Two old friends are having a discussion about Benjamin Netanyahu and his level of intelligence; one says he’s “stupid,” and the other disagrees.
Now, I don’t follow Israeli politics as closely as either of these two, but here’s my take on the matter: Insofar as he’s a demagogue, and an extremely effective one at that, we need to grant that he possesses intelligence along a certain dimension that is sufficient to enable him to figure out, with fabulous precision, how to address his audience and control their behavior at the polls.
It’s unclear if he’s capable of solving differential equations, speaking half a dozen languages, or following the advancements in particle physics, but that’s completely irrelevant. The only matter at play here is his love of power, and his capacity to manipulate “common” people, using rhetoric to stir up the passions of the masses so as to push him into power and keep him there.
My doctor, who knows that I understand physics and renewable energy in particular, asked me today what I thought about wind turbines on boats.
I explained that, since boats need their own ways to generate electricity, what is called “small wind” may make sense. Most ships have diesel-powered generators, and that’s an option for smaller craft as well, and solar is not an attractive option because of the small area.
Doctors generally don’t have time to kill, but he asked me further about small wind, to which I explained:
Because the area of a circle is proportional to the square of the radius, big is better. If you can build a turbine with a radius 100 times larger than a small one, you’re going to generate 10,000 time more power.
Because the power generated by a turbine is proportional to the cube of the wind’s velocity, if you can site a turbine in wind conditions that are 10 times those on your rooftop, with trees and other buildings slowing the wind down, you’re going to generate 1000 times more power.
So, as usual, the answer resides in physics and math. 1000 times 10,000 is 10 million, which is why we see huge turbines on structures that lift huge turbines high above the ground, and it’s why the small wind industry has essentially disappeared.
If you don’t understand elementary school math and high school science, and you have money to burn, the investment offered at left may be right for you.
It’s interesting that there is no Fox News (or equivalent) in Canada.
The Canadians have protections of free speech that are very similar to ours in the States, and, like the U.S., these rights are not absolute. One difference is that Canada prohibits gross misrepresentation, which, in this case means that presenting opinions and calling it “news” is against the law. Lies are fine; calling them “news” is not.
A possible name for a show with the same content might be “Conservative Viewpoints” or “The Way the Right Wing Sees the World.”
Where Canada protects its people from malicious bullshit, in America we say, “Money talks.”
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich makes an excellent point at left.
The constant onslaught of distractions coming out of Trump’s mouth is calculated make us give up striving for truth, honesty, and environmental responsibility.
We mustn’t quit.
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