News blues
With tens of millions of Americans continuing to refuse to get vaccinated, do the new pills actually give Biden one more tool in blunting the impact of the coronavirus? Hmmm. Read more >>Given the last two years’ enormous confusion surrounding all things pandemic, I wonder: Will these pills deliver more rounds of “Confusion R Us”?
In other words, do these antiviral pills, in fact, replace vaccines?
No.
“The new antiviral pills are not good alternatives for coronavirus vaccines and do not replace the current Covid-19 vaccines. Rather, these new medicines …are actually developed to help infected individuals to recover from the deadly virus… people can't use them to enhance their immunity.”
Healthy planet, anyone?
Energy. We need it. But how do we create and recreate energy and efficiently dump fossil fuels and the fossilized political economy that supports it?Energy is the issue of the current moment. (That is, other than, y’know, a raging pandemic, corruption, politics, corrupt politics and politicians, immigration and refuge, climate refugees… indeed, the list goes on and on…)
South Africa presents a nutshell example of global energy difficulties.
Eighty-seven percent of SA’s electrical energy derives from coal. Since 2014, Eskom, the national energy provider, has struggled to deliver electricity. Eskom uses the term Eskom, “load shedding” to describe this struggle that turns electricity off – no power at all - for hours at a time many days per week, any time of year. Eskom defines load shedding as “a measure of last resort to prevent the collapse of the power system country-wide. When power is insufficient, Eskom can thus either increase supply or reduce demand to bring the system back into balance.” (A far simpler and more accurate definition: “we turn off your electricity even as we raise your rates – and, other than complain as you sit in the dark, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
SA, however, has pledged to reduce its overall carbon dioxide emissions between now and 2030 as part of global efforts to tackle climate change. The country faces enormous obstacles in doing so >>
At the same time, South Africa has plans to build new coal-fired power stations during the climate crisis. This is being challenged in court for breaching the rights of current and future generations.
South Africa and renewables: South Africa’s renewable plan…
... picked 25 wind- and solar-power projects to be built by private developers, part of a plan to reduce the nation’s reliance on coal for electricity and end rolling blackouts that are curbing economic growth.
The bidders will add 2,583 megawatts of capacity to the grid using clean-energy technologies….The projects total about 50 billion rand ($3.3 billion) of investment and will create 13,900 job opportunities >>
More on SA’s renewables: “The real deal with renewable energy in South Africa — unpacking the suite of options and inherent problems – acknowledge and unacknowledged >>
South Africa uses nuke energy, too, with Koeberg, its nuclear power station, installed capacity of 1,940MW, generating around 5% of South Africa's electricity. Koeberg, built in 1984, is Africa’s only nuke power plant.Recent comments from Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer about what is going on at Koeberg nuclear power station were refreshingly frank, and for that, he is to be commended. Whether anyone living near the plant — and that includes everyone in Cape Town and surrounds — will be able to sleep after fully digesting what he had to say is another matter.
Speaking to the press about Eskom’s status as we head into the summer months, Oberholzer said he was “extremely concerned” about the two trips to the unit one reactor at Koeberg (on 30 August and 24 October). He added that he was “horrified” at the number of staff who had left Koeberg in recent times, “taking away with them years of experience”. Some had resigned despite having no other job offers. Rumours abound that there have been as many as 200 resignations from Koeberg recently.Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
Gearing up for Thanksgiving.
The two national Thanksgiving turkeys are seen in the Rose Garden of the White House before a pardon ceremony in Washington on Nov. 19, 2021.
Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
Peanut Butter and Jelly won't be at the Thanksgiving table this year.This season’s two national turkeys, Peanut Butter and Jelly, received a presidential pardon.
"With the power vested in me, I pardon you," President Biden said to Peanut Butter at a White House ceremony Friday.
After he spared Peanut Butter from becoming dinner, Biden encouraged the turkey to share his thoughts: "Go ahead, say something."
"Gobble, gobble," Peanut Butter replied.
