Random Notes from a Crank

Good news for renewable energy. The Washington Post reports that "Huge Wind Farms Use Much Less Land Than You Might Think." 

The article relates something that I've seen here in the Midwest: wind farms and agriculture work together just fine. So I'm a bit perplexed how the article is that ground breaking unless you live on the East coast. 

The article does talk about how turbines could work with existing structures such as roads and other non-agricultural land. 

And they're also reporting that "A Small EV Tax Credit Change Makes Going Electric More Enticing." Where was this up-front $7,500 discount when I was shopping for a new car last year? 

Watching The X-Files reminds me of the lousy designs of sedans that Ford and GM put out in the 90s. Ugly vehicles.

One of the great skits on SNL was Celebrity Jeopardy.

Turd Ferguson...

Random Notes from a Crank

There are a number of reasons why I would not want to live in the Southwest, but the brutal heat is one of them. Check out the AP article "'Urban Island' heat tests Phoenix, Other Large Cities." As the article states, "Phoenix is warming at three times the rate of the planet as a whole." 

In somewhat more positive news, the citizens of Puerto Rico are turning to solar and wind power because of their storm-ravaged and inconsistent power grid: "Tesla, Others Help Puerto Ricans Go Solar Amid Power Turmoil."

Having seen the movie, I was interested to read the book Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. I really enjoyed the novel, and I have to say the screenplay adaption was pretty true to the original. There are some significant differences in plot of course, but there hasn't been a novel I've enjoyed as much as Choke as far back as I don't know when. 

I'll be reading more of Palahniuk's work. 

Now I'm on to rereading Gaiman's American Gods. I just got done teaching a one-week course in world mythology, and I want to see the old Gods in action. 

 I wonder if there are any graphic novels based on Native American coyote myths? I know the graphic novel I bought based on Beowulf is pretty kick-ass. I wager some written about Coyote would be even better. 

The aspect of the coyote/trickster myths I enjoy he can be good, lewd, dumb, smart as hell, wonderful, vindictive, slightly evil, or magnanimous depending on the myth you read. Or a combo of some of the above. Coyote reveals the frailty and potential of human character. 

Coyote is us. 

We are Coyote.

Random Notes from a Crank

The other day I roasted a head of garlic because as cooking ingredients go, it's nice to have some roasted garlic around the kitchen. Having to blow your nose is much more pleasant when your fingers smell like roasted garlic.

As I've related before on this blog, Denmark is kicking ass with generating electricity via wind turbines. 42% is impressive. 

If you've ever wondered, "Why Aren't There More Black Republicans?," mash the hyperlink. 

"Bigwigs Have Big Ideas for Cutting Food Waste" informs readers about an initiative by some heavy hitters to reduce wood waste and in turn greenhouse gas emissions. 

"It's like [choosing between] being shot or poisoned." That's how Graham sums up choosing between Trump or Cruz for the GOP nominee in "National Review Aims to Take Down Trump." 

"The Promise of Wind"

If you're interested, click HERE for a recent article by EMagazine about the surge in wind energy production and projects in the past few years.

Thankfully, as the author points out, "more and more equipment [wind turbines] is being manufactured in the U.S. Where 70% of wind power equipment used to come from Europe just a few years ago, it 's down to about 50% today." 

Denmark and Germany have been the leaders in building wind turbines for years, and it's a positive development that US companies are getting into the market, especially since shipping the parts for those big things is costly. 

What needs to also happen is some type of support and/or equal playing field for smaller-scale wind farms that help rural communities, as is discussed in this related article (HERE).

Harnessing the Wind

The NY Times has a nice little article on a wind farm in Ainsworth, NE (click HERE), and Lee News Service has one on the bigger wind power picture (click HERE).

I hope Coles County gets a wind farm soon too. Up there east of Bloomington there's a huge wind farm that nicely connects to Illinois State's major in Renewable Energy, or some similar phrase.