Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Climate Reporting 

I'm troubled by the horse-racey reporting on the continuous record breaking of previous temperature and precipitation maxima.

The story is not that limit has been exceeded, it's that the limit _can be_ exceeded, and is likely to be surpassed in the near future.
Reporting like this leverages a comforting idea that these record breaks are rare, so you can be relieved when they are "over."
The new story is to be actively working to stop the causes, sustainably adapt to these changes, and shelter those fleeing these changes. Related to this is that while certain populations are much more at risk for disaster than others, the climates extra energy and water can show up in "less vulnerable" places as well. In short, you are not off the list.
The weirdness of secondary effects: fire tornados, heat domes that just stay put and stay hot, overheated bathtub surface water temperatures, ice NOT growing in Antarctic seas really makes you tear up your Bingo card.

Tuesday, April 08, 2025

Keeping Score.


 Declaration of Independence Grievances – Checklist


Government and Legislative Issues


☒ Prevented laws necessary for the public good from being passed.

☒ Refused to approve laws unless the people gave up their right to representation.

Called legislative meetings in inconvenient locations to make governance difficult.

Dissolved representative houses for opposing his policies.

Refused to allow new representatives to be elected after dissolving legislative bodies.


Judicial and Legal System


☒ Refused to establish fair judiciary powers.

☒ Made judges dependent on his will for their office and salary.


Military and Enforcement Issues


☒ Created many new offices and sent officers to harass the people.

Kept standing armies in the colonies without consent.

Made the military superior to civil authority.

Quartered troops among civilians without consent.

Protected soldiers from punishment for crimes committed against colonists.


Trade and Economy


☒ Cut off colonial trade with the rest of the world.

☒ Imposed taxes without colonial consent.


Legal Rights and Due Process


☒ Denied colonists trial by jury.

☒ Transported colonists overseas for trial on false accusations.


Government Overreach and Tyranny


☒ Abolished colonial laws and fundamentally altered governments.

Suspended legislatures and declared himself the sole ruler.

Waged war against the colonies, burning towns and destroying lives.

Hired foreign mercenaries to attack the colonies.

Forced colonists into the British navy or army against their will.


Response to Colonial Petitions


☒ Ignored peaceful petitions for redress of grievances.

☒ Repeatedly acted as a tyrant rather than a fair ruler.