The US is alone.

[Kulindahr]

Well the more they can do the better...coal & natural gas are still gonna be around
Though I also think solar (and wind) power are only going to grow & in the long term be the slow death of coal...
...I never thought about it making things less vulnerable though. That's actually a good point.


----
I could actually see the day come when its just a 'normal' thing that any houses built will simply have solar panels installed (especially in states with sunny/dry climates - some places it probably wouldn't be cost effective)

A traffic engineer made a proposal based initially on safety: it began as an idea to roof-over freeway interchanges because of the higher volume of traffic accidents due to weather on the interchanges, but quickly changed to make those solar roofs, at first in order to power any lighting needed but then also to feed into the local grid. Given the latest improvements in battery technology, the idea has become viable for most of the U.S.

 

[rareboy]

50 world leaders meet in France to discuss climate change initiatives.

Trump was not invited.

http://time.com/5058736/climate-change-macron-trump-paris-conference/

I think this is the second time in my lifetime that the US has been ignored by the rest of the world. The first being when he announced the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem.

 

[Pierresro]

50 world leaders meet in France to discuss climate change initiatives.

Trump was not invited.

http://time.com/5058736/climate-change-macron-trump-paris-conference/

I think this is the second time in my lifetime that the US has been ignored by the rest of the world. The first being when he announced the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem.

I find it amazing that there are Climate Change deniers here especially. Although none of them surprise me . Even if only some of the global warming is caused my man the least we can do is stop those things. Do not listen to the fools we are destroying the earth . By the way the U.S. can not leave the Paris accord as it is not negotiable!

 

[Benvolio]

Who is going to pay for all this if the American taxpayers don’t get stuck with it as always?

 

[72-Jay]

A traffic engineer made a proposal based initially on safety: it began as an idea to roof-over freeway interchanges because of the higher volume of traffic accidents due to weather on the interchanges, but quickly changed to make those solar roofs, at first in order to power any lighting needed but then also to feed into the local grid. Given the latest improvements in battery technology, the idea has become viable for most of the U.S.

Interesting proposal. Couldn't actually see it happening though.
Seems the initial cost of building it would would be prohibitive... ()

50 world leaders meet in France to discuss climate change initiatives.
Trump was not invited.

There would be no point in inviting him

 

[Benvolio]

We were alone in 1776 and 1789 as well. In the words of that greatest of all democrats, thrice nominated, WJ Bryan, “The humblest citizen in all the land, when clothed in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.”

 

[frankfrank]

Maybe so, but that's ancient history.

This time we're ALONE in wanting to proceed to destroy this planet (where all of humanity lives) in one of the most certain ways possible.

 

[smokeshadow]

And I see Ben is forgetting history (again) as in 1776, the French (an ally against the English) sent us one of their military advisors, La Fayette, to help. The French also supplied arms, ammunition and other supplies.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/french-alliance

 

[gsdx]

^ Ah, but that's the inconvenient version of history. You know, it's inconvenient because someone knew more history than he did.

 

[rareboy]

We were alone in 1776 and 1789 as well. In the words of that greatest of all democrats, thrice nominated, WJ Bryan, “The humblest citizen in all the land, when clothed in the armor of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.”

Well that is hilarious.

If France hadn't bankrolled the revolution, you'd still be singing God Save the King.

 

[gsdx]

^ Alternate facts, perhaps?

(Anyone else besides me still remember that one?)

 

[rareboy]

I see that Trump is doubling down on the America First foreign policy today...reminding us all that it is dog eat dog out here and that friend or foe, America is done with the rest of the world.

 

[Kulindahr]

I see that Trump is doubling down on the America First foreign policy today...reminding us all that it is dog eat dog out here and that friend or foe, America is done with the rest of the world.

"America First."

That was one of the things that made the Japanese think the U.S. wouldn't fight them, back in 1941.

 

[rareboy]

As a result of yesterday's UN vote...reinforcement that the US is not out in front...it is increasingly isolated.

...(the vote) mattered because the vote further isolates and embarrasses the United States. Complaining about NATO spending. Pulling out of the Paris Accord. Abandoning the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Attempting to decertify the Iran deal. Now this. Under President Trump, the United States is increasingly alone, not first, among nations. And his harping, whining and bullying only make us look petty and small.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/21/opini...-trump-deserves-john-kirby-opinion/index.html

 

[Kulindahr]

^
Abandoning the TPP was a good thing, as the language in the agreements would have given corporations the power to ignore local or even national wishes and laws if those got in the way of their profits.

 

[frankfrank]

That's the way that I read the TPP, also - that corporate decisions would have complete priority over the laws of sovereign nations.

 

[Benvolio]

That's the way that I read the TPP, also - that corporate decisions would have complete priority over the laws of sovereign nations.

It also binds the nations to open their borders to "temporary" labor. It and other treaties are designed to side step national democracy in favor or global control.

 

[Kulindahr]

That's the way that I read the TPP, also - that corporate decisions would have complete priority over the laws of sovereign nations.

Yep. If it were in effect right now, there are a couple of situations where Nestle corporation would be able to take ALL the water from an area, leaving the residents to figure out where to get theirs. There are a couple of cases in Central America that would be tilted to the corporations to the detriment of the people who live there as well.

 

[gsdx]

^ We pay for our water here in Peterborough. We didn't until a few years ago. But water companies like Nestle pay a helluva lot less for the groundwater. Until recently, bottlers in Ontario were paying $3.71 per million litres. Now they're paying $503.71 per million. I've never bought a bottle of water in my life so I don't know the price, but I suspect they're still making a healthy profit while I'm paying good money to get the same water out of my faucet.

 

[Kulindahr]

^ We pay for our water here in Peterborough. We didn't until a few years ago. But water companies like Nestle pay a helluva lot less for the groundwater. Until recently, bottlers in Ontario were paying $3.71 per million litres. Now they're paying $503.71 per million. I've never bought a bottle of water in my life so I don't know the price, but I suspect they're still making a healthy profit while I'm paying good money to get the same water out of my faucet.

In some places Nestle is essentially pumping groundwater for free: they buy a chunk of land with drilling water rights, drill as deep as feasible, pump till the aquifer is drained, then sell the land.

The ridiculous part of this is that water infrastructure suffers because corporations find ways to weasel out of paying taxes, so water is so poor that people buy it bottled. States ought to offer a tax credit for people putting filters such as esprings or PUR in their homes so the water is drinkable again. Or of GOP politicians cared about the country, they'd offer federal matching funds for improvements to water systems (at two-to-one where things are really bad).