Gregg R Thomas

Just about everyone outside China underestimates China.  They added about 357GW of wind and solar capacity in 2024. The total in the EU was about 80GW and the USA, a maximum of 60GW. China will probably be further ahead this year, around the 500GW mark. Yes, they are still investing in coal but have defined targets to phase it out in the long…[Read more]

@Enco

The only explicit position of mine you quoted was “Zero gun violence is not the goal. Reducing the amount of gun violence is the goal.”

The point of that quote was only to note the irony that his tough guy, unempatheric approach brushed aside the human cost of a country swimming in guns. Lucky for him he was shot dead and not his wife or…[Read more]

Have a great week Everyone!

“Compassion isn’t divine—it’s human. We had kindness long before we had commandments.” -me.

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen,

What do you think my position is/was?

I’m sure it’s a moving goal post, since you’re not holding yourself to the standard you held with Charlie Kirk’s position.

You’re always referring to something offscreen, Enco.

Something I said (not quoted), something I believe (no evidence). It’s kinda hard to respond…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen,

Zero gun violence is not the goal. Reducing the amount of gun violence is the goal. If one instituted an efficient and convenient public transportation system taking half the cars off the road, road deaths would go down somewhat proportionally.

Funny, you did not allow such nuance with the…

[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
So did New York’s stringent weapons laws stop Salman Rushdie from getting stabbed by Shia’ lunatic Hadi Matar?

Zero gun violence is not the goal. Reducing the amount of gun violence is the goal. If one instituted an efficient and convenient public transportation system taking half the cars off the road, road deaths wou…[Read more]

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen,

I’m not sure where you’re going with that. Stop hinting and be explicit, please.

Wouldn’t you have to say communications technology should be at least as restricted as guns, if danger to lives is your concern.

A free marketplace of ideas is inherently good. By, contrast, societies with stricter control over guns…[Read more]

jakelafort wrote:
Wall Street Journal headline: Early Bulletin Said Ammunition in Kirk Shooting Engraved With Transgender, Antifascist Ideology; Some Sources Urge Caution

I guess being antifascist has become a vile, nasty, evil thing.

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Unseen, Ideas in The Holy Bible, Al-Quran, The Communist Manifesto, and Mein Kampf put out by media technology beginning with the printing press have killed millions more than guns alone. Should such media technology be restricted to an elite few?

I’m not sure where you’re going with that. Stop hinting and be explicit, please.

jakelafort wrote:
Shitstorm is gonna intesnify a bit if the killer of Kirk is apprehended and it turns out he is a lefty. Probably is too. Imagine how the US and far right Europe would react if Trump is assassinated? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/europe-far-right-leaders-charlie-kirk-shooting-turning-point-usa

Trump is already…[Read more]

So, who was Charlie Kirk?

“I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.” — Charlie Kirk

Well, I think we can feel a little bit more secure now, can’t we?

Some more about the BBC bias.

Jesus is Magic!!

TheEncogitationer wrote:
But I can attest today that a Jesus Fish on a work van or business sign doesn’t necessarily equal trust or quality. Televangelists and Noah’s Ark theme parks do not help matters either.

I think the “trust” thing works both ways with religious people.  I’m always suspiciously on the look out for tell-tale hypocrisy.

TheEncogitationer wrote:
Tribes and clans can be and were dismantled by travel and trade between different peoples.

Travel and trade come into the story.  But in the first place, if family, clan and tribe ties are dissolved to a great extent, then people become individuals.  And religion provided the trust necessary for individuals to trade, o…[Read more]