'Toontime: Deregulated 'Merika

US citizens at large got a close-up reality view of what a deregulated 'Merika looks and feels like from the disastrous winter storm that hit Texas. The Texas electric utility market is essentially deregulated. What that produced was freezing customers with thousand dollar electric bills, fleeing politicians, water shortages from lack of electric power, and private utility plants that shutdown because they are not equipped for freezing temperatures in an era of climate change. Texas could not even call on sister states to provide power missing from off-line generators within the state because they unhooked themselves from the regional electric grid. (There are three main grids in the US: western, eastern and Texas) Storms intensified by anthropomorphic global heating are bad enough, but they really suck when they are compounded by deluded politicians still living in the 19th century, who insist on drowning the government in the 'free market' bathtub. Enjoy your capitalistic purity, Texans, while you take a handout from AOC.

Speaking of dysfunctional politics, the Senate appears to be ready to reject $15 an hour because an obscure, non-elected minion ruled that the provision could not be part of the COVID relief bill waiting to be passed by arcane Senate reconciliation rules. Alleged angry Marxist, US Person, told you {06.02.21; Give Em the Byrd!) that the parliamentarian opines on whether a provision violates the "Byrd Rule". Well, she gave the substantial majority of us (76%) 'the byrd', by ruling against inclusion yesterday evening. This, despite CBO figures showing a substantial impact on the federal budget within ten years.

This is not the end. Democrats know the people who elected them want an increase in the federal minimum wage, which has not been raised in more than a decade, despite inflation and extreme wealth disparity. If they fail to deliver they will loose their one vote majority in the next election only two years away. The key here is that the parliamentarian's ruling is only advisory. VP Harris can overrule any "out of order" objection. That appears unlikely, since her boss immediately endorsed the parliamentarian's ruling. Once again, Democrats are caught hiding behind their corporate-sponsored fig leaf.

The same arguments against the raise--fewer workers, less poverty-level income, business ruination--by socially enlightened organizations such as the US Chamber of Commerce were used two centuries ago when child labor laws were finally passed (US beginning in 1836) against capital's fierce resistance. Not all small businesses are engaged in interstate commerce. Besides, an adverse parliamentary ruling did not stop the Repugnants when they wanted to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Erratic/lazy/hot-headed/playboy minds ask, what to do? Absent eliminating the filibuster, which is obviously the rational thing to do, pass the relief bill without the federal minimum wage increase because relief is desparately needed, and insert $15/hr. into a later "must pass" bill--defense appropriations, agriculture price supports or other sacred cow legislation, or in another reconcilliation bill with a new parliamentarian. In the House, driven by majority rule, Democrats appear ready to pass the COVID bill including the $15/hr. minimum wage provision. If the difference remains after the Senate acts, presumably a joint conference will be convened to resolve the issue.

racing downhill, no problem...

Wolf Slaughter in Wisconsin

Wolf advocates predicted that wolves would be slaughtered when the federal protections for the species ended. On cue, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Department was forced to end the state's wolf hunting season after just three days when viscious hunters exterminated 178 wolves, exceeding the established quota by 53%. The number is expected to rise because hunters have 24 hours to report kills. Killer Trump removed protection for the wolf under the Endangered Species Act before be removed from office in November. In January management of wolves was turned over to the states.  Wisconsin law requires an annual hunt. Hunters in Wisconsin are allowed to hunt at night, use dogs, and set traps. The Center for Biological Diversity issued a statement calling the hunt a "reckless slaughter".

Wolf hunting has many supporters in the state who view the current population of an estimated 1,000 wolves to be too many. The current target population is set at just 350. Clearly available habitat can support more than that, and a such a low figure may not be enough to support a viable population in the state. None of the state wildlife board members expressed any reaction to the news that the hunting quota had been exceeded in 72 hours. The board's chairman, Fred Prehn, said the target was "too low" given the population goal of 350 wolves. The Department plans to hold the next hunt in November.

Gulf Stream Weakens

Scientists say that the Atlantic Ocean's circulation is at its lowest ebb in a millenium. Part of that circulation is the warm Gulf Stream, responsible for bringing mild winter weather to the northeast Atlantic coast and northern Europe. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is braking down probably caused by global warming according to new data. AMOC will further weaken if global heating is not reduced, expected to reach a 34% to 45% reduction by the end of the century. That level is close to a tipping point of irreversable instability, that would cause an increase in severe storms and heatwaves in Europe. Sealevels on the US east coast would also rise. The AMOC is Earth's biggest ocean circulatory system. This north-south circulation is accompanied by winds which bring mild, wet weather to Ireland, Great Britain, and western Europe in winter. A scientist with the British Antarctic Survey said the AMOC has a "pofound influence" on global weather making evidence of its weakening significant.

Predictions that the AMOC would be weakened by global warming are longstanding. The new data confirms that hypothesis, and indicates the circulation has been reduced by 15% so far. Researchers responsible for the latest study of the AOMC say the tipping point of collapse will not happen soon, but the chances it could occurr this century without a reduction of global heating are increasing.

Creature Feature: Male Spyder Gives Empty Gift

It is the human equivalent of a zircon engagement ring. The South American male spider, Paradossenus longipes, gives an empty nuptial gift to his prospective mate. This behavior of giving a silk wrapped gift is shared with three other spider species, but P. longipes is the only one observed that gift wraps an empty gift. Watch this video of the deceiver in action:

 

Scientists are not sure how this empty gift giving improves the male's chances of successful breeding. Nuptial gifts are a subject of on-going research. Maria Albo, assistant professor at Uruguay’s University of the Republic and the Clemente Estable Biological Research Institute, and a lead researcher of the study told Mongabay Bay “As far as I know, there is a single example [of empty gift-giving] in insects and, in spiders, this is the first.” Since the fake bling does not obviously benefit the female, is the male communicating his reproductive fitness in another way? One theory is deception: a male gives a worthless gift, saving time and energy, to trick a female into mating without expending effort. Another more altruistic explanation is that the female can consume the silk and its valuable proteins.

The research team ran mating trials, a sort of spider speed dating, giving the male spiders a choice between a nutritious and a worthless gift, then pairing them with females. They performed the trials until a male was caught on video giving a silk-wrapped nada to his paramour. P. longipes, which is Latin for long legs, could be easily overlooked in its habitat being small, brown, and hanging out on the underside of stream-side leaves. Its claim to fame however, are its long front legs and its peculiar habit of giving his mate something to think about and nothing else.

credit: M. Albo; arrow indicates silk packet

'Toontime: Too Lazy to Convict

credit: M. Davies, Newsday

Remember that word from the first impeachment of 'Killer' Trumpillini? The Party of Sedition (POS) is a prime example of what the word means. From McConnell's mind bending double-think, to Cruz's craven venality, the variety of excuses Repugnants used to vote against the Constitution and the Republic are sickening to contemplate. The POS has degenerated into a personality cult loyal to a Russian intelligence asset that undermines the continued existence of representative government in this country. US Person is sorry, but not sorry, for the acrid language he uses to describe their mockery of democracy. Give Hillary some credit--the "vast right-wing conspiracy" is alive and well lving in 'Merika!

To my Supremes: WHAAA! OR, What do I do now, Al?

Texans in the Dark

According to former governor Rick Perry, Texans would rather shiver in the dark cold than subject themselves to federal utility regulation. Well, that thesis got a try out this week as Arctic cold slammed the go-it-alone state, disrupting the entire state's exclusive power grid administered by ERCOT. It was so cold in the normally balmy state that it froze wind turbines, which caused the blackouts. That's a joke, dear reader. The polar vortex, made more severe by climate change, {30.01.19} did knock out natural gas and coal power plants, and even a nuclear generating station (South Texas) tripped off line. The surge in demand for power caused by extreme cold was enough to overwhelm the system. ERCOT planned for a load of about 67,000 megawatts with a maximum capacity of 80,000. The shortfall in power is thought to be in the neighborhood of 30,000 megawatts, but the exact amount is unknown due to rolling blackouts that affected the entire state. [photo credit: AP; Austin in snow]

Back to the alleged frozen windmills. Texas has about 20,000 megawatts of installed wind power capacity. Since it is available intermittently, planners concluded that 6,000 megawatts would be available in February, or only 10% of projected ERCOT daily capacity. Only 4,000 megawatts showed up to reap insanely high wholesale prices, enough to payoff a large portions of capital investments in wind farms. WHOHOO!

The wind failed planners by about 2,000 megawatts. A big deal? NOT! What ERCOT got colossally wrong was the availability of their fossil fuel fleet. Fossil fuel generating plants account for 75% of Texas' electrical generating capacity. When the polar vortex hit, the state agency could only cobble together abut 40,000 megawatts from their combustion plants, causing a near total overload that put Texas in the dark. A portion of their gas-fired facilities were off-line for maintenance in the normally quiet winter season. Their coal plants were put out of action by cold freezing fuel stockpiles into unusable, frozen boulders of carbon. Bottom line: ERCOT got wrong-footed by the extreme weather, and people paid the price. The state’s government, controlled by 'small g' politicians, have repeatedly refused to modernize their power system, or to stray from their unwavering deregulation agenda to bring the state’s energy infrastructure up to modern standards.

Part of ERCOT's remit is to plan ahead for the state's energy needs. Climate change causing weird weather is not news anymore. It has been noticeably occurring for at least two decades. Thermal plants can work well in cold climates--just ask Minnesotans. Clearly, Texas' private utilities are not equipped to deal with extreme cold weather. Another truth is that oil and gas rich Texas has a built-in electrical power grid fragility: it depends heavily on natural gas for both heating and electrical generation. In an arctic weather event, the system is easily overloaded as people unaccustomed to frigid temperatures heat their homes and businesses to tropical levels, causing a dearth of fuel to generate electrical power that also distributes natural gas for heating: a definite negative feedback loop.

Correcting this grid fragility would be expensive and discomforting for vested state interests. Instead, the distraction offered by venal politicians like Ted Cruz, who jumps the nearest jet to Cancun to get warm while poor people and his puppy freeze and go hungry, is more "hippie punching"--criticizing progressive initiatives like alternative power in the go-it-alone state.  Texans, ask yourselves this question: are you suffering because you are just lazy?

COTW: Attaboys!

US Person wants to spotlight these states for doing a good job battling the plague virus that is on its way to be as deadly as the 1918 H1N1 flu virus:

Washington and Vermont have kept their death rates low during the three 3 waves of infection. Both states have been quick to implement targeted public health measures when cases flare up, while benefiting from high levels of public compliance. Speaking of bleach and chloroquinine, US Person provides a friendly tip based on science, not witchcraft or stock investments. Vitamin D, often found to be deficient in people living in northern latitudes and who spend a lot of time indoors, has reduced the level of mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Two studies in Spain, have seen positive results from mega doses of Vitamin D. The larger study has been accepted for publication in the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet. Vitamin D is readily available, does not require a prescription, and does not cost an arm and a leg. Is that why big pharma has ignored it for so long?  You decide.

US COIVID-19 DEATHS (est.): 553,824