Who’s Up For An EV Charging Station Lounge?

By William Teach December 24, 2021 – 3:00 pm

This doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in traveling with an EV

From the Robb Report

electric vehicleAudi wants to make the experience of charging your EV as enjoyable as possible.

The luxury marque opened what it’s calling the world’s first charging hub in its home country of Germany on Thursday. It’s not like a gas station for EVs, though. Instead, the reservation-only hub features a well-appointed lounge you can relax in while waiting for your battery to top up.

The charging concept, which is located in Nuremberg, is part of a pilot program aimed at making life easier for EV owners living in urban areas, specifically those who don’t have their own superchargers at home. The station is equipped with six charging points, which are powered by 2.45 MWh of interim storage and an additional 200 kW of green energy, according to a press release.

Ah, so, really not for traveling. Just for people in urban areas who live in apartments and such

Those ports will be pretty powerful, too. Audi says they’ll each have 320 kW of charging power, meaning they can add 62 miles of driving range to the E-Tron GT in just five minutes and charge its battery from 5 to 80 percent in about 23 minutes. The automaker expects that around 80 EVs will be able to use the hub each day.

That’s nowhere near as fast as it would take to fill up a traditional car with gas, of course (although that may soon change). Because of this, the hub includes a well-appointed waiting lounge upstairs. The modern space will have couches, TVs, WiFi and self-serve coffee and vending machines so you can relax or work while your EV charges. You won’t have to worry about your racking up a huge bill while you wait, either. The company says each kilowatt should cost about 35 cents.

How many cars can be charged at a gas station daily? And most can fill up in 10 minutes, grab a quick drink and snack while you’re at it.

This is not a pop-in service, however—you won’t be able to just drive up to the hub with your EV. At least for now, charging appointments must be reserved in advance. And they are only open to E-Tron owners whose vehicle has Plug and Charge functionality and an active charging service contract.

That may sound limiting, but don’t be surprised if the automaker’s idea catches. After all, your first-class sky lounge was once just an idea, too.

So, basically a fancy way for the rich folks to charge their toys. BTW, what’s generating all this power?

Read: Who’s Up For An EV Charging Station Lounge? »

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If All You See…

By William Teach December 24, 2021 – 1:00 pm

…is a sea that is rising and will destroy all coastal cities, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Green Jihad, with a post on how bad Facebook fact-checkers are.

A couple more below the fold, so, check out 357 Magnum, with a post on some serious irony, and A View From The Beach, with a post on a new offshore bird blender in Maryland.

Read More »

Read: If All You See… »

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Bummer: Blue State Residents Escaping To Red States From COVID Tyranny

By William Teach December 24, 2021 – 10:30 am

Well, they’re welcome to come if they are Republicans escaping from Crazy Blue, and if they’re leftists who will leave their Moonbattery back in their Blue states

Census: Americans Flee Left-Wing Lockdown States for Open, Red States

Blue states that have repeatedly imposed mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and lockdowns over the last year have lost population to red states that have done away with such policies.

Newly released data from the United States Census Bureau reveals that while blue states like California and New York have increasingly lost population from July 2020 to July 2021, red states such as Texas and Florida have seen population increases.

Thirty-three states saw population increases over the last year while 17 states, and Washington, D.C., saw their populations decline. New York has suffered the largest numerical population decline with roughly 319,000 fewer residents today than a year ago.

New York, especially New York City, has imposed school closures, business lockdowns, vaccine requirements, and mask mandates sporadically in the last 12 months.

Simultaneously, Texas — which has not had any statewide Chinese coronavirus-related restrictions since March — has gained population to the sum of more than 310,000 residents.

Florida, with a similar ethos of remaining open with little-to-no restrictions, saw the second-largest numeric population gains after Texas with more than 211,000 new residents.

Sadly, the data doesn’t distinguish the political persuasion of those moving out of the Democratic Party run states. It would be interesting to know that, particularly for those who left California and NY for Florida and Texas. Democrats hate on Florida and Texas, yet, we do keep seeing lots of Democrats moving and visiting, vacationing. They really need to be checking their Marxist cards at the border and learn to live like the Red staters. Unfortunately, they often try and push the same, failed, abusive, authoritarian policies they just escaped.

Oh, hey, the Blue states can have all the illegal aliens Brandon is importing, right?

Read: Bummer: Blue State Residents Escaping To Red States From COVID Tyranny »

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Climate Cult: Forget The Electric Vehicles You Can’t Afford. People Need To Drive Less

By William Teach December 24, 2021 – 8:26 am

Or, the climate cultists could simply mind their own business and stop trying to force everyone to Comply. Maybe stop using fossil fueled vehicles in their own lives

Letters to the Editor: Electric cars aren’t a climate change panacea. We need to drive less

Electric vehicleTo the editor: Electric cars shouldn’t be regarded as the silver-bullet solution to lowering automobile emissions. While they don’t run on gas, their batteries create their own set of environmental problems. (“California isn’t on pace to meet its climate targets. Here are 3 ways to cut pollution faster,” editorial, Dec. 19)

What we need is to use our cars less. We have to stop looking at cars as the only viable option to get from Point A to Point B. We can start by carpooling to work, taking the bus to run an errand and riding a bike for short trips.

A few tweaks in our driving habits can go a long way toward reducing our carbon footprint, electric or not.

What’s this “we”, Sparky? I do not see many Warmists doing this in their own lives. I haven’t met many EV owners who are doing it due to ‘climate change’. I mean, good grief, they have barely rolled out pushing for everyone to be forced to drive an EV (which most cannot afford) and now we have to get rid of them.

To the editor: There seems to be a delusion among those who formulate climate policy that if they set a pollution reduction mandate, it will surely happen.

The mandates and targets never have the supporting, well-conceived, detailed plan for how to reach the goals. Broad guidelines like “increasing the percentage of zero-emission vehicles sold” are made, but they rarely have the how-to specifics.

The populace gives lip service to climate goals while legislators avoid the draconian measures that would be required.

Let’s face it: There is no way that California will meet its legal mandate to cut emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

Where are the concrete, specific goals from Warmists in their own lives to cut their own emissions? But, really, this person’s point is correct: most in government do not have real plans, probably because even the most hardcore realize they can’t make them happen.

Meanwhile, here are 22 of the “most anticipated” EVs (you have to look at the Canoo Lifestyle vehicle. Very silly looking). For those with pricing, the least is $34470. Most are way, way more. That’s affordable, right? And, while stocks soared in 2021, they’re expected to go way down in 2022. Because anticipation is not the same as people actually buying them. They’re toys for the upper middle class and rich.

Read: Climate Cult: Forget The Electric Vehicles You Can’t Afford. People Need To Drive Less »

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Surprise: NPR Says Cloth Masks Don’t Protect People From Chinese Coronavirus

By William Teach December 24, 2021 – 8:07 am

The media has been telling us for over a year and a half that masks are awesome, just wear a mask. Any mask. Once in a while they’ll do a study that shows the effectiveness of most masks is barely better than not wearing a mask at all, but, those are minimized. And now NPR is really letting the cat out of the bag

From the screed

With another coronavirus variant racing across the U.S., once again health authorities are urging people to mask up indoors. Yes, you’ve heard it all before. But given how contagious omicron is, experts say, it’s seriously time to upgrade to an N95 or similar high-filtration respirator when you’re in public indoor spaces.

“Cloth masks are not going to cut it with omicron,” says Linsey Marr, a researcher at Virginia Tech who studies how viruses transmit in the air.

Omicron is so much more transmissible than coronavirus variants that have come before it. It spreads at least three times faster than delta. One person is infecting at least three others at a time on average, based on data from other countries. (snip)

True, a cloth mask can be a “marginally OK to maybe a decent filter,” Marr says. But with something as highly transmissible as omicron, just “OK” isn’t good enough. (snip)

Given all this, you want a mask that means business when it comes to blocking viral particles. Unlike cloth masks, N95, KN95 and KF94 respirators are all made out of material with an electrostatic charge, which “actually pulls these particles in as they’re floating around and prevents you from inhaling those particles,” Karan notes. “And that really is key” — because if you don’t inhale virus particles, they can’t multiply in your respiratory tract.

The material in surgical masks also has an electrostatic charge. But surgical masks tend to fit loosely, and a snug fit — with no gaps around nose, cheeks or chin — “really makes a big difference,” says Marr, who has studied mask efficacy.

Omicron may be more transmittable, but, it is also way less dangerous, way less deadly, than previous variants, especially Delta. But, we already knew that cloth masks had around a 10% effectiveness rate at stopping any version last year. Now they want everyone to wear higher end masks, which are not in abundance. All while few areas and states are requiring masks. It is very weird being in NJ and there is no mask mandate, most people are walking around without one in stores.

Wachter says he’s also covering up indoors with small groups of friends and family unless everyone is vaccinated and boosted. If they’re not boosted, he says, “I consider them to be somewhere between vaccinated and unvaccinated, and I act appropriately if I’m going to be around them.” That means he either has everyone mask up, or he has everyone take a rapid test to make sure no one is infectious at that moment. “One or the other.” This is especially important if anyone attending is high-risk.

And then it’ll be “if you haven’t had a second booster, you’re somewhere between vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Marr says that with omicron surging, she’d have kids wear respirators if possible when they’re indoors in public spaces. Parents searching for good respirator options for their children can check out the work of Aaron Collins, aka “Mask Nerd,” a mechanical engineer with a background in aerosol science. He’s been testing the filtration efficiencies of hundreds of masks and respirators on the market. You can find his reviews on his YouTube channel. (This spreadsheet on kids’ masks may also be helpful.)

And they want to drag kids into their mask hysteria.

Read: Surprise: NPR Says Cloth Masks Don’t Protect People From Chinese Coronavirus »

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SCOTUS To Take Up Brandon’s Forced Vaccination Mandate

By William Teach December 23, 2021 – 3:28 pm

That was quick

U.S. Supreme Court to take up Biden vaccine mandate cases

spite houseThe U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to take up disputes over the Biden administration’s nationwide vaccine-or-testing COVID-19 mandate for large businesses and a separate vaccine requirement for healthcare workers.

The brief court order said the court will hear oral arguments on Jan. 7 in the two cases, with rulings likely to follow in short order.

The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, delayed action on emergency requests in both cases that sought an immediate decision. The workplace mandate is currently in effect nationwide, while the healthcare worker mandate is blocked in half of the 50 U.S. states.

The White House is confident in the legal authority for the two mandates, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement, and the Justice Department “will vigorously defend both at the Supreme Court.”

Who will make the better argument? What will the Court decide? Will they notice that the Brandon administration is trotting out that getting boosterized means full vaccination? Will they notice that a goodly chunk of those getting Omicron are vaccinated? Even ones who’ve gotten a booster? Will they care that chief of staff Ron Klain noted that this was an end run around Congress, the legislative branch? Will they consider whether OSHA has the statutory authority to implement this mandate? Time will tell.

Read: SCOTUS To Take Up Brandon’s Forced Vaccination Mandate »

Posted in Bat Soup Virus, Constitution, Joe Biden | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach December 23, 2021 – 1:00 pm

…is a capitalist holiday causing ‘climate change’, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is The Other McCain, with a post on the Blamer-In-Chief.

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AOC, NY Dems Unhappy Over “Peaker” Power Plants

By William Teach December 23, 2021 – 10:30 am

See, these types of plants are rather necessary for peak power loads, especially as efficient, effective, low cost, reliable power plants are shuttered

Three House Democrats ask watchdog to probe ‘peaker’ power plant pollution

Three House Democrats from New York on Tuesday called on a federal watchdog to investigate pollution generated by “peaker” power plants, or those that only generate electricity during periods of high demand.

House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) joined Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) in calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the effects of such plants on local communities.

The lawmakers noted that the plants are both less energy-efficient than standard power plants and are frequently located in lower-income or predominantly minority neighborhoods.

“Addressing the use of peaker plants, which can emit twice the carbon and up to 20 times the nitrous oxides of a typical plant while operating significantly less efficiently, represents a high-impact opportunity to reduce climate risks and tackle a life-threatening environmental justice issue,” they wrote. “We request GAO’s assistance in reporting on key data to assess damage, uncover health burdens, calculate economic costs, and identify alternative solutions to the use of peaker power plants.”

A couple points here. First, why is this the business of the federal government in the first place? This is clearly a state issue, regardless of Los Federales wanting to make ‘climate change’ a thing. This is all about New Yorkers having the power necessary to Do Life. Second, here are 3 federal representatives wanting to make sure that their constituents, along with all the other residents of NY, are short on power. All while they spend most of their time in D.C. How about investigating peaker plants in D.C.? Or would that be inconvenient for AOC, Maloney, and Clarke?

There are 89 peaker plants in New York City alone, including 28 in or near Maloney’s district and 16 in Ocasio-Cortez’s district. An area in western Queens with a number of such plants has become known as “Asthma Alley” due to its disproportionate rates of the respiratory condition.

Wwll, hey, y’all in NYC voted for these Socialist lunatics, so, you’re willing to give up all that power generation, right?

Read: AOC, NY Dems Unhappy Over “Peaker” Power Plants »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Democrats, Energy, Global Warming | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

“All Events Nowadays Are Augmented By ‘Climate Change'” Or Something

By William Teach December 23, 2021 – 7:00 am

This is what science looks like when it’s consumed by a doomsday cult

From the cult screed

At least five people died as a powerful and extremely unusual storm system swept across the Great Plains and midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, spawning hurricane-force winds and possible tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. (snip through some of the other weather)

The storm shifted north of the Great Lakes into Canada on Thursday, with high winds, snow and hazardous conditions continuing in the upper Great Lakes region, the National Weather Service said. More than 400,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.

High winds, snow and other harsh weather conditions were reported north of the Great Lakes area, according to the National Weather Service. At least 13 tornadoes were reported on Wednesday, with high winds clocking in at over 70mph throughout parts of Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.

“To have this number of damaging wind storms at one time would be unusual any time of year,” said Brian Barjenbruch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, Nebraska. “But to have this happen in December is really abnormal.”

Snow and weather is unusual? Tornadoes might by less than normal, but, there is a long history of them happening periodically in December. So are windy conditions. Weather happens. Weird/unusual weather happens all the time, because the Earth’s system is dynamic. It is not fully predictable and always as expected.

Scientists have said that extreme weather events are probably due to human-caused climate change, but trying to find a cause for a specific weather event, such as storms throughout many regions in the US, requires additional analysis that requires time and can be inconclusive.

“I think we also need to stop asking the question of whether or not this event was caused by climate change. All events nowadays are augmented by climate change,” said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini.

“We need to be asking, ‘to what extent did climate change play a role and how likely was this event to occur in the absence of climate change?”’

So, they cannot say with scientific certainly, but, they’re happy to say it with climate cult certainty.

Read: “All Events Nowadays Are Augmented By ‘Climate Change'” Or Something »

Posted in Climate Cult, Global Warming | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

Brandon Makes Holders Of Student Loan Debt Mad

By William Teach December 23, 2021 – 6:44 am

Biden is just working hard to make everyone mad

Biden says Americans must be ready to resume student loan payments next year, clashing with Democrats like AOC urging him to cancel the debt

Biden Brain SlugPresident Joe Biden on Wednesday extended a pause on student loan payments that was set to expire on February 1, a decision praised by Democratic lawmakers who pressured him to make the move as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt American lives.

But at the same time, Biden signaled that he wants borrowers to resume paying off their loans once the new moratorium ends on May 1, placing him at odds with Democrats who have demanded that debt be wiped out.

“[We] know that millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments,” Biden said in a statement. “Given these considerations, today my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments for an additional 90 days — through May 1, 2022 — as we manage the ongoing pandemic and further strengthen our economic recovery.”

No one is pausing you and I having to pay our mortgages, car loans, and other stuff. Loans we took out voluntarily. Same with student loans. They knew they had to pay them, yet, they often took them and either got a degree not worth the paper or obtained too much debt to repay properly. That’s their problem. Of course, you can’t simply repossess the degree. Provided they even obtained it. Why should they be given relief? Get a job? Work two. There should be no extension. Biden is correct that they should start paying. He shouldn’t extend this. Because you know the loan recipients will next get him to further extend it.

Under what statutory authority is there to extend the pause on repaying legal debt to creditors? Perhaps if the loans are from the federal government, not just the ones backed by Los Federales but owned by private companies.

“Meanwhile, the Department of Education will continue working with borrowers to ensure they have the support they need to transition smoothly back into repayment and advance economic stability for their own households and for our nation,” the president continued. “As we are taking this action, I’m asking all student loan borrowers to do their part as well: take full advantage of the Department of Education’s resources to help you prepare for payments to resume; look at options to lower your payments through income-based repayment plans; explore public service loan forgiveness; and make sure you are vaccinated and boosted when eligible.”

Wait, what was that last part? Did that need to be there?

Biden’s comments put him on a collision course with progressive lawmakers vowing to increase pressure on the administration to cancel student-loan debt for millions of borrowers. Americans owe an estimated $1.7 trillion in student loans, a record-breaking total, according to Federal Reserve data.

“Thank you! Next step: cancellation,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York tweeted along with a video of Biden’s announcement.

“I applaud President Biden for once again pausing federal student loan payments for 45 million Americans. Now let’s cancel it. All of it,” Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont tweeted.

A government of Men, not law.

Read: Brandon Makes Holders Of Student Loan Debt Mad »

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