About fifteen years ago, when I started hearing the warnings about fishing in certain lakes because of the mercury levels, thats what really did it for me. I'm talking very remote lakes out in the booneys of the west(where I live). The coal pollution travels hundreds and thousands of miles(Seattle gets Chinese coal pollution).
How someone could defend burning coal is beyond me...
If there is anything we can hope for with this, and renewables in general, is that it will bring the end of extracted carbon based energy systems sooner.
There is a technology, that is rather simple and effective, where they store solar thermal generated heat in salt.
The heat stored in the salt is there overnight and can be used to turn turbines to generate electricity.
They used to make these things called albums that had an inner sleeve, which in several instances had the lyrics printed on them.
By reading the lyrics from the inner sleeve of the album(or cassette!), one could see "the path thats clear".
Obama who had an even worse unprovoked war in Libya
Your "grasp" of current events and recent history needs an upgrade from FB and twitter.
Perhaps you don't understand or acknowledge(Trump does!) that the decision to start two wars at the same time in the middle east was a huge mistake.
Many if not most Republicans, both establishment and tea-baggers, now agree that was a mistake.
Trying to compare what Obama did or didn't do in Libya or Syria to what Bush did do in Afghanistan and Iraq is ridiculous to no end.
What you don't understand is that many, many Republicans can't stand Trump.
From their litmus test he is not conservative in the least.
He is not socially conservative or fiscally conservative.
He is essentially a third party candidate who hijacked the Republican party.
Many Evangelical voters have already stated they aren't voting period.
Many Mormon voters(I know several) have already stated they can't stomach Trump and aren't voting.
You fail to perceive the animosity Trump has created against him.
Its really rather sad, to see how clever this guy is, but he couldn't control his own worst enemy, his mouth.
This election isn't about who will be president.
This election is about who won't be president
The Republican establishment can't stomach Trump for things they don't like, including his personality, his lifestyle, his racist, sexist and thinly veiled fascist statements, his political naivete, his failure to show even basic understanding of most topics in the debates, etc, etc.
The Democratic establishment can't stomach Sanders, not for things they don't like, but for things they do. Sanders is civil, personable, is extremely astute regarding politics and policy and is sharp during the debates.
In the end each voter will have to decide who to vote for based on a wide array of issues, gut instinct, etc;
However you have to keep one very, very important thing in mind here with voters, especially Democrats:
They know that the Republicans control both the House and the Senate, and that the SCOTUS is even, and missing a judge.
Think about it. Do you really expect Democrats to bitch and whine because they didn't get their cute uncle Bernie when that much hangs in the balance. I think not.
I almost wish I had the bullshitting skills to join their ranks, but I like the technical side of things too much to take the PHB pill (Dilbert + Matrix reference, for you newbies).
The real problem is if it creeps along industry by industry like it has been replacing an industry or two every decade. Then a revolt will not be likely in the property owners' lifetimes. There will be no need to implement universal basic income until it is too late for that to stem the violence, because there are other industries to find employment in.
Bingo.
That is exactly how it will unfold, and for the reasons you stated.
Things will gradually change, it will be shocking to some, but it will be slow enough not to get a swell of popular discontent against it.
Then it will be too late...
I have a good friend who is a teamster.
He drives the same basic locations everyday, because he knows the routes.
Even he knows "the gig is up" once self driving tech becomes commonplace.
Once something like that is outsourced to a semi-automated process(pun intended) many people will be put out of work.
No, it won't happen overnight(and I think people have this image of it doing that) but once it gets going, whether it is in fast food, driving, taxis, farm labor, aircraft pilots, sports writers, para-legals, financial advisors, etc, etc, there will no turning back. It will be a generation(25 years) for this to happen once it really gets going.
If we dump all these people onto the unemployment rolls over too short a time, this will create a huge crisis. Taxes won't get paid, people won't have kids because they're afraid of being tied down, and people won't buy stuff because they don't have a stable income anymore. Managing the next phase of this is going to be an interesting exercise.
You obviously get it.
The points you bring up are going to be the real challenge. People seem to forget that it wouldn't take too much of an increase in the unemployment rate for things to "go south" pretty quickly. You think someone like Trump gets a lot of supporters now?
Wait until millions lose their jobs to "increases in productivity".
The political consequences alone are chilling.
In the years leading up to the complete removal of human employment, there will be a mad scramble in all industries and occupations, for people to stay employed.
If we look at recent history, we can see that government gridlock pretty much ensures that there will be no effective response from the US government to address this, as it happens. It would be a stretch to say they will address it after it happens.
How will governments and society at large function when more and more people become unemployed.
The reality is it will cause an ever increasing population of homeless and people needing services.
To bring about something like UBI and other temporary fixes to address these issues will take a Herculean effort on the part of the American public.
Change is upon us already and yet the US public remains totally unaware.
On this point I totally agree.
I've tried to discuss this topic with friends and relatives, and some very bright people who work in IT or as devs.
Some get it, most don't...
Most Americans are blissfully ignorant of what is happening around them, the rapid pace of technology.
People see how things are now, and think it will always be that way.
I imagine the same was said about:
Steam Locomotives
Photography
Electric Lights
Telephones
Human Flight
Anti-Biotics
Television
Nuclear Power/Weapons
The Transistor
Personal Computers
The Internet
etc;
I am sick of the "modern" "simple" design of everything that is supposedly so superior... because it isn't. Removing all controls and choices, hiding everything, getting rid of settings, etc. No thanks.
You can thank Steve Jobs and the Apple Fanbois club for that. That is where that bullshit "zen" aesthetic came from that is so popular.
As living standards in places like Africa, China and India begin to rise, populations will stabilize, and as more people enter their society's middle class, it will slow, and in the long run probably begin a decline. There isn't going to be some sort of infinite growth in population.
Slashdot Mirror
The other half.
About fifteen years ago, when I started hearing the warnings about fishing in certain lakes because of the mercury levels, thats what really did it for me. I'm talking very remote lakes out in the booneys of the west(where I live). The coal pollution travels hundreds and thousands of miles(Seattle gets Chinese coal pollution).
How someone could defend burning coal is beyond me...
Except at night, when solar is a lot more expensive. Or when it rains.
I am sure the scientists and engineers here completely forgot about night time.
Well then it seems like the best option is to just burn coal or oil, because it has no draw backs.
I know, right! Gosh, we should always consult our experts here on /. first before starting, like... anything!
because coal pollution sucks.
If there is anything we can hope for with this, and renewables in general, is that it will bring the end of extracted carbon based energy systems sooner.
There is a technology, that is rather simple and effective, where they store solar thermal generated heat in salt.
The heat stored in the salt is there overnight and can be used to turn turbines to generate electricity.
They used to make these things called albums that had an inner sleeve, which in several instances had the lyrics printed on them.
By reading the lyrics from the inner sleeve of the album(or cassette!), one could see "the path thats clear".
Obama who had an even worse unprovoked war in Libya
Your "grasp" of current events and recent history needs an upgrade from FB and twitter.
Perhaps you don't understand or acknowledge(Trump does!) that the decision to start two wars at the same time in the middle east was a huge mistake.
Many if not most Republicans, both establishment and tea-baggers, now agree that was a mistake.
Trying to compare what Obama did or didn't do in Libya or Syria to what Bush did do in Afghanistan and Iraq is ridiculous to no end.
Is that the best you can do?
What you don't understand is that many, many Republicans can't stand Trump.
From their litmus test he is not conservative in the least.
He is not socially conservative or fiscally conservative.
He is essentially a third party candidate who hijacked the Republican party.
Many Evangelical voters have already stated they aren't voting period.
Many Mormon voters(I know several) have already stated they can't stomach Trump and aren't voting.
You fail to perceive the animosity Trump has created against him.
Its really rather sad, to see how clever this guy is, but he couldn't control his own worst enemy, his mouth.
This election isn't about who will be president.
This election is about who won't be president
It looks like you missed that part...
By the middle of this century, minorities, mainly Latino, will be the majority.
You fail to understand how many groups Trump has offended.
You really need to pay attention to politics and current events instead of FB.
1. Minorities of all type, whether religious or ethnic.
2. Millenials
3. Women
Now, you may not attribute much voting power or political astuteness to those groups, but I do.
The Republican establishment can't stomach Trump for things they don't like, including his personality, his lifestyle, his racist, sexist and thinly veiled fascist statements, his political naivete, his failure to show even basic understanding of most topics in the debates, etc, etc.
The Democratic establishment can't stomach Sanders, not for things they don't like, but for things they do. Sanders is civil, personable, is extremely astute regarding politics and policy and is sharp during the debates.
In the end each voter will have to decide who to vote for based on a wide array of issues, gut instinct, etc;
However you have to keep one very, very important thing in mind here with voters, especially Democrats:
They know that the Republicans control both the House and the Senate, and that the SCOTUS is even, and missing a judge.
Think about it. Do you really expect Democrats to bitch and whine because they didn't get their cute uncle Bernie when that much hangs in the balance. I think not.
I almost wish I had the bullshitting skills to join their ranks, but I like the technical side of things too much to take the PHB pill (Dilbert + Matrix reference, for you newbies).
Dilbert + Matrix stole our acronym... I'm stealing it back!
The real problem is if it creeps along industry by industry like it has been replacing an industry or two every decade. Then a revolt will not be likely in the property owners' lifetimes. There will be no need to implement universal basic income until it is too late for that to stem the violence, because there are other industries to find employment in.
Bingo.
That is exactly how it will unfold, and for the reasons you stated.
Things will gradually change, it will be shocking to some, but it will be slow enough not to get a swell of popular discontent against it.
Then it will be too late...
Would be a great short film.
Great post.
Spot on!
I'm picking number three. That is the option that hands complete control over to those who already have the most power already.
I have a good friend who is a teamster.
He drives the same basic locations everyday, because he knows the routes.
Even he knows "the gig is up" once self driving tech becomes commonplace.
Once something like that is outsourced to a semi-automated process(pun intended) many people will be put out of work.
No, it won't happen overnight(and I think people have this image of it doing that) but once it gets going, whether it is in fast food, driving, taxis, farm labor, aircraft pilots, sports writers, para-legals, financial advisors, etc, etc, there will no turning back. It will be a generation(25 years) for this to happen once it really gets going.
If we dump all these people onto the unemployment rolls over too short a time, this will create a huge crisis. Taxes won't get paid, people won't have kids because they're afraid of being tied down, and people won't buy stuff because they don't have a stable income anymore. Managing the next phase of this is going to be an interesting exercise.
You obviously get it.
The points you bring up are going to be the real challenge. People seem to forget that it wouldn't take too much of an increase in the unemployment rate for things to "go south" pretty quickly. You think someone like Trump gets a lot of supporters now?
Wait until millions lose their jobs to "increases in productivity".
The political consequences alone are chilling.
In the years leading up to the complete removal of human employment, there will be a mad scramble in all industries and occupations, for people to stay employed.
If we look at recent history, we can see that government gridlock pretty much ensures that there will be no effective response from the US government to address this, as it happens.
It would be a stretch to say they will address it after it happens.
How will governments and society at large function when more and more people become unemployed.
The reality is it will cause an ever increasing population of homeless and people needing services.
To bring about something like UBI and other temporary fixes to address these issues will take a Herculean effort on the part of the American public.
herman millar aeron chairs.
Thats the funniest thing I've read all day.
Change is upon us already and yet the US public remains totally unaware.
On this point I totally agree.
I've tried to discuss this topic with friends and relatives, and some very bright people who work in IT or as devs.
Some get it, most don't...
Most Americans are blissfully ignorant of what is happening around them, the rapid pace of technology.
People see how things are now, and think it will always be that way.
I'll believe it when I see it.
I imagine the same was said about:
Steam Locomotives
Photography
Electric Lights
Telephones
Human Flight
Anti-Biotics
Television
Nuclear Power/Weapons
The Transistor
Personal Computers
The Internet
etc;
Welcome Back! We missed you.
I am sick of the "modern" "simple" design of everything that is supposedly so superior... because it isn't. Removing all controls and choices, hiding everything, getting rid of settings, etc. No thanks.
You can thank Steve Jobs and the Apple Fanbois club for that. That is where that bullshit "zen" aesthetic came from that is so popular.
As living standards in places like Africa, China and India begin to rise, populations will stabilize, and as more people enter their society's middle class, it will slow, and in the long run probably begin a decline. There isn't going to be some sort of infinite growth in population.
Thank God!