph, There were also numerous elections to fill in empty seats in parliament during the war.

And maybe you have heard of the cell phone and the internet?

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024...tronic-voting/

Estonia was the first country in the world to use online voting in 2005. Last year, the European country held "the world's first mostly digital elections", with more electronic votes (51%) cast than paper votes (49%) for the first time.

In India, almost 1 million people will vote this year using e-voting machines at polling stations, according to Euronews.

Russia and Turkey are among other countries rolling out e-voting systems, while Norway and Mexico are allowing e-voting in this year's elections for citizens living abroad.

France has an online voting system, but this isn't used for national or local elections, according to data visualization specialist Statista.

Some areas of Switzerland are offering e-voting, reports news site SWI swissinfi. Ch.

End of link.

And as of now, Loony Tooms, Ukraine would have an election that is every Democratic douche's dream: one candidate, one party, and state run media.

[Spidy]

If South Australia gets to 100% renewables by 2027, I'll kiss EihTooms' ass in the middle of Soi Cowboy at 10:00 PM on a Saturday night.

South Australia has the highest electricity prices in Australia, probably because it pushed renewables too hard. The wholesale price is almost twice Queensland's:

https://www.aer.gov.au/industry/wholesale/charts

I think youre missing the bigger picture. Whether its 2027, 2028 or 2029, when they do meet their goal of %100 renewables, it will signal, a milestone and a monumental moment in Australian and world energy history and prove that you can have renewables as base load and beyond.

In my books, even if they are still at 3-5% LNG, being used as a peaker plant and part of their energy mix, for those rear summer peak demands moments, its still a huge WIN!

And in 2023, SA consumers were paying 0. 45 AUD per kilowatt hour, or $0. 30 USD per kilowatt hour.

https://www.bluettipower.com.au/blog...-bELRHo-TfVGMz

For comparison, in the Great State of Texas, I pay about $0. 13 USD per kilowatt hour.

And Texas, by the way, generates about 40% of its electricity from renewables and nuclear.

Not sure whats the deal is with Australian electricity prices in general, but Australia has for a long time ranked among the worlds top 10 countries with the highest residential electricity prices. So comparing it with Texas, isnt realistic.

Yeah, I remember, the winter storm, which struck Texas in Feb 2021. Where a seized up grid and frozen windmills, let wholesale electricity prices, spike up, to a ridiculous price of $9,000/MWh. Leaving residents, with electrical bills of $10-17K for just a few days worth of electricity. (...kkkk!). So Texas is not without its hiccups!

Although, comparing SA with other Aussie states is fair, and their rates are the currently among highest in the country, when you take into account the cost/investment of transitioning to renewable energy, I would have thought, it'd be actually be higher than it is. Historically their rates have been higher then they are today. So while a bit high, it's only short term pain.

The higher rates, wont remain high, in the coming years. Couple that with their increased periods of negative rates, excess electricity sent to NEM and possible green hydrogen generation, theyll be more positive net gains to their flexible 100% renewable grid.

SA has turned the corner and are only using LNG as intermittent/peaker plant power sources. With regards to copycat state of Texas, nuclear is only 5-8%, and barely anything in the scheme things. While natural gas is still doing most of the heavy lifting, with wind, solar and batteries (SWB) as a very close second. It wont be long before copycat Texas follows places like SA and California, with SWB as the biggest part of their energy mix.

South Australia I believe has the largest onshore production of natural gas in Australia. Without that and natural gas fired power plants, SA would be reliant on coal for baseload electricity generation.

SA, phased out coal in 2016, as I reported. Natural gas (LNG) is next!

The Dominican Republic doesn't have natural gas reserves. It has to import LNG and fuel oil, which are expensive, or use coal, which is dirty and emits more carbon than natural gas. Now this admittedly is a good argument for renewables for intermittent supply in the DR, like what Texas does. But they're just not going to cost effectively supply all base load and peak load requirements.

The Dominican Republic during parts of the year has lots of cloud cover. A hell of a lot more than sunny SA.

Just repeating what I've already said doesn't do anything for your argument. Re-read my section on the "Recap of the Dominican Republics Energy Mix:". And don't worry so much, today's solar will still generate a fair amount of power on those approx. 125-165 cloudy days in the DR. But again, from what I've gleaned about the DR, they'll need a mixture of solutions, from SWB, and maybe pumped hydro, offshore wind and offshore solar, perhaps.

Your cost numbers per MW hour above are screwed. Please note that $60100 per MW hour for coal would be $60.10 per kw hour. That's off by a factor of around 1000. The real number is around $60 per MW hour or $. 06 per kw hour.

And you're saying that the cost to generate electricity from coal is 20 X the cost from solar and 17 X the cost of wind? The cost of generating electricity with a conventional nuclear plant is 15 X more than with a small nuclear reactor? That's complete and total bollocks.

What your looking at are LCOE project costs, in my report.

Then there's battery storage, which is essential in the tree hugger's pipe dream, which of course doesn't allow for base load electricity generation from nuclear. Cheerleaders for renewables understate the cost of storage. At some point the cost of battery storage may come down to where renewables can cost effectively supply base load electricity. But we're not there yet. And may never be in the USA (which admittedly doesn't preclude that from happening the DR) as long as the Democratic and Republican parties won't allow America to buy from China.

First, batteries are hardly ever paired with nuclear and suited with wind and solar. Second, the cost for storage is dropping everyday, with alternatives like Na-Li batteries being even cheaper. Third, when batteries are paired with S+W, the your LCOE, is better than buying them separately. Fourth, consider, there are projects in the U.S. (Texas, Arizona) now bid $30-$40/MWh for solar + 4h storage (with subsidies) LCOE. Still w/o subsidies globally, your looking at LCOE of $70-$80/MWh SWB combos.

Utility-Scale Solar, 2023 Edition: Empirical Trends in Deployment, Technology, Cost, Performance, PPA Pricing, and Value in the United States
https://emp.lbl.gov/publications/uti...r-2023-edition

he biggest consideration for the DR is the cost. Californians can afford to pay out the ass for energy. People in the DR cannot. Leftist elites in the developed world should not try to force high priced renewable energy onto developing countries unless they are first willing to give up air conditioning. Because that's what they'd be doing to people in places like the DR and India who would have to pay prices for energy even higher than South Australians. Some will be lucky to afford electric lighting so their kids can study at night, let alone A/C.

With an annual cost of between $2.55 - $3.47 billion dollars to import and burn fossil fuels for electricity, is good enough reason to look for cheaper, sustainable alternatives.

I'm sure you love it, when your right-winger billionaire robber oil-n-gas barons, run roughshod over poor struggling emerging countries and would like nothing better than to see them continue to suckle on their oil rich nipples, for the next 15-20 years. But I don't think they can afford NOT to adopt a 15-20 plan, to tackle the ever increasing and rising costs of fossil fuels and provide energy independence for their secured future, if shown what's possible.

Hence way I think the SA's example will show many, what's possible!

[Sirioja]

When driving back from my 2 German girls I enjoyed for total 270 €, on Sunday morning I was disappointed not to go for more than 288 km / h, but I didn't see any BYD, Tesla following me, but I really wish I will go faster. Maybe because with 95 E10 , when no french E85 in Germany, so I was maybe less powerful. Have to try to improve, powered with E85.

[EihTooms]

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistoria...wii/?rdt=37175

Why didn't Britain hold elections during WWII?

It may seem like an obvious question but elections were held throughout the rest of the English speaking world; Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.

Britain did hold elections during WWII. In 1945 they held an election that resulted in Clement Attlee being elected Prime Minister, replacing Churchill. There were also numerous elections to fill in empty seats in parliament during the war.

In Britain each sitting of parliament can last for 5 years at most before an election needs to take place. Parliament can be dissolved and elections called for earlier then every 5 years, but 5 years is the max. Parliament extended this 5 year limit during the war however.

Nope, it is zero pinocchios because the leader who was at war with Russia and who did not have elections was (wait for it), Adolf Hitler.

A Democratic douche against free and fair elections? Gee, that is a shocker.

Well, why you are citing Britain not conducting elections during the WWII bomb attacks, as some "proof" that Ukraine not conducting elections during their bomb attacks that Zellenskyy is an anti-democratic Nazi dictator is truly bewildering. Was Britain an anti-democratic Nazi dictatorship as well during WWII? Churchill? Is everybody an anti-democratic Nazi dictator now? I am sure President Musk's MAGAs would love for us to believe that. It paves the way for where President Musk and his assistant Trump would like to take us.

Moreover, other than a few stray Channel Islands, there was no Full-Scale Invasion of Britain by Germany as there is in Ukraine by Russia Russia Russia Russia.

You know where else neither Germany nor Japan invaded during WWII? This may come as a surprise to you, not sure about Tiny, but neither USA, Canada, New Zealand nor Australia were invaded by anybody during WWII. Neither were their land masses ever bombed by anyone during WWII. How about that?

Maybe Tiny can pitch in and provide links that unravel whatever gobbledygook lie you're trying to spin with this one and thereby prove you wrong and me right again.

See, if only you had provided the same links Tiny provided when you tried to float your original out-of-context post full of lies, unsubstantiated opinions and half-truths you would have so richly deserved and earned enough Pinnochios from the start to fill a Trump rally on this point and might not have dragged poor Tiny into the Pinocchio mob with you.

LOL. It is hilarious that as hard as Tiny tried to apologize for and defend your other lies in that post, certainly harder than you tried, the best he could come up with was "the second part is not true", "probably true", "probably true" and the all-time classic "these are mostly opinions and therefore not subject to fact-checking. ".

LOL. Hey, no kidding. Some "masterpiece".

As usual, it is I who should be thanking Tiny or anyone else who provides at least one minimally credible link for the lies MAGAs live to spin because even those are sure to contain at least one critical qualifier and detail that blows their entire premise and lie out of the water.

[Elvis 2008]

The rest of your links also illustrate why Elvis was lying with his out-of-context spin on it. And you too for defending him for it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistoria...wii/?rdt=37175

Why didn't Britain hold elections during WWII?

It may seem like an obvious question but elections were held throughout the rest of the English speaking world; Canada, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.

Britain did hold elections during WWII. In 1945 they held an election that resulted in Clement Attlee being elected Prime Minister, replacing Churchill. There were also numerous elections to fill in empty seats in parliament during the war.

In Britain each sitting of parliament can last for 5 years at most before an election needs to take place. Parliament can be dissolved and elections called for earlier then every 5 years, but 5 years is the max. Parliament extended this 5 year limit during the war however.

Without it, the liar was suggesting that Zellenskyy was somehow anti-democratic, maybe a Nazi dictator. FIVE Pinocchios. And FIVE for you too for supporting his Lie.

Oh look. It is simply that the country can not conduct a free, fair and legitimate election while Russa Russia Russia Russia is engaged in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nothing whatsoever to do with Zellenskyy being anti-democratic or a Nazi dictator. PUTIN is more responsible for suspending elections in Ukraine than Zellenskyy.

Nope, it is zero pinocchios because the leader who was at war with Russia and who did not have elections was (wait for it), Adolf Hitler.

A Democratic douche against free and fair elections? Gee, that is a shocker.

[Tiny 12]

The revolution will not be televised Tiny 12. But when it comes I will let everyone know you are a good one!

It won't matter SubCmdr. We'll be living on our island paradises, far away from the revolution. Living in style too. I'll have my dividend paying stocks, and your Bitcoin holdings will soar even more because of the political upheaval.

Hope you'll visit, provided that you bring some fine looking Dominican wenches!

[Tiny 12]

Excellent post Tiny...

Thanks Elvis. Yes, not to be immodest, but I thought it was a masterpiece. And I had to sacrifice. I had to choose between writing that post, and the reply to Spidy, or going to Black Caviar or Soi Cowboy on my last night in Bangkok. Given I'm trying to finally embark on a life of monogamy, the choice was simpler than it sounds though.

I'm looking forward to reading up on the new virus. Packing up right now so it will have to wait for another day.