This is the first I’ve heard of this, but it isn’t surprising. Solar / battery systems generate DC voltage, and houses run on AC. These inverters convert the DC to AC, but they can be expensive and problematic. I have seen all sorts of equipment these days that run on 24V DC, aimed at RVers and campers. I wonder if there will ever be a trend to have DC in houses and eliminate these inverters. Nothing in a house requires AC current. Of course, if you still tie to the grid you will need an AC to DC converter, I suppose.
Electric Toaster Hoax
Where do facts come from? Sometimes they are just made up. From the BBC.
Alan MacMasters: How the great online toaster hoax was exposed
The Match King
A short story about one of the great fraudsters of the 20th century. Funny, I’ve never heard of this guy. From a Wealth of Common Sense.
Sam Bankman-Fried vs. The Match King
Texas is Still Red
Years ago, Austin was the only blue spot in the state. It was a different era, when the Republican Party of Texas, if they weren’t necessarily less radical than they are today, at least let places like Austin do their own Blue thing. Today Texas has four of the biggest cities in the country. Some say it resembles California in that respect. But the deep Red rural parts still hold sway. From Axios.
2022 Texas gubernatorial election results, by county
Has the Fourth Turning Begun?
There may be something to this.
Has the Fourth Turning Begun?
US Midterm 2022 Election Donors
Now I know why the right wingers hate George Soros. Good thing this young fellow Bankman-Fried is around. Oops, he’s broke. From Stastia.
Midterm Election Mega-Donors
Solar Parking Lots
There is lots of this in Phoenix. Seems like a good idea, to distribute these panels around, in places where they can also give some shade. I’m not sure how “requiring” this works, but it is France.
In France, all large parking lots now have to be covered by solar panels
In Arizona, a MAGA victory party takes a sour turn
A good read on the reaction on the ground in Arizona to the Red Wave that wasn’t. Why is this an opinion piece?
In Arizona, a MAGA victory party takes a sour turn
Sweeping Gains
Tomorrow is the big midterm election. I try to follow it, but not too closely. I’m going to go against the grain a bit here and first say I don’t see actual data for big gains by the Republican party. I even consider Texas a close call. Abbott is the incumbent and seems to be having trouble breaking 50%, even though he is ahead. Lots of undecideds out there. Same in lots of other places. And then there is the problem of “low quality” polls. Of course, I’m not too optimistic. But I’m still thinking of the 14 point (or was it 18 point?) surprise swing to the Dems in deep Red Kansas. That was quite a surprise, and only in August, though it seems like a long time ago. I cant recall anything even close to this as a polling failure. I don’t think this energy had dissipated. We will find out more tomorrow.
Steven A. Guccione 