Before getting into our environment, first a follow-up to my posting yesterday on the coming crisis associated with our Federal debt limit.  I saw this morning an article: Why the Debt Ceiling Matters and What Happens if Congress Refuses to Raise It Our $34.1 trillion debt limit will occur tomorrow, January 19.  To quote: “Failure to meet the government’s obligations would cause irreparable harm to the U.S. economy, the livelihoods of all Americans, and global financial stability,” Yellen wrote in her letter.   The U.S. has never defaulted for failing to raise the debt limit in time, which means the consequences are unpredictable, but economists agree they would be dire. A second digression, about our pandemic and why that feared new COVID-19 wave this winter has instead become a small bump.  From the  New York Times : Why? Because the U.S. population has, collectively, built up immunity to the virus. Much of that is thanks to vaccines and boosters. But repeated exposure to the virus a

At COP26 in Glasgow nuclear power seemed to have made a comeback to team with renewable resources to check climate warming.  If nothing else, the nuclear proponents argue that their power source is the only major baseload option in the transition to totally clean energy.   To quote: Nuclear power generates about 10% of the world’s electricity, which amounts to more than a quarter of all low-carbon electricity. Its reliable, 24/7 output also helps mitigate energy fuel price volatility and improve the reliability and resilience of electrical grids with high shares of variable renewables. For these reasons, nuclear power in partnership with other clean energy sources can help deliver on both the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to a   recent report   by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) . Mind you, the above came from the International Atomic Energy Agency. I've read a range of articles about the validity of using more