[ Shakes Glitter Out Of G-String ]
Time, I think, for an open thread. And while I’m being good to you, I’ll throw in one of these, as a bonus.
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For newcomers wishing to know more about what’s been going on here for the last fourteen years, in over 3,000 posts and over 100,000 comments, the reheated series is a pretty good place to start – in particular, the end-of-year-summaries, which convey the fullest flavour of what it is we do. A sort of blog concentrate. If you like what you find there… well, there’s lots more of that.
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Now share ye links and bicker.
When a liberal starts lecturing me about politics I would like to be able to poke him in the forehead and say “Off”.
He’s tweeting men can’t have babies.
Well you can’t have a baby and eat it too.
Oh, and Soylent Green is people.
Oh, and Soylent Green is people.
![](https://i.postimg.cc/y6jnxS2f/Tabeled.jpg)
@LW
They also report fewer Energy Star qualified appliances
Wouldn’t that go a step or two towards explaining their higher energy bills? If they have less efficient appliances? Maybe I’m missing something.
Again, thanks to all who’ve chipped in, including all those much too shy to say hello, or who’ve subscribed, or done shopping via the Amazon links. It’s what keeps this place here and is much appreciated.
Maybe I’m missing something.
No, not at all. But the article is. It is missing the issue intentionally. It is claiming that the electric grid is racist because black families pay more than white families, insinuating that somehow they are charged more for the same amount of electricity even though the report plainly states that black families use more energy due to factors which are not under the control of the electric company or any company that provides energy, factors like having less efficient appliances.
No, not at all. But the article is. It is missing the issue intentionally.
![](https://i.postimg.cc/jSQbzFR6/122666649-105289718046396-8259352755717544274-o.jpg)
Exactly.
the report plainly states that black families use more energy due to factors which are not under the control of the electric company
For example, when I see people driving on under-inflated tires, I know that they will have to replace them sooner because of their own carelessness, not any shadowy conspiracy. (Are they ignorant and stupid, or do they like a soft ride more than economy and safety? I don’t know and won’t ask.)
When my parents and grandparents were poor they had very low utility bills because they were very frugal in their habits. Alcohol was drunk in moderation and only on special occasions. (And no drugs period.) They drove used cars. They rarely ate in restaurants and never bought fast food. They shunned expensive trendy clothes. And so on.
One is reminded of Minnesota’s efforts in the 90s to address air quality problems in the Twin Cities by instituting a requirement for vehicles to be tested every couple of years to make sure their exhaust emissions were below the limits set by the State. The inspections regime was phased out after eight years. The State insists that this is because the program was successful at getting the worst-polluting vehicles out of circulation, but that fails to account for the extraordinary level of pushback they were receiving from activists in the Cities complaining that the repair costs and fines for non-compliance were falling disproportionate on poor non-white residents.
Turns out that wealthy people who purchase new vehicles every few years don’t tend to have issues with those vehicles belching filth into the air. Who’d have guessed?
In the end, we’re back to the situation where we complain loudly that poor neighborhood have poor air quality, while we studiously ignore the reasons why this should be the case.
(In a delicious example of history repeating, our current Governor is implementing new air quality rules that will make Minnesota as bad as California when it comes to selling cars. Oh, goodie!)