Life is full of tradeoffs:..............

 

 .............if we want more "big data" and artificial intelligence then we might have less green energy.

Data centers consume massive amounts of electricity.  They are sprouting up all over Central Ohio.  If the push for all electric vehicles doesn't fade, there is little chance the electric grid will be able to keep up.  Sooner or later, we need to reconsider building new nuclear power plants.

Probably true..............

 The world is careening toward a climate crisis, and by that we do not mean nasty weather or impending human extinction. The real challenge lies in adapting to a changing climate without undermining an already stressed global order, not to mention imperiling democracy. . . .

Perhaps the biggest obstacle lies in geopolitical realities. In China, India, Vietnam, and much of Africa, the demand for affordable and reliable power has clear priority over achieving “net zero” in the near future. Ultimately what the West does may matter more to its own self-righteousness than the planet itself.

-Joel Kotkin, from here

Belief.......................

 There’s no need to sign up for the endless uphill battle of marketing against a positive trend. Sell something you believe in, to people who are eager to believe in it as well.

You’ll do your best work on behalf of an audience and a cause that deserves it, appreciates it and applauds it. If it’s just a job, you’ve sacrificed your best energy for a paycheck.

Pick your client, pick your future.

-Seth Godin, from here

On civilisation and belief.....

 Civilisation requires a modicum of material prosperity—enough to provide a little leisure.  But, far more, it requires confidence—confidence in the society in which one lives, belief in its philosophy, belief in its laws, and confidence in one's own mental powers. . . .Vigour, energy, vitality: all of the great civilisations—or civilising epochs—have had a weight of energy behind them.  People sometimes think that civilisation consists of fine sensibilities and good conversation and all that.  These can be among the agreeable results of civilization, but they are not what makes civilisation, and a society can have these amenities and yet be dead and rigid.

-Kenneth Clark, Civilisation

A missing piece...................

       Clouds never truly disappear.  They change form.  They turn into rain and become part of the ocean, and then evaporate and return to being clouds.

       The same is true of art.

      Art is a circulation of energetic ideas.  What makes them appear new is that they are combined differently each time they come back.  No two clouds are the same.

     This is why, when we are struck by a new piece of art, it can resonate on a deeper level.  Perhaps this is the familiar, coming back to us in an unfamiliar form.  Or maybe it is something unknown that we didn't realize we were looking for.  A missing piece in a puzzle that has no end.

-Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

On a scale of problems, this one is near the top...

 But there’s a problem: despite more than $2 trillion in spending on renewables over the past three decades, there is scant evidence that an energy transition is underway. Last year, according to data from the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, in both the US, and the world as a whole, the growth in hydrocarbons—oil, natural gas, and coal—far exceeded the growth of wind and solar by huge margins.

-as cut-and-pasted from here

About those electric vehicles............

 Pushing EVs is essentially selling snake oil with limited benefit at astronomical cost.

-as culled from here

via

Chart of the day.............................

 In the history of man, most serious progress can be traced to increased supplies of inexpensive energy.  Making energy expensive in the United State to "save the planet" seems foolhardy when you look at this:

source and larger image may be found here

Nope............................

 more fun here

The truth of this has been tested.............

via 

Rolling............................

The Marshall Tucker Band..................24 Hours At A Time

 

Inversely.......................

I would say that the quality of our society will be inversely proportion to the level of political energy. One of the toxic effects of social media is to elevate the level of political energy. We would be much better off with people putting energy into their relationships and their work.

-Arnold Kling, from here

Can I get an Amen...................?

 Normal people just want America to produce more energy. And maybe when it’s all said and done, that’s the most humanitarian thing we could do.

-Arnold Kling, from here

Uh-oh..........................

Walter Russell Mead eyes the politics of a coming "Green" wave.  Careful what you wish for - it gets complicated.  A wee excerpt:

Those who dismiss ideas like the “green new deal” as mere left-wing fantasies miss the enormous appeal of these programs for corporations looking for new business opportunities. It isn’t only renewable energy companies looking for government mandates and funding. It’s major auto manufacturers dreaming of replacing every gasoline-powered car and truck on the planet with an electric vehicle—and reaping the public-relations reward of looking virtuous. It’s construction companies looking to replace the existing energy infrastructure.

a kind of energy.........................

     I'm terribly thirsty now and wish that I could go and dip my face in the river, but I am conscious of not wanting to seem weak.  As I look at Alex and Renias, it appears that in six hours of walking, of intense focus and vigilance, and with no food or water, they have not broken a sweat.  It is a kind of energy I have witnessed in people who have merged "work," "mission," and "meaning."  These people don't take holidays or need days off.  They outwork everyone not from some kind of gritty determination, but from a place of pure pleasure.

-Boyd Varty,  The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life

On the proper harnessing of ambition..........

You can't let ambition get too far ahead of opportunity.  I've seen a lot people who had their sights set on a particular job or project, but the opportunity to actually get that thing was so slim.  Their focus on the small thing in the distance became a problem.  They grew impatient with where they were.  They didn't tend enough to the responsibilities they did have, because they were longing so much for something else, and so their ambition became counterproductive.  It's important to know how to find the balance—do the job you have well; be patient; look for opportunities to pitch in and expand and grow;  and make yourself one of the people, through attitude and energy and focus, that your bosses feel they have to turn to when an opportunity arises.  Conversely, if you're a boss, these are the people to nurture—not the ones who are clamoring for promotions and complaining about not being utilized enough but the ones who are proving themselves to be indispensable day in and day out.

-Robert Iger,  as culled from The Ride of a Lifetime:  Lessons Learned From 15 Years As CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Almost seems to be the point....

"If we use up our energies panicking about phantom hobgoblins, we might have none left for the real scares . . ."

-Matt Ridley, taken out of context from this blog post

Easy does it.....................

Conventional wisdom holds that motivation is the key to habit change.  Maybe if you really wanted it, you'd actually do it.   But the truth is, our real motivation is to be lazy and do what is convenient.  And despite what the latest productivity best seller will tell you, this is a smart strategy, not a dumb one.
     Energy is precious, and the brain is wired to conserve it whenever possible.  It is human nature to follow the Law of Least Effort, which states that when deciding two similar options, people will naturally gravitate toward the option that requires the least amount of work. . .

     The central idea is to create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible.

-James Clear,  Atomic Habits

Am I the only one.....................

................that thinks that Greg Mankiw is being a bit naive here?

Two such problems are global climate change from human carbon emissions and the looming fiscal imbalance as more baby boomers retire and start collecting Social Security and Medicare. These problems are hardly a secret, but few in Washington want to talk about them.

One approach is easy to envision. A tax on carbon emissions would encourage the movement toward cleaner energies and raise revenue for the public purse, helping address both problems.

About security............................

You have to understand that there are no guarantees in life, there is no absolute security, and there is usually no simple path to financial success.  It is going to take some effort.  For the  mind to chase after security is ludicrous:  It will never get it, and the irritation of constantly seeking security destroys what stability there is.
     It is simpler, therefore, to agree that one doesn't need security.  One doesn't even need a system that favors one.   All that is ever needed is what one already has, which is creativity and energy.  You don't have to become immortal to be safe.  All you have to do is to acknowledge that what you are right now is enough to keep you safe and more that enough to keep you in abundance for the rest of your days, in spite of circumstances.  You just need you, comfortable inside yourself.

-Stuart Wilde,  The Trick To Money Is Having Some