Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Mollie's post below on so-called green jobs nudged me to check in on California's own Jerry Brown. Today's 1970s revival would not be complete without Governor Sunbeam weighing in on the environment. The San Jose Mercury News reports:
LAS VEGAS -- In his first out-of-state trip since taking office in January, California Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that he plans to forge ahead with aggressive renewable energy policies amid growing evidence of climate change.
"Climate change has become more obvious, and we see great opportunity in investing in wind, solar and energy efficiency, or 'negawatts,'" Brown told a gathering here of 700 clean energy advocates. "This is like the computer industry when it first started. It starts small and it keeps growing. We're not going to ever not need energy."
Everything Jerry Brown says isn't nutty--it's hard to argue with "We're not going to ever not need energy", after all. But doesn't "negawatts" sound like the perfect energy sector complement to Obama's nega-growth economy. For evidence, look no further than the millions of negajobs created or saved by the stimulus!
How is it that all lifelong politicians from the left automatically qualify as climate scientists, venture capitalists and industrial planners? Boy are they smart!
At least the political class in Washington has learned an important lesson: If Congress cannot subsidize unaffordable, intermittent energy into existence, or shut down enough coal power plants to ensure a return on Al Gore's cleantech investments, we only need to command green energy into existence.
But with federal stimulus funding winding down and budget battles looming in Washington, the future of clean energy investment looks bleak. Many advocates want Congress to pass a national Clean Energy Standard, which would require a specified amount of the nation's electricity to come from renewable power by a certain date.
I'll give Governor Brown the last word:
"Climate denial propaganda is very powerful, but California is standing against it," Brown said. "Part of my job is to advance the truth of science."
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Comments :
Dec '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Someone should tell the big maple tree in my front yard that the globe is warming. It seems to think the first day of September is an appropriate time to have a quarter of its leaves turn yellow already.
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that California's business environment is also experiencing "climate change." The latest unemployment figure is 12 percent.
Jan '11
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
The evidence is growing? Says who? The proof that it's growing is the same proof that it exists in the first place. The assumptions that drive the "growing" claim are no different the assumptions that drive the theory.
What we have are statistics and alternative theories to explain them. We may have more statistics, but those statistics don't give us any extra reason to embrace one alternative more than another.
Dec '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
KC Mulville: The evidence is growing? Says who? The proof that it's growing is the same proof that it exists in the first place. The assumptions that drive the "growing" claim are no different the assumptions that drive the theory.
What we have are statistics and alternative theories to explain them. We may have more statistics, but those statistics don't give us any extra reason to embrace one alternative more than another. · Sep 1 at 3:45pm
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -- Disraeli (?)
Dec '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Have you ever noticed that the people who "believe in science" believe in the kind of science that has to be believed in? But when it involves looking into some mathematical details or the actual scientific method, they aren't so interested.
Feb '11
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
KC Mulville: The evidence is growing? Says who?
That's the genius of rebranding "Global Warming" as "Climate Change." The unstated corollary is that any change is inimical. The climate is always changing. No one can refute that. No matter what the weather is it constitutes proof of the reality of climate change. Therefore, the science is "settled" and any skeptic who disputes it is an ignoramus by definition. Since any change is assumed to be inimical, the only remaining question therefore is the nature and magnitude of the political response, because if something exists and it is defined as bad then obviously the government must address it.
Jul '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Brown's closer wins the Sisyphus pea through the nostril award for today. I think they have optimized the process to where they discard the irrefutable proofs shortly before they manufacture them. Still waiting on all of those FOIAs.
Jul '11
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Sweet!
Jan '11
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
I thought he was governor "moonbeam."
Oct '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
I don't remember advancing the truth of science as part of the oath the governor took upon entering office.
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
Ah yes, but that was before 21st-century-Brown embraced solar power in a big way. I wrote about his new name, featured in a fawning San Jose Mercury story, last month. Here's the money quote:
May '10
Re: Governor Sunbeam Advances "the Truth of Science"
George Savage: I'll give Governor Brown the last word:
California is boldly negathinking! California is also standing against basic economics, basic demographics and the confining shackles of mere mathematics. Sorry to say, guv, that not even a subsidized solar plant can do business in your state, so not sure where this energy is going to come from. Possibly evil alternate universe pegasi (complete with sinister goatees) known as negasi. Thinking outside the box, that California. Of course, to fund all this with a dwindling tax base, you'll need to raise neganues.
Honestly, if it weren't for Carrie Keagan, Kinsey Schofield and now Lauren Sivan, I can't imagine why anyone would live in the place. A perverse sense of loyalty to a mere state.