The Way We Counter China, Ten Approaches

Image
Art generated by Ideogram in response to author's prompt (Not about Enfield) The way we counter China: 1. Destroy our R&D basic research capability. Check. 2. Scare off foreign students. Check. 3. Discourage investment by putting economy at risk of recession. Check. 4. Let China and EU lead in EV and alternative energy development. Check. 5. Prompt our allies to rebuild supply chains away from America. Check. 6. Undermine the global standing of our leading research universities. Check. 7. Implement mass deportations without a plan to counter our low population replacement rate. Check. 8. Impose an incoherent tariff policy. Check. 9. Prompt China and the EU to spend more on R&D and education in response to trade restrictions. Check. 10. Get into a trade war with China without alternative sources, or a stockpile, of rare earth minerals. Check. 
Post a Comment

Connecticut's warming climate and our mild winter

 
Late day glow, Enfield, Cora Street, Jan. 18, 2023

We could still get a lot of snow. The Blizzard of 1978 struck on Feb. 5 and dumped some two feet of snow. But there's no getting around the realization that our winters in Enfield are warmer, and so far, this Connecticut winter is pathetic. 

Connecticut's temperature will see a five-degree Fahrenheit increase in annual temperature by 2050, according to the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), and fewer frost days, from 124 days to 85. The number of days of rain will increase, but most of that will be in the spring and winter. The summer climate will be dry. 

Climate Central ranks Connecticut eighth among states that are warming the most, reporting a 3.2°F increase since 1970. The overall temperature rise in the U.S. is 2.6°F. 

Connecticut and New England states, especially New Jersey, rank high because of the slowing of the Gulf Stream, which is increasing the warm water near us. The ocean waters influence our air temperature and climate. 

Our changing climate is grim, unsettling, and depressing, honestly. The decline of our winters in Enfield and Connecticut is evident to anyone of a certain age. It hurts to think about the loss of winter, but more about what we are doing to ourselves. 

I used my gas-powered snowblower just once this year for a three-inch storm. And then there is the oil furnace keeping the house warm. Eventually, a heat pump and solar panels will replace these systems. 
 
In Enfield, which is primarily single-family houses, the majority running on oil heat, this shift in energy source will be costly but necessary. The evidence is right outside our windows. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fix it or face foreclosure: Enfield’s blight ordinance targets minor issues

Image
  Chipped paint on Town Hall is blight under the town's proposed blight ordinance Imagine being fined $100 a day because your lawn grew too tall while you were in the hospital. Under Enfield's proposed blight ordinance, this nightmare could become a reality for many residents. The Town Council will consider this revised ordinance at its Monday night meeting—but as written, it could harm hundreds of residents over minor cosmetic issues, from overgrown grass to temporary home repairs. While it's reasonable to address properties that pose genuine health and safety risks, this ordinance goes too far by treating cosmetic issues as equally severe. For example, if grass or weeds grow taller than 12 inches, the town can issue a citation requiring correction within 10 days. If it's not addressed in time, the property maintenance inspector can impose fines of $100 a day—with no cap—until the problem is resolved. In extreme cases, these escalating fines could even lead to foreclos...
Read more

Why is Enfield in trouble? Facts with a dose of sarcasm

Image
Molly at School Rally People are going after spending in Enfield and trying to dissect it to see where they can find gross mismanagement. Since the Republicans have been in control for all but two of the last 16 years, let's assume that the town's spending is pristine and error-free and beyond reproach—except for the two years when the Democrats were in charge. As we all know, the Democrats dumped money out of the windows of Town Hall. The Town Council Republicans are going to try to set a token reduction in the Mill Rate. To reach that point, they may have to do some problematic things, such as deferring spending on things like police cruiser replacements and equipment generally, putting off some maintenance, and not filling vacancies and laying off where they can, and who knows what else. There's a lot they can't touch, namely contractual salary obligations. But they want to be able to say that they reduced taxes. More concerning will be how much of the costs are bein...
Read more

Enfield to Pay Over $1 Million in Legal Fees After Violating Disability Rights

Image
AI generated art  Enfield is on the hook for more than $1 million in legal fees after a federal court ruled that the town and its Board of Education violated federal disability laws by failing to accommodate Sarah Hernandez, an autistic and deaf elected official. In 2017, Ms. Hernandez was a newly elected school board member. Instead of providing reasonable accommodations for her to participate in board meetings fully, the town chose to fight a multi-year federal legal battle. After about five years, a U.S. District Court jury ruled in January 2024 that Enfield discriminated against Ms. Hernandez in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She won little in damages from the court, but the court later issued a permanent injunction requiring the town not to discriminate against people with disabilities. The town had to pay her legal cost, and that bill has arrived. On March 7, the U.S. District Court in Bridgeport ordered Enfield to pay $964,366 in attorneys' fees and ...
Read more