Category: bad Americans

bad Americans, good stuff, nature, TechnologyLeave a comment

Good news for windmill operators

therandomtexan

Good news from a long-term experiment in Norway: painting a single blade of a power-generating windmill may reduce fatal birdstrikes by as much as 70%. This is certainly an experiment that bears replication, especially at facilities that (1) keep careful records of birdstrikes and (2) care enough to make the effort. It’s pretty sad that the Norwegians spent 7 years on this, and few other researchers got on board with it. If this were clinical research for a debilitating disease, mobs would be clamoring for more trials.  Bird conservationists should be outraged at the pace. Of course, they’re not even … Continue reading Good news for windmill operators

1984, bad Americans, dumb ideas, TEOTWAWKI, the grifter elite, too stupid to be fictionLeave a comment

Don’t Bunch Up!

therandomtexan

Randal O’Toole, the Anti-Planner, points out the wrongheadedness of ever-increasing urban density, Now, we are getting another lesson. Due to a novel virus, we are told to “socially distance” ourselves. But no one is telling us to drive our cars instead of riding transit. Instead, the transit agencies are still operating and giving out platitudes like “we wipe the handrails every day.” BART says it is running ten-car trains all day so people can stand as far from one another as possible. Spring Breakers, I think he means you. Update:  Over at Issues and Insights, Thomas McArdle weighs in on … Continue reading Don’t Bunch Up!

bad Americans, dumb ideas, Health and wellnessLeave a comment

“Don’t worry, it’s harmless”

therandomtexan

…is what the marijuana crowd has been telling us since I was a toddler in the Eisenhower Administration. Well, if the States are a Laboratory for Democracy, I’d say that the Marijuana Experiment is crashing from the “unexpected” side effects. Peter Hitchens, writing in The Spectator comments Marijuana has been the beneficiary of one of the slickest, most sustained advertising campaigns in human history. Not only do millions believe it is some sort of medicine. Most people, even law enforcers, describe it as a ‘soft’ drug. This is an absurdity. Lifelong mental illness is not a ‘soft’ outcome. Why, it’s … Continue reading “Don’t worry, it’s harmless”

1984, bad Americans, Computers and InternetLeave a comment

The Cyberfascism Bulleting #3: Spring Cleaning Edition

therandomtexan

BIG BIZ Uh, oh. The punditry is starting to wise up. Here’s 4 Reasons Why Big Tech is Hazardous to Our Lives. Google AI Ethics Council is Falling Apart. Part artistic ethical differences, part Googloid mau-mauing. Only the truly clueless would use “Google” and “ethics” in the same sentence. Time for a ‘Third-Party Audit’ of De-Platforming Policies. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) doesn’t think folks like Twitter are holding up their end of the bargain Social media platforms have been given a “sweetheart deal,” according to Hawley, which includes “immunity from liability for illegal content posted by third parties.” They were … Continue reading The Cyberfascism Bulleting #3: Spring Cleaning Edition

all about the Benjamins, bad Americans, good stuffLeave a comment

Paper or Plastic?

therandomtexan

The Governor of Tennessee is fixin’ to stop the ban-plastic-shopping-bags nonsense in his state.  I’ve see this no-plastic crapola in several visits to Colorado, and it’s just a greenie smokescreen that allows grocery chains to charge an extra dime (per bag!) to squeeze the poor and sandbag out-of-towners.  No penguins, polar bears, or fuzzy bunnies are saved. I visited a local Sprouts yesterday, where they showed how reasonable folks steer their customers away from plastic.  They offer the alternative of sturdy brown paper bags with attached handles, which make them much more useful at home.  And, when they do go … Continue reading Paper or Plastic?

bad Americans, the grifter elite, too stupid to be fictionLeave a comment

San Antonio City Council steps on a rake…

therandomtexan

…and is surprised when it hits them in the face.  And the ass. Our lefty, virtue-signaling city council has decided to pick a fight on Chik-fil-A, one of America’s most successful fast-food companies. This doesn’t look like too smart a move, even for nanny-staters. Clearly this is viewpoint discrimination by a government entity, and puts the City in an indefensible situation, especially considering the recent Riley’s American Heritage Farm v. Claremont Unified School District decision coming from Judge Jesus Bernal of the Central District out in California. Terminating this benefit is a matter of discretion reserved to the District and … Continue reading San Antonio City Council steps on a rake…

1984, bad AmericansLeave a comment

The Abolition of Cash, Frisco Edition

therandomtexan

Do people not understand the words “Legal Tender?” If you want a hot coffee at Blue Bottle, cold hard cash may not work anymore. The high-end coffee company will ban cash at 12 locations across the country starting on March 11 as part of a month-long experiment that aims to speed up purchases.  (photo from this article) Commenting on The Instapundit, Ed Driscoll notes On Twitter, Rob Province, aka, “Educated Hillbilly” asks, “Am I a total racist for thinking this is a way to keep poor & minority customers out of their hip San Francisco coffee shop?” Not at all. … Continue reading The Abolition of Cash, Frisco Edition