. . .
1 “A friend wrote ‘electricity’ on the board and then wrote an equal sign (=) and then wrote ‘civilization.’ After discussing the precariousness of the electric grid, she drew a slash through ‘electricity’ and then described the consequences of life without electricity. And then she punctuated the presentation by drawing a slash through ‘civilization.’ The most existential threat is not a loss of the ability to play video games or chill beer, it is all the nuclear power plants that will not be cooled in a systemic power failure resulting in nuclear winter. Lights out.”
2 “And radiation favors and savors aviation.”
. . .
1 “My hypothesis is that some consequences are so certain and so grave that we cannot even think about them let alone talk about them.”
2 “Everyone is struggling just to get through the day. Putting an existential catastrophe on one’s psychological plate is too overwhelming and thus not done.”
1 “Anther hypothesis I entertain is that dark video screens and tepid beer lead to misbehavior.”
. . .
[See the e-commentary at Girding For The Going Grid (October 11, 2010).]
Bumper stickers of the week:
Electricity = Civilization; No Electricity = No Civilization
Is the grid going or is the grid going?
National Preparedness Month Weekly Themes:
• Week 1: September 1-5 Flood
• Week 2: September 6-12 Wildfire
• Week 3: September 13-19 Hurricane
• Week 4: September 20-26 Power Outage
• Week 5: September 27-30 Lead up to National PrepareAthon! Day (September 30th )
“In my view, nuclear power represents an unjustified faith in the power of human societies to control extremely complex technologies over the very long term. Any activity requiring a great deal of complex and cooperative control will do badly in difficult economic times.” Stoneleigh / Nichole Foss
e-commentary 