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MORE ENERGY MATTERS...and SMARTMATIC

One more thing about the Fox embarrassment, having essentially to admit guilt and paying Dominion almost $0.8 billion, there is that other Smartmatic suit seeking $2.7 billion.  Smartmatic is a rival of Dominion in voting machines.  The case is similar, seeking more money, and will proceed into a New York state court.  However, while Fox can settle earlier if it so seeks, the trial will not occur until next year.  From all reports, Smartmatic has more to expose.

Smartmatic is based in London and their machines were only used in Los Angeles County.  For some reason, the Trump-people focused on them especially.  Not only is the company suing Fox, but also Rudy Giuliani, OANN, Newsmax, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and Sidney Powell.  And, of course yes, Dominion still has suits pending against most of them.  These judgements will seal the future usage of voting machines from these companies, until online voting takes over, which should be soon.

Did this last week, and will do it again.  A summary of interesting news about the field of energy from Energy Matters.

  • Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22.

  • U.S. natural gas consumption reached the lowest rate of consumption for January and February since 2017.
  • Over the past 20 years, the mining industry has usually expended expansion capital spending close to 20%.  This is now down to 10%.  The industry is distributing dividend to shareholders, not investing in greener mining projects.
  • Top 2022 installers of onshore (land) wind energy in megawatt (a nuclear power plant is nominally 1000 MW):
    • #1  China  32,579
    • #2  USA 8,612
    • #3  Brazil  4065
    • #4  Sweden/Finland//Germany....all around 2,400 
    • That pie chart represents total installed wind turbine power.
  • Did you know that, in addition to the Hoover Dam, there are hundreds of other hydroelectric dams along the Colorado River and tributaries, with a combined total of 4,178 MW (half from Hoover Dam) providing power for 7 million people?  This is 53% of the total renewable energy supply in the West.  However, the river level is at a historic low.  Decisions will soon be made on who gets what.  Let's see how output increases with the melting of considerable snow which fell this winter.
THE NEXT TWO ENTRIES ARE STARTLING.
  • Not exactly energy, but it is interesting to note that reported is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
    • This is a defense organization similar to NATO.
    • Founders:  China and Russia.
    • Original members include Kazakhstan and India (which will next chair the organization), with Krygyzstan, Tajistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan applying to join.
    • Dialogue is occurring with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, UAE and Kuwait.
  • Global carbon dioxide emissions reached 417 parts per million, an increase of 2 ppm, the 11th straight year of increases above 2 ppm.  Scarily, carbon dioxide is 50% higher and methane 250% greater than pre-industrial era levels.
Okay, we just arrived in Avatoru, Rangiroa on Day 42 of our 53-day cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey.  We were yesterday in Fakarava, Tuamotu (right):
  • Called Mother Nature's ultimate sanctuary.  All these island have some sort of inflated PR tag.
  • Designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Preserve.
  • 800 residents, with a Catholic church.
View from our veranda is not as picturesque.

Lunch of half a rotisserie chicken, which I largely consumed by hand, with a large salad, soup, rosé wine and champagne.

We went to tea time again.

Watched departure, sharing a plate of salmon with vegetables and french fries.
Sunset.
And nightfall.
With Venus.
A late dinner on The Patio, where we asked for the fish before going through the ceviche process.  Brought our own wasabi.
Added a miso cod.  That is rice on the left.
Another day of doing nothing much.
 

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