Thursday Open Thread

by afew Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 12:25:16 PM EST

Weekend isn't here yet, slaves

Thursday Open Thread | 41 comments (41 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Cracks whip.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 12:25:39 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Wisecracks don't.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 12:26:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

How very wise would a wisecrack crack,
if a wisecrack could crack wise?

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 at 03:18:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

If a wisecrack could crack wise,
should a wisecrack crack wise?

-----
sapere aude

by Number 6 on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 at 04:35:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

From DJ Stormy P (none / 1)

In case you've forgotten how we're all in this together.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 12:28:40 PM EST

Re: From DJ Stormy P (none / 0)

PS. Don't miss the keyboard player and the backup singer shot.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:02:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Ugh! This election can't be over soon enough.

"Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark." Cheyenne

by maracatu on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 12:44:39 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Let's just hope that the GOP voter suppression isn't enough to win the election for Mitt.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 01:00:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

I've only ever understood the american voter process as something designed between the two parties to enable them to pay games with each other. It's so obviously designed to enable fraud I don't know why anyone is surprised.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 02:06:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

The "surprise" you see in the media is part of the game.

by asdf on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:04:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Their relentlessness is astounding.

'tis strange I should be old and neither wise nor valiant. From "The Maid's Tragedy" by Beaumont & Fletcher

by Wife of Bath (kareninaustin at g mail dot com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:39:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Picked up a bit of info today from the Visionary Engineer - he who has built a container-sized electrical power generator for his farm based on pyrolysis of wood. Pyrolysis produces hydrogen and CO.

I asked him if it could use other biomass, and his answer was interesting: plants, unlike trees, require silica for the crystalline structure that keeps them erect. Silica is not good for engines.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 01:11:12 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

plants, unlike trees, require silica for the crystalline structure that keeps them erect. Silica is not good for engines.

consider my curiosity good and tweaked.

sand isn't good for engines, is this something to do with cellulose? any biologists or machine engineers lurking tonight?

is he burning wood gas, charcoal or both to drive a generator?

It's a fine line between homage, parody, and consumer opportunism. Jess Walter

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 03:02:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I thought I had the url of the company that built the system for the Engineer bookmarked, but can't find it now.

There's a pdf download from 2010 of various pyrolysis experiments going on in Finland, but the engineer's is different technology (HCO) from all of these - if I understand correctly. The unit only started running (and very effectively) this summer.

The name of the company that built it suddenly popped into my mind. It was in my ET bookmarks, so I've probably posted it here before. I guess it explains the basics of the Green Guru's set up.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 03:57:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

thanks, it looks really viable, do you know how much noise they make?

It's a fine line between homage, parody, and consumer opportunism. Jess Walter

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 07:02:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I don't know about the noise.

It is a specific solution for Finland*, which has had 70 million cubic metres of unused plantation forest timber every year for the last decade, since the downturn in both paper and sawn timber demand. So the stock is increasing enormously.

*i.e. not so viable without ample local supplies of sustainably produced timber.

1 metric tonne bone dry wood fuel = 18 GJ = 5 MWh = 500 litres oil = 500 m3 natural gas
1 tonne air-dry wood fuel = 3 MWh = 11 GJ
1 cubic metre of wood chip = about 1.0 MWh = 3.6 GJ

• 1 barrel of oil = 6.1 GJ = 1.7 MWh, = 1.7 m3 wood chip = 0.5 m3 solid bone-dry wood
* 1 m3 solid bone-dry wood = 0.68 tonnes

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 at 01:06:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Ah yes, pyrolysis + gas engine. The trick being to achieve high enough temperatures to crack the tars. If they can do that on a domestic scale with their tech, they are v.clever...

I know of two French companies() which are doing this, currently at pilot-plant stage : one uses red-hot steel balls to achieve the necessary pyrolysis temperature; the other uses a laser torch. Neither would be viable in your back yard.

()(full disclosure: I own shares in both)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 at 03:28:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Ah yes, pyrolysis + gas engine. The trick being to achieve high enough temperatures to crack the tars. If they can do that on a domestic scale with their tech, they are v.clever...

I know of two French companies¹ which are doing this, currently at pilot-plant stage : one uses red-hot steel balls to achieve the necessary pyrolysis temperature; the other uses a laser torch. Neither would be viable in your back yard.

¹(full disclosure: I own shares in both)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Fri Sep 28th, 2012 at 03:30:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Food for (4.00 / 3)

thought.

"Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark." Cheyenne

by maracatu on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 01:53:30 PM EST

Re: Food for (none / 0)

"Every four years we are asked if we want to have our foot trod upon or sawed off at the ankle without anesthetic. The usual reply on the left is that there's no difference between the two experiences and they prefer that Che Guevara give them a spa pedicure. Now, the Che pedicure is not actually one of the available options, though surely in heaven we will all have our toenails painted camo green by El Jefe."

Damn.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 03:52:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Damn (4.00 / 2)

And so we must admit that all we can is prevent the worst instead of ever fighting for a real alternative. Or not?

by Katrin on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:07:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (none / 1)

My thinking, and perhaps my life, if fighting for what i believe might be real alternatives. Always thought TARA was a babe.

(quoted it partly just because the writing is so good.)

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:56:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (4.00 / 2)

Remember though, her piece is written for amurkans, where there aren't many options as regards voting.

She's addressing voting for the oligarchs or the drone commander with a touch of civility.

(I'm actually thinking of Hope for a second term with a congressional majority. We might see something then.)

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:08:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (none / 0)

I am aware of that. The murderer in the White House with his drones is aware of it, too. It won't harm his chance to be re-elected, because the left knows that the alternative is even worse.

The perfect trap.

by Katrin on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:18:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (4.00 / 4)

Yep.

Americans can have their foot nailed to the floor (Republicans,) or have their foot nailed to the floor after a dose of surface anesthetic (Democrats.) Either way a foot is nailed to the floor but it doesn't hurt so bad when the Dems are in charge.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:32:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (4.00 / 2)

While here, if the SPD moves too far right, we can found a party on the left of them. We only need to jump the 5% hurdle. Afterwards we can watch our baby crawling to the right. Alternatively it can remain left, but irrelevant.

by Katrin on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:44:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (none / 1)

Having a political party means the party waters itself down through compromises with the Ruling Class. As the Occupy Movement shows not having a political party leads nowhere.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 06:14:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Damn (4.00 / 3)

and there's the rub.

Me believe Upwingers have far more influence by setting out vision than by forming parties. We attempt to move the frame, which is then embraced to some degree by those who do the power thing. And if not... the vision is out there for general consumption.

Here's a blip from my next novel:

I knew Clinton would be running along the bay, but i didn't know i'd be jogging alongside him. Trying to be serious while gasping for air, i didn't know he was trained to do both, I stammered that windpower was a jobs creator. He looked me right in the eyes without saying a word. The jogging continued in silence. Then, without asking a single detailed question, he said, "Right."

I did thank my legs for putting me in that situation, and my brain for not losing focus. I should have said, "Hey man, do you want to trade places?"

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 06:54:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's what primaries are for (4.00 / 2)

In the American version of democracy, you vote for your guy in the primary, and against the other guy in the general.

But before getting to that, the American progressives need to build an independent organization that can contest local and state elections.

- Jake

If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:19:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

BBC News - Spain budget imposes further austerity measures

Spain has set out its austerity budget for 2013, with new spending cuts but protection for pensions, amid a shrinking economy and 25% unemployment.
Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria called it "a crisis budget designed to exit the crisis".
The new programme of savings, tax rises and structural reforms will be overseen by an new budget authority.
Expectations are growing that Spain will seek a financial bailout from its eurozone partners.
On Friday, results of a stress test on Spain's banks are due to be released. Revenue surprise
Among the key points presented were:
a 12% average cut in ministerial spending
a freeze in public sector pay for the third consecutive year
a new independent authority to monitor government finances
an increase in pensions funded by drawing on 3bn euros of reserves
a new 20% tax on lottery wins above 2,500 euros (£2,000; $3,200)
a new car scrappage scheme
Ms Saenz de Santamaria said that efforts to close the government's deficit would focus more on spending cuts than tax rises.
The only areas of spending to increase in 2013 would be pensions, student scholarships and interest payments.
Individual pension payments would increase by 1% next year, the government said, while the overall pension budget would rise by 4%.
Spending cuts would reduce the deficit by 0.77% of GDP in 2013, while revenue adjustments would yield 0.56%.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 02:17:43 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 9)

I have been applying to local breweries volunteering my services in exchange for hands-on experience at the coal face.

Yesterday I finally got a yes. And so today I have been helping to fill 1900 bottles of beer, pack them into the cardboard crates I made and lug them up the stairs to store.

And. I. Ache. Jeeez, I shoulda bin doing this 30 years ago

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 02:19:13 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

no way 1900 bottles is going to keep you going for 30 years :)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 03:52:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

Maybe, but it's a good start.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:05:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 03:05:13 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

Yup, and some

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:07:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Raw Story: Samuel L. Jackson video tells voters to `wake the fuck up' in rhyme.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:10:49 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 0)

I can't see him anymore without thinking of this:

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:36:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

Way to go, old home town of mine. The Austin City Council passed a resolution endorsing gay marriage, which doesn't change any laws, but at least takes a stand. If you're have to live in Texas, Austin's the place to be.

'tis strange I should be old and neither wise nor valiant. From "The Maid's Tragedy" by Beaumont & Fletcher

by Wife of Bath (kareninaustin at g mail dot com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:38:19 PM EST

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Keep Austin weird

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 04:46:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (none / 1)

The Kos: Why Mitt Romney Will Always Be A Dick.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 05:33:32 PM EST

I'n not a salesperson for Democracy Now! (none / 1)

Thurs. episode is a gem ... Bill Moyers and ALEC.

http://www.democracynow.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wp4O7v5320

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 at 07:58:47 PM EST

Thursday Open Thread | 41 comments (41 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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