#Geothermal Infrastructure

[electronalytics]

GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market Analysis, Business Overview and Upcoming Trends, Outlook 2032

Market Overview: The Geothermal Electric Power Generation Market involves the production of electricity by harnessing the natural heat stored within the Earth's crust. Geothermal power plants utilize the Earth's internal heat to generate steam or hot water, which is then used to drive turbines and produce electricity. The market is driven by the need for clean, renewable energy sources and the global shift toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Scope:

Geothermal Resource Exploration: The scope includes activities related to locating and assessing geothermal reservoirs suitable for power generation.

Geothermal Power Plant Construction: This involves the design, development, and construction of geothermal power plants, including drilling wells, installing infrastructure, and setting up turbine systems.

Electricity Generation: The main scope revolves around using geothermal energy to produce electricity through steam turbines or binary cycle power systems.

Heat Recovery: Some geothermal power plants utilize the residual heat for direct applications, such as district heating, agricultural drying, and industrial processes.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS): The scope includes research and development of EGS technology, which aims to stimulate geothermal reservoirs that may have lower natural permeability.

Environmental Impact Mitigation: Addressing environmental concerns related to geothermal power generation, including the proper management of brine, gases, and potential subsurface effects.

Demand:

Renewable Energy Transition: Growing demand for clean, renewable energy sources to combat climate change is driving interest in geothermal power as a reliable and sustainable electricity generation option.

Baseload Power Generation: Geothermal power provides a stable and continuous source of electricity, making it suitable for meeting baseload demand and enhancing grid stability.

Emission Reduction Goals: Governments and organizations worldwide are focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Geothermal power generation helps achieve these targets by offering a low-emission energy source.

Energy Security: The availability of geothermal energy helps countries reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels, enhancing energy security and independence.

Opportunities:

Resource Exploration and Development: Opportunities exist for locating untapped geothermal reservoirs and developing them into viable power generation sites.

Investment in Infrastructure: The construction and expansion of geothermal power plants require significant investments, presenting opportunities for funding and partnerships.

Technology Innovation: Advancements in drilling techniques, heat exchange systems, and binary cycle technology offer opportunities for technological innovation and efficiency improvements.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Research and development in EGS technology present opportunities for accessing geothermal resources in areas previously considered uneconomical.

District Heating and Cogeneration: Geothermal heat recovery for district heating and combined heat and power (CHP) applications offers opportunities to diversify revenue streams.

Global Expansion: Developing geothermal projects in regions with high geothermal potential, such as the "Ring of Fire" geothermal zone, presents international growth opportunities.

Geothermal Tourism: In areas with geothermal attractions, combining power generation with tourism can create opportunities for sustainable development.

 We recommend referring our Stringent datalytics firm, industry publications, and websites that specialize in providing market reports. These sources often offer comprehensive analysis, market trends, growth forecasts, competitive landscape, and other valuable insights into this market.

By visiting our website or contacting us directly, you can explore the availability of specific reports related to this market. These reports often require a purchase or subscription, but we provide comprehensive and in-depth information that can be valuable for businesses, investors, and individuals interested in this market.

“Remember to look for recent reports to ensure you have the most current and relevant information.”

Click Here, To Get Free Sample Report: https://stringentdatalytics.com/sample-request/geothersmal-electric-power-generation-market/12101/

Market Segmentations:

Global GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market: By Company • Calpine Corp. • Energy Development Corp. • Comision Federal de Electricadad (CFE) • Enel SpA Global GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market: By Type • Dry Steam Stations • Flash Steam Power Stations • Binary Cycle Stations Global GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market: By Application • Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Others Global GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market: Regional Analysis The regional analysis of the global GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation market provides insights into the market's performance across different regions of the world. The analysis is based on recent and future trends and includes market forecast for the prediction period. The countries covered in the regional analysis of the GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation market report are as follows: North America: The North America region includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The U.S. is the largest market for GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation in this region, followed by Canada and Mexico. The market growth in this region is primarily driven by the presence of key market players and the increasing demand for the product. Europe: The Europe region includes Germany, France, U.K., Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Rest of Europe. Germany is the largest market for GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation in this region, followed by the U.K. and France. The market growth in this region is driven by the increasing demand for the product in the automotive and aerospace sectors. Asia-Pacific: The Asia-Pacific region includes Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Rest of Asia-Pacific. China is the largest market for GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation in this region, followed by Japan and India. The market growth in this region is driven by the increasing adoption of the product in various end-use industries, such as automotive, aerospace, and construction. Middle East and Africa: The Middle East and Africa region includes Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, and Rest of Middle East and Africa. The market growth in this region is driven by the increasing demand for the product in the aerospace and defense sectors. South America: The South America region includes Argentina, Brazil, and Rest of South America. Brazil is the largest market for GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation in this region, followed by Argentina. The market growth in this region is primarily driven by the increasing demand for the product in the automotive sector.

Visit Report Page for More Details: https://stringentdatalytics.com/reports/geothersmal-electric-power-generation-market/12101/

Reasons to Purchase GeOthersmal Electric Power Generation Market Report:

• To obtain insights into industry trends and dynamics, including market size, growth rates, and important factors and difficulties. This study offers insightful information on these topics.

• To identify important participants and rivals: This research studies can assist companies in identifying key participants and rivals in their sector, along with their market share, business plans, and strengths and weaknesses.

• To comprehend consumer behaviour: these research studies can offer insightful information about customer behaviour, including preferences, spending patterns, and demographics.

• To assess market opportunities: These research studies can aid companies in assessing market chances, such as prospective new goods or services, fresh markets, and new trends.

In general, market research studies offer companies and organisations useful data that can aid in making decisions and maintaining competitiveness in their industry. They can offer a strong basis for decision-making, strategy formulation, and company planning.

About US:

Stringent Datalytics offers both custom and syndicated market research reports. Custom market research reports are tailored to a specific client's needs and requirements. These reports provide unique insights into a particular industry or market segment and can help businesses make informed decisions about their strategies and operations.

Syndicated market research reports, on the other hand, are pre-existing reports that are available for purchase by multiple clients. These reports are often produced on a regular basis, such as annually or quarterly, and cover a broad range of industries and market segments. Syndicated reports provide clients with insights into industry trends, market sizes, and competitive landscapes. By offering both custom and syndicated reports, Stringent Datalytics can provide clients with a range of market research solutions that can be customized to their specific needs

Contact US:

Stringent Datalytics

Contact No -  +1 346 666 6655

Email Id -  sales@stringentdatalytics.com

Web - https://stringentdatalytics.com/

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - January 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Landmark debt swap to protect Indonesia’s coral reefs

“The government of Indonesia announced this week a deal to redirect more than US$ 35 million it owes to the United States into the conservation of coral reefs in the most biodiverse ocean area on Earth.”

2. [FWS] Provides Over $1.3 Billion to Support Fish and Wildlife Conservation and Outdoor Access

“Through these combined funds, agencies have supported monitoring and management of over 500 species of wild mammals and birds, annual stocking of over 1 billion fish, operations of fish and wildlife disease laboratories around the country, and provided hunter and aquatic education to millions of students.”

3. Philippine Indigenous communities restore a mountain forest to prevent urban flooding

“Indigenous knowledge systems and practices are considered in the project design, and its leaders and members have been involved throughout the process, from agreeing to participate to identifying suitable land and selecting plant species that naturally grow in the area.”

4. Responsible Offshore Wind Development is a Clear Win for Birds, the U.S. Economy, and our Climate

“[T]he total feasible offshore wind capacity along U.S. coasts is more than three times the total electricity generated nationwide in 2023. […] Proven strategies, such as reducing visible lights on turbines and using perching deterrents on turbines, have been effective in addressing bird impacts.”

5. Illinois awards $100M for electric truck charging corridor, Tesla to get $40M

“The project will facilitate the construction of 345 electric truck charging ports and pull-through truck charging stalls across 14 sites throughout Illinois[…. E]lectrifying [the 30,000 daily long-haul] trucks would make a huge impact in the public health and quality of life along the heavily populated roadways.”

6. Reinventing the South Florida seawall to help marine life, buffer rising seas

“[The new seawall] features raised areas inspired by mangrove roots that are intended to both provide nooks and crannies for fish and crabs and other marine creatures and also better absorb some of the impact from waves and storm surges.”

7. Long Beach Commits to 100% All-Electric Garbage Trucks

“[Diesel garbage trucks] produce around a quarter of all diesel pollution in California and contribute to 1,400 premature deaths every year. Electric options, on the other hand, are quieter than their diesel counterparts and produce zero tailpipe emissions.”

8. ‘This Is a Victory': Biden Affirms ERA Has Been 'Ratified' and Law of the Land

“President Joe Biden on Friday announced his administration's official opinion that the amendment is ratified and its protections against sex-based discrimination are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”

9. A Little-Known Clean Energy Solution Could Soon Reach ‘Liftoff’

“Ground source heat pumps could heat and cool the equivalent of 7 million homes by 2035—up from just over 1 million today[…. G]eothermal energy is generally considered to be more popular among Republicans than other forms of clean energy, such as wind and solar.”

10. Researchers combine citizens' help and cutting-edge tech to track biodiversity

“Researchers in the project, which runs from 2022 to 2026, are experimenting with tools like drones, cameras and sensors to collect detailed data on different species, [… and] Observation.org, a global biodiversity platform where people submit pictures of animals and plants, helping to identify and monitor them.”

January 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[afrotumble]

Geothermal power generation in Nakuru County, Kenya. The county is located within the Rift Valley region.

[auckie]

There should be public pods, and mandatory time off, and moments of silence for different arranged groups of citizens dedicated to being afraid. If you are in sector 4 subset D category 133 third quadrant and select group 14.4B then your allotted moment is a four hour reprieve between 8am-12pm EST on April 2nd (dependent upon year) and if it is not your allotted time then you may use your STO (scared time off) and if you are out then you should find a FEAR POD to reside in until the terror passes. The pods are to be organically shaped, ergonomic and sound proof with harmonic egg technology which blasts soothing lights and beta theta binaural beats and the brown note. The seat is a recliner with stirrups suspended from the roof wherein the users feet will be raised. there is a built in toilet and feed trough providing wetted oats for sustenance and hydration, along with an automated tranquilizer which will dose you with lethal amounts of ketamine to soothe hysteria and induce a tranquil state of coma followed by death. the booth then sterilizes by heating to a sustained 220-1100C for an undisclosed amount of time, and then promptly vacuum packages your remains to be shipped off to next of kin or the dumping grounds. There will be one of these pods on every street corner and they will be powered by a potent mixture of solar, geothermal, wind, and nuclear energy which will shatter this nations infrastructure, economy, and ofc, power grid beyond repair, thus necessitating more booths to calm the scared masses. The dumping grounds will be so overrun with ashes that a new kind of weather phenomena occurs, like a mix between a dust storm and volcanic ash clouds, which produce a never before seen form of lighting known as ‘soul strikes’. These storms will create temporal rifts which allow djinn and ghouls and machine elves to break through the astral barrier into our dimension and wreak havoc by means of, you guess it, inducing mass hysteria. Thus, necessities the creation of more pods. We will hit a point of pod to person alignment, quickly followed by an excess of pods, and then a gradual over saturation of the market— but by then most industry will have already been dedicated to pod production and ash removal, at which point we will see more astral beasts than humans, and have no choice but to try and lure said beasts into the pods, thus. Say it with me. Necessitating the production and placement. Of. More. Pods.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #9

March 9-15 2024

The IRS launched its direct file pilot program. Tax payers in 12 states, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming, Arizona, Massachusetts, California and New York, can now file their federal income taxes for free on-line directly with the IRS. The IRS plans on taking direct file nation wide for next year's tax season. Tax Day is April 15th so if you're in one of those states you have a month to check it out.

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict. the OCR is investigating if Benedict's school district violated his civil rights by failing to protect him from bullying. President Biden expressed support for trans and non-binary youth in the aftermath of the ruling that Benedict's death was a suicide and encouraged people to seek help in crisis

Vice President Kamala Harris became the first sitting Vice-President (or President) to visit an abortion provider. Harris' historic visit was to a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul Minnesota. This is the last stop on the Vice-President's Reproductive Rights Tour that has taken her across the country highlighting the need for reproductive health care.

President Biden announced 3.3 billion dollars worth of infrastructure projects across 40 states designed to reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure. Communities often split decades ago by highways build in the 1960s and 70s. These splits very often affect communities of color splitting them off from the wider cities and making daily life far more difficult. These reconnection projects will help remedy decades of economic racism.

The Biden-Harris administration is taking steps to eliminate junk fees for college students. These are hidden fees students pay to get loans or special fees banks charged to students with bank accounts. Also the administration plans to eliminate automatic billing for textbooks and ban schools from pocketing leftover money on student's meal plans.

The Department of Interior announced $120 million in investments to help boost Climate Resilience in Tribal Communities. The money will support 146 projects effecting over 100 tribes. This comes on top of $440 million already spent on tribal climate resilience by the administration so far

The Department of Energy announced $750 million dollars in investment in clean hydrogen power. This will go to 52 projects across 24 states. As part of the administration's climate goals the DoE plans to bring low to zero carbon hydrogen production to 10 million metric tons by 2030, and the cost of hydrogen to $1 per kilogram of hydrogen produced by 2031.

The Department of Energy has offered a 2.3 billion dollar loan to build a lithium processing plant in Nevada. Lithium is the key component in rechargeable batteries used it electric vehicles. Currently 95% of the world's lithium comes from just 4 countries, Australia, Chile, China and Argentina. Only about 1% of the US' lithium needs are met by domestic production. When completed the processing plant in Thacker Pass Nevada will produce enough lithium for 800,000 electric vehicle batteries a year.

The Department of Transportation is making available $1.2 billion in funds to reduce decrease pollution in transportation. Available in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico the funds will support projects by transportation authorities to lower their carbon emissions.

The Geothermal Energy Optimization Act was introduced in the US Senate. If passed the act will streamline the permitting process and help expand geothermal projects on public lands. This totally green energy currently accounts for just 0.4% of the US' engird usage but the Department of Energy estimates the potential geothermal energy supply is large enough to power the entire U.S. five times over.

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act was introduced in the Senate banning No Knock Warrants nationwide

A bill was introduced in the House requiring the US Postal Service to cover the costs of any laid fees on bills the USPS failed to deliver on time

The Senate Confirmed 3 more Biden nominees to be life time federal Judges, Jasmine Yoon the first Asian-America federal judge in Virginia, Sunil Harjani in Illinois, and Melissa DuBose the first LGBTQ and first person of color to serve as a federal judge in Rhode Island. This brings the total number of Biden judges to 185

[rjzimmerman]

Yesterday felt like an earthquake shook the foundations of our climate and environmental laws, followed by a hurricane that scattered the bits all over the place and a wildfire that burned those bits that weren't scattered. I didn't watch any part of yesterday's debauchery, either on TV or streaming or the alerts that pop up on my iPhone or iPad, or read anything (neither national, local or environmental or climate specialized media). I figured most of the crap he did yesterday will be the subject of strategic lawsuits, and much will be tossed out as contrary to legislation or regulation or unconstitutional. In other words, I'll pay attention to the reconstruction, not the destruction. But.......it was still a horse shit day.

This compilation from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law (of the Columbia Law School/Columbia Climate School) is outstanding. Click/tap on the caption of this post and you'll be able to figure out what happened and sort things out as you want. Just click/tap on the caption and go for it. But if you don't want to do that, here's the compilation, abbreviated. Italicized/red fonts are my addition, either explanatory or editorial.

PUTTING AMERICA FIRST IN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

Withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement

Withdraw from any other agreements made under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Revoke any financial commitments under UNFCCC

Revoke U.S. International Climate Finance Plan

DECLARING A NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY

Declares national energy emergency, primarily based on high energy prices

Use any lawful emergency authorities “to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources.”

Use Defense Production Act and federal eminent domain authorities

Issue emergency fuel waivers to allow year-round sale of E15 gasoline (E15 is ethanol/gasoline mix)

“Expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure, energy, environmental and natural resources projects”

Use emergency authorities and nationwide permits to grant approvals under Clean Water Act Sec. 404, Rivers and Harbors Act Sec. 10, and Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act Sec. 103 for energy projects

Use emergency consultation processes under Endangered Species Act, and frequent convening of Endangered Species Act Committee, for energy projects

Use construction authority of Army Corps of Engineers

The term “energy” is defined to mean “crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals” [not wind or solar] (excluding wind and solar is childish and just plain stupid)

UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY

“eliminate the ‘electric vehicle (EV) mandate’ and promote true consumer choice … by terminating … state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs” (the elon musk pacifier....i.e., Tesla)

“safeguard the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including but not limited to lightbulbs, dishwashers, washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads”

Require all agency heads to review all existing regulations “that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources – with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources”

Attorney General “shall consider whether pending litigation against illegal, dangerous, or harmful policies should be resolved through stays or other relief”

Revocation of many executive orders

Terminate the American Climate Corps

Council on Environmental Quality must propose rescinding its NEPA regulations (NEPA regulations are the core of our environmental laws)

CEQ to convene working group to expedite permitting approvals

“all agencies must prioritize efficiency and certainty over any other objectives, including those of activist groups that do not align with the policy goals”

“facilitate the permitting and construction of interstate energy transportation and other critical energy infrastructure, including … pipelines”

In NEPA and other permitting reviews, “agencies shall adhere to only the relevant legislated requirements for environmental considerations and any considerations beyond those requirements are eliminated”

Disband Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases; all of its guidance, recommendations, etc. are withdrawn

Consider eliminating the “social cost of carbon” calculation

EPA in collaboration with other agencies shall submit recommendations to OMB “on the legality and continuing applicability” of the greenhouse gas endangerment finding of 2009 (this is the core concept from the US Supreme Court case that provides the legal basis for greenhouse gas controls)

Immediately pause disbursement of funds appropriated through Inflation Reduction Act or Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; review processes for issuing grants, loans, contracts, or any other financial disbursement of appropriated funds

Secretary of Energy to restart reviews of applications for approvals of LNG export projects

Maritime Administration to review approvals for proposed deepwater ports for LNG export

“identify all agency actions that impose undue burdens on the domestic mining and processing of non-fuel minerals and undertake steps to revise or rescind such actions”

UNLEASHING ALASKA’S EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCE POTENTIAL

Expedite permitting and leasing of energy and natural resource projects in Alaska

Prioritize development of Alaska’s LNG potential

End restrictions on development of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and certain other areas in Alaska

Numerous other actions to facilitate energy development in Alaska

TEMPORARY WITHDRAWAL OF ALL AREAS ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF FROM OFFSHORE WIND LEASING AND REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S LEASING AND PERMITTING PRACTICES FOR WIND PROJECTS

Stop leasing of federal waters for offshore wind

Issue no new or renewed approvals, rights of way, loans for onshore or offshore wind projects

“consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects upon wildlife, including, but limited to, birds and marine mammals”

PUTTING PEOPLE OVER FISH: STOPPING RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISM TO PROVIDE WATER TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Restart work “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply”

“The recent deadly and historically destructive wildfires in Southern California underscore why the State of California needs a reliable water supply and sound vegetation management practices in order to provide water desperately needed there”

DELIVERING EMERGENCY PRICE RELIEF FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES AND DEFEATING THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

Among many other actions, “eliminate counterproductive requirements that raise the costs of home appliances”

“Eliminate harmful, coercive ‘climate’ policies that increase the costs of food and fuel”

[solarpunkbusiness]

Our solarpunk business themes and trends are entering the mundane world under the guise of 'sustainability industry'...

Whatever the name, this pivot at the systems level - the emergence of entirely novel industrial sectors - can only benefit the planet.

However, everything will depend on how the notion of "growth" will be defined and pursued.

The report, titled ‘Turning Challenges into Industrial Solutions: The New Era of Industrial Policy,’ commends Indonesia for pursuing a green industrial policy in manufacturing and services. The country’s achievement is advancing in reducing energy consumption with the support of technical assistance from development partners, including UNIDO.

Green industry encompasses a wide range of sectors and technologies that prioritize environmental sustainability while fostering economic growth. In Indonesia, the potential for green industrial development is vast and diverse, including:

Renewable Energy: Indonesia boasts abundant renewable resources like solar, geothermal, and wind energy. Investing in renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar panels and wind farms, can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to energy security while mitigating carbon emissions. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia aims to achieve a 23% renewable energy mix by 2025.

Sustainable Agriculture: Embracing practices like organic farming, precision agriculture, and water-efficient irrigation systems can significantly reduce environmental impact. This includes exploring technologies like vertical farming and hydroponics to improve agricultural productivity within a smaller footprint.

Circular Economy: Transitioning towards a circular economy, where resources are reused and recycled, offers tremendous potential. This encompasses initiatives like waste-to-energy plants, upcycling and composting facilities, and promoting sustainable product lifecycles.

Green Manufacturing: Implementing eco-friendly practices in manufacturing processes, such as energy-efficient equipment, cleaner production technologies, and waste reduction initiatives, can significantly reduce environmental footprint and resource consumption.

[nerdy-the-artist]

Why did ZDR explode in Metroid Dread?

From the moment that many defeated Raven Beak and his X clone in Metroid Dread, many have wondered why the planet of ZDR went on a self destruct sequence strong enough to turn the entire planet into a debris cloud. Honestly speaking. I can see two main reasons for this, though they are, admittedly, mostly conjecture.

First option, and the less satisfying, is the accidental option. The exploration throughout Metroid Dread involves not insignificant amounts of redirecting magma and thermal energy from different areas of the planet in order to safely progress through various areas. One such sequence involves the X copy of Experiment Z-57 jamming the entire system, freezing vast swathes of ZDR into an unforgiving tundra. It’s possible that through the rapid back and forth of magma flows and geothermal energy from throughout Artari, Cataris, and elsewhere caused a chain reaction that lead to a complete collapse of the derelict, Mawkin infrastructure, especially without the Central Units to modulate the shifts.

The second, and more motivation driven option, is a plan from Tanumar of the Mawkin himself. Raven Beak isn’t an idiot by any stretch. He was able to contain an X outbreak into Elun in quick enough time to prevent a full scale infestation of the planet. While he is arrogant, self centered, and cruel, he is not without any care for the well being of the universe. While he is willing to subdue the Galaxy by force, I doubt he is willing to allow even a single X parasite to escape ZDR. His plan is to bring order to the Galaxy, after all. It is likely that, once the X were unleashed, Raven Beak got to work on a plan for blowing up the planet. We explore very little of the Itorash within Metroid Dread, so it is possible he had all of the equipment needed for his cloning operation within his ship, so he could escape the planet, destroy it, and carry out his plan. For all we know, that countdown had started the moment Samus entered the Itorash, but only started showing effects once we get our own timer.

[molagboop]

The Mawkin believe in learning by doing, which is why they have little rooms with which to bestow upgrades upon fledgling warriors. Some of the morph ball paths Samus goes through in Dread are defunct + repurposed maintenance chutes, and a few locations (particularly in Ghavoran and Artaria) were set up with the express purpose of serving as testing grounds. The statue rooms are pilgrimage sites whose stone guardians serve as an emissary of the ancestors, bestowing the gifts their people and the Chozo collectively have long developed unto promising warriors.

The process of earning an arm cannon is a whole thing in and of itself: special firearms training is required for certification if a warrior intends on using it in any official military capacity or seeks an upgrade. The power suit as a whole requires its own post because there's a whole culture around it: today I'll just talk about how youngsters earn their first set of basic upgrades.

Let's set the scene. You're a freshly minted warrior between 10 and 30 years of age: you sit on the character spectrum between a kid who wants to make this power suit the focus of your education and someone who has just decided they want to get serious about the whole power suit thing. Maybe it's a cultural curiosity for you: maybe you want to do it for the sake of tradition, maybe you want to put yourself through this to build character. Perhaps you're just seeking a new experience, or looking to supplement your actual area of study with something different. Some warriors, especially those whose family tree includes storied wielders or scientists who developed advancements in power suit technology, are heavily encouraged by their families to take on their own power suit. If you're heading into the military, you're going to be put through a similar series of tests anyways: you might as well get ahead of the game.

So you've passed the knowledge tests on theology, the technology surrounding the suits, and the history of the technology's advancement. The first and third of these are not strictly a prerequisite for the bestowal of a suit: your uncle snagged their suit first and dove head-first into the philosophy and history once they had a grip on how to work it. You wear the suit for two hours a day to start, familiarizing yourself with the mind-to-matter components and getting a feel for your new bio-metallic exoskeleton.

The suit's basic functions are useful, but you want a little more. You go in for your bi-weekly check-in with the team of suit architects and physicians who eased you into the tech, and you get a tip about an old research outpost by the geothermal processing plant in Artaria. It'll take a bit of effort (hope you've figured out how to land on your feet comfortably from a high distance), but it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to reach.

By this point, more people were working their jobs in and around what we people of real life would designate an "EMMI Zone". Artaria's EMMi Zone was originally a hub for power and environmental control infrastructure overseen by a pair of biological computers. The robots take care of the place, but the touch of a living soul was still tantamount: you'd pass technicians keeping tabs on heating and cooling systems, sanitation agents, civilian personnel and the odd researcher working a project down here in the sticks.

After a fair stroll and perhaps a bit of jumping, you'd find yourself in a compact, contemplative, temperature-controlled room with none but a statue for company. It's eerily quiet, bit the statue looks friendly: it's obviously offering you a gift. Shoot the casing off your present, which is emitting an energy signature your suit bristles almost eagerly at upon approach, and you've found yourself the grapple beam.

The trial doesn't lie in simply acquiring to the beam: it's getting out of the hole the technicians who invented the damn thing put it in. The spider magnet is a standard-issue upgrade that most people acquire through basic testing rather than a statue trial, so grabbing the magnetized walls isn't an issue. Your job is to get a grip on your new toy: figure out how it works so you can get out of the hole.

Most of the "fun" upgrades are locked behind minor tests like this which everyone with a suit has some knowledge of. For some upgrades, warriors are told outright where they are after a certain point in their education. Others are just sitting in the wilderness waiting for the enterprising individual to seek them out. You are guaranteed to collect them all if you fully immerse yourself in the study of the history of power suit development. Upgrade locations are extensively documented: you just have to either find them or be granted access by some means. Some upgrades were designed to be taken freely by whoever's clever enough to find them, but your basic education in suit tech is enough to nab you all the important stuff. In fact, warriors are routinely assigned an upgrade trial to complete by their technicians or professors as part of their education.

Not every upgrade is locked behind a scavenger hunt or a unit test: others require specialized training to receive, and some are granted out of necessity for one's chosen career path. An engineer with a power suit who specializes in underwater infrastructure requires the gravity suit. The varia installation is standard for those working in high-temperature environments.

The reason people aren't granted everything right off the bat has to do with the way the suit and flesh interact: you don't want to overwhelm a new powersuit user with a bunch of new powers while they're just getting accustomed to the way the suit interfaces with their central nervous system. If you botch suit-flesh-mind integration, you can seriously injured the receiving party. Samus has been wearing her suit for decades at this point: she doesn't need to be eased into earning new toys. Having everything snatched away from her on a dime is physically taxing in a uniquely awful way, but she's a seasoned warrior: she can adjust to traumatic change on the fly.

[haastera]

A Complete Explanation of the Ep7 or 8 Flashback (My Guess)

I may have put most of the pieces together about the core collapse.

-JCJ arrives in the aftermath of the mansion incident to investigate, possibly due to Tessa's parents having ties to the company.

-JCJ either captures some of the infected workers or interrogates Tessa to figure out what happened. Tessa tells them about CYN, and that she was a Zombie drone. The corporation realizes that the AS has something to do with mutated AI and begins the Cabin Fever program on Copper 9, watching as the AS and legions of Murder drones overrun world after world to harvest all life, be it biological or drone, in the name of feeding their insatiable thirst for oil.

On Copper 9 they construct Cabin fever labs and begin their experimentation. Worker drones are admitted into the program as an alterative to being disposed of or are Zombie drones that JCJ recovered. Their goal is to recreate the circumstances that led to CYN.

The experimentation involves torturing drones to damage their AI and induce the AS mutation. Once they have an infected drone, research shifts to analyzing the AS capabilities, the infection's impact on a worker drone, it's progression, and how to stop/control it. The worker's directly involved in this research wore gloves as a possible (and apparently ineffective) way to restrict their powers and low cut shirts to expose their core, providing advanced warning to the Cabin fever staff of AS infection nearing critical mass.

However, for as of yet unknown reasons the program was shut down. Perhaps they realized just how big of a nuclear bomb they were playing with by deliberately inducing Solver mutations or mistakenly believed they had hit a dead end in their research. Alternatively, the program may have been shut down because of it's success, with JCJ no longer needing the test subjects.

Regardless of the reason, all the test subjects were to be disposed of. Nori may have first tried to negotiate with the humans to avoid her and the other's disposal. If she did her pleas were unsuccessful and in her overwhelming desperation the AS succeeded in directly controlling her in the same way UZI was hijacked when trying to save N, killing as many of the Cabin Fever labs personnel as it could get it's tentacles on.

While controlled by CYN Nori's mind is temporarily synced to the hivemind and shares in it's memories. She sees the AS consuming the biomass of entire planets and converting them into oil to fuel itself and endless legions of Murder drones. Biomechanical predators the AS has created as it's soldiers.

Nori mentally defeats CYN/regains control and decides to sabotage the infrastructure JCJ was utilizing to generate geothermal energy from Copper 9's core, triggering a core collapse to wipe out all biological life on the planet in an effort to starve the AS out.

The resulting explosion creates the entrance N, V, Tessa and UZI jump down in ep6 and buries Nori underneath the snow. She is later rescued by Khan and a party of worker drones who have arrived at Camp 98.7 to investigate the blast.

Nori begs Khan to create a series of fortified outposts to shelter the workers from the Murder drones she knows the AS will send to harvest the drones' oil.

Meanwhile, the CYN-Solver is incensed at failing to corrupt Nori and fearful that JCJ's research may very well hold the key to it's defeat, even if the humans don't yet realize it. The CYN-Solver sends the Murder drones to Copper 9 with 2 goals as opposed to the usual 1.

First Task: Construct the spires by harvesting all life near their landings zones (now just drones after the core collapse)

Second task: Seek out any facilities with the Cabin Fever symbol, enter them, and burn it down. Destroy every trace of the research JCJ was conducting on the AS to prevent the creation of more drones like Nori and keep humanity in the dark.

Can't wait for Ep7 to come out and prove literally of this wrong.

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - October 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles on Patreon!

1. EV owners volunteer to drive voters to the polls in 11 states (and you can too)

“ChargeTheVote.org is a nonpartisan voter education and engagement initiative to enhance voter turnout in the 2024 election by providing zero-emission transportation in electric vehicles (EVs) to local polling locations. ChargeTheVote will also host a webinar for those who are interested in participating this coming Tuesday, October 22 at 7pm Eastern time.”

2. Kenya moves 50 elephants to a larger park, says it’s a sign poaching is low

“The elephant population in the […”Mwea National Reserve”…] has flourished from its capacity of 50 to a whopping 156 […] requiring the relocation of about 100 of [them…. The] overpopulation in Mwea highlighted the success of conservation efforts over the last three decades.”

3. Australian start-up secures $9m for mine-based gravity energy storage technology

““We expect to configure the gravitational storage technology [which the company “hopes to deploy in disused mines”] for mid-duration storage applications of 4 to 24 hours, deliver 80% energy efficiency and to enable reuse of critical grid infrastructure.“”

4. Africa’s little-known golden cat gets a conservation boost, with community help

“[H]unting households were given a pregnant sow [… so that they] had access to meat without needing to trap it in the wild. […] To address income needs, Embaka started […] a savings and loan co-op[… and an] incentive for the locals to give up hunting in exchange for regular dental care.”

5. 4.8M borrowers — including 1M in public service — have had student debt forgiven

“That brings the total amount of student debt relief under the administration to $175 billion[….] The Education Department said that before Biden's presidency, only 7,000 public servants had ever received student debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. […] "That’s an increase of more than 14,000% in less than four years.””

6. Puerto Rico closes $861M DOE loan guarantee for huge solar, battery project

“The solar plants combined will have 200 megawatts of solar capacity — enough to power 43,000 homes — while the battery systems are expected to provide up to 285 megawatts of storage capacity. [… O]ver the next 10 years, more than 90 percent of solar capacity in Puerto Rico will come from distributed resources like rooftop solar.”

7. Tim Walz Defends Queer And Trans Youth At Length In Interview With Glennon Doyle

“Walz discussed positive legislative actions, such as codifying hate crime laws and increasing education[.… “We] need to appoint judges who uphold the right to marriage, uphold the right to be who you are [… and] to get the medical care that you need.””

8. Next-Generation Geothermal Development Important Tool for Clean Energy Economy

““The newest forms of geothermal energy hold the promise of generating electricity 24 hours a day using an endlessly renewable, pollution-free resource[… that] causes less disturbance to public lands and wildlife habitat […] than many other forms of energy development[….]”

9. Sarah McBride hopes bid to be first transgender congresswoman encourages ’empathy’ for trans people

““Folks know I am personally invested in equality as an LGBTQ person. But my priorities are going to be affordable child care, paid family and medical leave, housing, health care, reproductive freedom. […] We know throughout history that the power of proximity has opened even the most-closed of hearts and minds.”“

10. At Mexico’s school for jaguars, big cats learn skills to return to the wild

“[A team of scientists] have successfully released two jaguars, and are currently working to reintroduce two other jaguars and three pumas (Puma concolor). [… “Wildlife simulation”] “keeps the jaguars active and reduces the impact of captivity and a sedentary lifestyle[….]””

October 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Stinkpump Linkdump

Next Tuesday (December 5), I'm at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC, with my new solarpunk novel The Lost Cause, which 350.org's Bill McKibben called "The first great YIMBY novel: perceptive, scientifically sound, and extraordinarily hopeful."b

Once again, I greet the weekend with more assorted links than I can fit into my nearly-daily newsletter, so it's time for another linkdump. This is my eleventh such assortment; here are the previous volumes:

https://pluralistic.net/tag/linkdump/

I've written a lot about Biden's excellent appointees, from his National Labor Relations Board general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chair Rohit Chopra to FTC Chair Lina Khan to DoJ antitrust boss Jonathan Kanter:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/14/prop-22-never-again/#norms-code-laws-markets

But I've also written a bunch about how Biden's appointment strategy is an incoherent mess, with excellent appointees picked by progressives on the Unity Task Force being cancelled out by appointees given to the party's reactionary finance wing, producing a muddle that often cancels itself out:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/08/fiduciaries/#but-muh-freedumbs

It's not just that the finance wing of the Democrats chooses assholes (though they do!), it's that they choose comedic bunglers. The Dems haven't put anyone in government who's as much of an embarrassment as George Santos, but they keep trying. The latest self-inflicted Democratic Party injury is Prashant Bhardjwan, a serial liar and con-artist who is, incredibly, the Biden Administration's pick to oversee fintech for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC):

https://www.americanbanker.com/news/did-the-occ-hire-a-con-artist-to-oversee-fintech

When the 42 year old Bhardjwan was named Deputy Comptroller and Chief Financial Technology Officer for OCC, the announcement touted his "nearly 30 years of experience serving in a variety of roles across the financial sector." Apparently Bhardjwan joined the finance sector at the age of 12. He's the Doogie Houser of Wall Street:

https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2023/nr-occ-2023-31.html

That wasn't the only lie on Bhardjwan's CV. He falsely claimed to have served as CIO of Fifth Third Bank from 2006-2010. Fifth Third has never heard of him:

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-occ-crowned-its-first-chief-fintech-officer-his-work-history-was-a-web-of-lies

Bhardjwan told a whole slew of these easily caught lies, suggesting that OCC didn't do even a cursory background search on this guy before putting him in charge of fintech – that is, the radioactively scammy sector that gave us FTX and innumerable crypto scams, to say nothing of the ever-sleazier payday lending sector:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/01/usury/#tech-exceptionalism

When it comes to appointing corrupt officials, the Biden administration has lots of company. Lots of eyebrows went up when the UN announced that the next climate Conference of the Parties (COP) would be chaired by Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, who is also the chair of Dubai's national oil company. Then the other shoe dropped: leaks revealed that Al-Jaber had colluded with the Saudis to use COP28 to get poor Asian and African nations hooked on oil:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67508331

There's an obvious reason for this conspiracy: the rich world is weaning itself off of fossil fuels. Today, renewables are vastly cheaper than oil and there's no end in sight to the plummeting costs of solar, wind and geothermal. While global electrification faces powerful logistical and material challenges, these are surmountable. Electrification is a solvable problem:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/09/practical-visionary/#popular-engineering

And once we do solve that problem, we will forever transform our species' relationship to energy. As Deb Chachra explains in her brilliant new book How Infrastructure Works, we would only need to capture 0.4% of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface to give every person on earth the energy budget of a Canadian (AKA, a "cold American"):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/17/care-work/#charismatic-megaprojects

If COP does its job, we will basically stop using oil, forever. This is an existential threat to the ruling cliques of petrostates from Canada to the UAE to Saudi. As Bill McKibben writes, this isn't the first time a monied rich-world industry that had corrupted its host governments faced a similar crisis:

https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/a-corrupted-cop

Big Tobacco spent decades fueling science denial, funneling money to sellout scientists who deliberately cast doubt on both sound science and the very idea that we could know anything. As Tim Harford describes in The Data Detective, Darrell Huff's 1954 classic How to Lie With Statistics was part of a tobacco-industry-funded project to undermine faith in statistics itself (the planned sequel was called How To Lie With Cancer Statistics):

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/04/how-to-truth/#harford

But anything that can't go on forever will eventually stop. When the families of the people murdered by tobacco disinformation campaigns started winning eye-popping judgments against the tobacco industry, the companies shifted their marketing to the Global South, on the theory that they could murder poor brown people with impunity long after rich people in the north forced an end to their practice. Big Tobacco had a willing partner in Uncle Sam for this project: the US Trade Representative arm-twisted the world's poorest countries into accepting "Investor-State Dispute Settlements" as part of their treaties. These ISDS clauses allowed tobacco companies to sue governments that passed tobacco control legislation and force them to reverse their democratically enacted laws:

https://ash.org/what-is-isds-and-what-does-it-mean-for-tobacco-control/

As McKibben points out, the oil/climate-change playbook is just an update to the tobacco/cancer-denial conspiracy (indeed, the same think-tanks and PR agencies are behind both). The "Oil Development Sustainability Programme" – the Orwellian name the Saudis gave to their plan to push oil on poor countries – maps nearly perfectly onto Big Tobacco's attack on the Global South. Nearly perfectly: second-hand smoke in Indonesia won't give Americans cancer, but convincing Africa to go hard on fossil fuels will contribute to an uninhabitable planet for everyone, not just poor people.

This is an important wrinkle. Wealthy countries have repeatedly demonstrated a deep willingness to profit from death and privation in the poor world – but we're less tolerant when it's our own necks on the line.

What's more, it's far easier to put the far-off risks of emissions out of your mind than it is to ignore the present-day sleaze and hypocrisy of corporate crooks. When I quit smoking, 23 years ago, my doctor told me that if my only motivation was avoiding cancer 30 years from now, I'd find it hard to keep from yielding to temptation as withdrawal set in. Instead, my doctor counseled me to find an immediate reason to stay off the smokes. For me, that was the realization that every pack of cigarettes I bought was enriching the industry that invented the denial playbook that the climate wreckers were using to render our planet permanently unsuited for human habitation. Once I hit on that, resisting tobacco got much easier:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/03/i-quit/

Perhaps OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al-Ghais is worried about that the increasing consensus that Big Oil cynically and knowingly created this crisis. That would explain his new flight of absurdity, claiming that the world is being racist to oil companies, "unjustly vilifying" the industry for its role in the climate emergency:

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/27/opec-says-oil-industry-unjustly-vilified-ahead-of-climate-talks-.html

Words aren't deeds, but words have power. The way we talk about things makes a difference to how we act on those things. When discussions of Israel-Palestine get hung up on words, it's easy to get frustrated. The labels we apply to the rain of death and the plight of hostages are so much less important than the death and the hostages themselves.

But how we name the thing will have an enormous impact on what happens next. Take the word "genocide," which Israel hawks insist must not be applied to the bombing campaign and siege in Gaza, nor to the attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. On this week's On The Media, Brooke Gladstone interviews Ernesto Verdeja, executive director of The Institute for the Study of Genocide:

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/genocide-powerful-word-so-why-its-definition-so-controversial-on-the-media

Verdeja lays out the history of the word "genocide" and connects it to the Israeli government and military's posture on Palestine and Palestinians, and concludes that the only real dispute among genocide scholars is whether the current campaign it itself an act of genocide, or a prelude to an act of genocide.

I'm not a genocide scholar, but I am a Jew who has always believed in Palestinian solidarity, and Verdeja's views do not strike me as outrageous, or (more importantly) antisemitic. The conflation of opposition to Israel's system of apartheid with opposition to Jews is a cheap trick, one that's belied by Israel itself, where there is a vast, longstanding political opposition to Israeli occupation, settlements, and military policing. Are all those Israeli Jews secret antisemites?

Jews are not united in support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians. The hardliners who insist that any criticism of Israel is antisemitic are peddling an antisemitic lie: that all Jews everywhere are loyal to Israel, and that we all take our political positions from the Knesset. Israel hawks only strengthen that lie when they accuse me and my fellow Jews of being "self-hating Jews."

This leads to the absurd circumstance in which gentiles police Jews' views on Israel. It's weird enough when white-nationalist affiliated evangelicals who support Israel in order to further the end-times prophesied in Revelations slam Jews for being antisemitic. But in Germany, it's even weirder. There, regional, non-Jewish officials charged with policing antisemitism have censured Jewish groups for adopting policies on Israel that mainstream Israeli political parties have in their platforms:

https://jewishcurrents.org/the-strange-logic-of-germanys-antisemitism-bureaucrats

Antisemitism is real. As Jesse Brown describes in his recent Canadaland editorial, there is a real and documented rise in racially motivated terror against Jews in Canada, including school shootings and a firebombing. Likewise, it's true that some people who support the Palestinian cause are antisemites:

https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/is-jesse-a-zionist-editorial/

But to stand in horror at Israel's military action and its vast civilian death-toll is not itself antisemitic. This is obvious – so obvious that the need to say it is a tribute to Israel hardliners – Jewish and gentile – and their ability to peddle the racist lie that Israel is Jews and Jews are Israel, and that every Jew is in support of, and responsible for, Israeli war-crimes and crimes against humanity.

One need not choose between opposition to Hamas and its terror and opposition to Israel and its bombings. There is no need for a hierarchy of culpability. As Naomi Klein says, we can "side with the child over the gun":

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/11/why-are-some-of-the-left-celebrating-the-killings-of-israeli-jews

Moral consistency is not moral equivalency. If you're a Jew like me who wants to work for an end to the occupation and peace in the region, you could join Jewish Voice For Peace (like me):

https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org

Now, for a jarring tone shift. In these weekend linkdumps, I put a lot of thought into how to transition from one subject to the next, but honestly, there's no good transition from Israel-Palestine to anything else (yet – though someday, perhaps). So let's just say, "word games can be important, but they can also be trivial, and here are a few of the latter."

Start with a goodie, from the always brilliant medievalist Eleanor Janeaga, who tackles the weirdos who haunt social media in order to dump on people with PhDs who call themselves "doctor":

https://going-medieval.com/2023/11/29/doctor-does-actually-mean-someone-with-a-phd-sorry/

Janega points out that the "doctor" honorific was applied to scholars for centuries before it came to mean "medical doctor." But beyond that, Janega delivers a characteristically brilliant history of the (characteristically) weird and fascinating tale of medieval scholarship. Bottom line, we call physicians "doctor" because they wanted to be associated with the brilliance of scholars, and thought that being addressed as "doctor" would add to their prestige. So yeah, if you've got a PhD, you can call yourself doctor.

It's not just doctors; the professions do love their wordplay. especially lawyers. This week on Lowering The Bar, I learned about "a completely ludicrous court fight that involved nine law firms that combined for 66 pages of briefing, declarations, and exhibits, all inflicted on a federal court":

https://www.loweringthebar.net/2023/11/federal-court-ends-double-spacing-fight.html

The dispute was over the definition of "double spaced." You see, the judge in the case told counsel they could each file briefs of up to 100 pages of double-spaced type. Yes, 100 pages! But apparently, some lawyer burn to write fat trilogies, not mere novellas. Defendants accused the plaintiffs in this case of spacing their lines a mere 24 points apart, which allowed them to sneak 27 lines of type onto each page, while defendants were confined to the traditional 23 lines.

But (the court found), the defendants were wrong. Plaintiffs had used Word's "double-spacing" feature, but had not ticked the "exact double spacing" box, and that's how they ended up with 27 lines per page. The court refused to rule on what constituted "double-spacing" under the Western District of Tennessee’s local rules, but it ruled that the plaintiffs briefs could fairly be described as "double-spaced." Whew.

That's your Saturday linkdump, jarring tone-shift and all. All that remains is to close out with a cat photo (any fule kno that Saturday is Caturday). Here's Peeve, whom I caught nesting most unhygienically in our fruit bowl last night. God, cats are gross:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorow/53370882459/

It's EFF's Power Up Your Donation Week: this week, donations to the Electronic Frontier Foundation are matched 1:1, meaning your money goes twice as far. I've worked with EFF for 22 years now and I have always been - and remain - a major donor, because I've seen firsthand how effective, responsible and brilliant this organization is. Please join me in helping EFF continue its work!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/02/melange/#defendants_motion_to_require_adherence_with_formatting_requirements_of_local_rule_7.1

Stinkpump Linkdump

[headsupb2b]

Renewable Energy: Powering a Sustainable Future

#Renewable #energy is the cornerstone of a sustainable future, offering a path to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change. Solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power harness the natural forces of the Earth to generate electricity without emitting harmful greenhouse gases. Unlike finite fossil fuels, these resources are abundant and renewable, ensuring long-term energy security.

The shift to renewable energy is essential not only for environmental reasons but also for economic growth. Investing in clean energy technologies creates jobs, drives innovation, and fosters energy independence. As countries worldwide set ambitious targets for carbon neutrality, the adoption of renewable energy is accelerating, with solar and wind power leading the charge.

However, challenges remain. The intermittent nature of some renewable sources, like solar and wind, requires advancements in energy storage and grid infrastructure. Despite these challenges, the future of energy is undoubtedly green. By continuing to invest in renewable energy, we can power a sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet.

Click to Check:- https://www.headsupb2b.com/renewable-energy

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week. #5

Feb 9-16 2024

The Department of Education released the first draft for a wide ranging student loan forgiveness plan. After Biden's first attempt at student debt forgiveness was struck down at the Supreme Court in 2023, this new plan is an attempt to replace it with something that will hold up in court. The plan hopes to forgive debt for anyone facing "financial hardship" which has been as broadly defined as possible. Another part of the plan hopes to eliminate $10-20,000 in interest from all student loans, as well as a wide ranging public Information push to inform people of other forgiveness programs they qualify for but don't know about.

The House passed 1.2 Billion Dollars to combat human trafficking, including $175 million in housing assistance to human trafficking victims

The Department of Transportation announced $970 Million for improvements at 114 airports across 44 states and 3 territories. They include $40 million to O'Hare International in Chicago to improve passenger experience by reconfiguring TSA and baggage claims, and installing ADA compliant bathrooms(!). The loans will also go to connecting airports to mass transit, boosted sustainability, installing solar and wind power, and expanding service to under served committees around the country.

Medicare & Medicaid released new guidelines to allow people to pay out of pocket prescription drug coats in monthly installments rather than as a lump sum. This together with capping the price of certain drugs and penalties for drug companies that rise prices over inflation is expected to save the public millions on drug coasts and assure people don't pass on a prescription because they can't pay upfront

The EPA announced its adding 150 more communities to its Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative. 2.2 Million Americans do not have basic running water and indoor plumbing. Broken and unreliable wastewater infrastructure exposed many of those to dangerous raw sewage. These Americans live primarily in poor and rural communities, many predominantly Black communities in the south as well as those on tribal lands. The program is aiming to close the wastewater gap and insure all Americans have access to reliable clear water.

The White House announced deferred action for Palestinians in the US. This means any Palestinian living in the United States, no mater their legal status, can not be deported for any reason for the next 18 months.

The Department of Energy announced $60 million in investment into clean geothermal energy. The plan will hopefully lead to a 90% decrease in the coasts of geothermal. DOE estimates hold that geothermal might be able to power the hopes of 65 million Americans by 2050 making it a key step in the Biden administration plan for a carbon-free grid by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

The EPA launched $83 million to help improve air quality monitoring across America. With updated equipment local agencies will be better able to report on air quality, give more localized reports of bad air quality and the country will be better equipped to start mitigating the problem

The Department of Energy announced $63 million in investments in domestic heat-pump manufacturing. Studies have shown that heat-pumps reduce green house gases by 50% over the most efficient condensing gas boilers, as technology improves this could rise to 75% by 2030. Heat pump water heaters meanwhile are 2 to 3 times as energy efficient as conventional electric water heaters.

HHS awarded $5.1 million to organizations working with LGBTQI+ Youth and their Families. The programs focus on preventing homelessness, fighting depression and suicide, drug use and HIV prevention and treatment, as well as  family counseling and support interventions tailored for LGBTQI+ families.

The House passed two bills in support of the oppressed Uyghur minority in China. The "No Dollars To Uyghur Forced Labor" Act would prohibit the US government from spending any money on projects that source materials from Xinjiang. The Uyghur Policy Act would create a permanent post at the State Department to coordinate policy on Uyghur Issues, much like the special ambassador on antisemitism.