As suggested at left, a great deal of the hardship that has befallen the U.S. was simply bad luck.  Al Gore came within a whisker of victory in 2000, a win that would have forever changed the course of our nation in terms of energy policy, education, healthcare, and international affairs.

If Bernie had become the 2016 nominee, we wouldn’t have had Hillary Clinton telling our country’s most mean-spirited and least-educated people that they were “deplorables,” ushering a criminal sociopath into the White House.

We Came Incredible Close to Averting the Disaster that Is Donald Trump

Social democracies are nations in which the tax base provides everyone with healthcare and education, and where the richest and most powerful people are not free to ruin the environment.

I run into someone from one of these counties a couple of times a month, and I like to ask why their people are consistently at the top of the World Happiness Rankings. The normal response is always some variant of the following:

It’s hard to be happy living in a society that is indifferent to the suffering of others.  It’s part of the very nature of human beings to care about one another.

Something else I notice about these places is that very few people are religious.  Sweden, e.g., is about 80% atheist.

That means no childish tribalism, no ridiculous dogmas, no worries about eternal damnation, etc.

Socialism and “Free Stuff”

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

Ming Yang Firewalls Europe, US Turbine Orders Surge

Allen covers Ming Yang’s firewall from Beijing and Octopus Energy deal, US turbine orders hitting a three-year high, and Norway’s floating wind funding.

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Ming Yang Firewalls Europe, US Turbine Orders Surge