Teh “Smug One” generates a chuckle among those attending the STFU SOTU Wednesday night. To be sure, they weren’t laughing with him.
Via Planet Gore
Attack on Banks and the SOTU
Here’s the results of the last five trading days. Obama attacks Banking and Business in the State of the Union campaign speech and in the days before.
Mr. President, Tear Down This Rhetoric . . .
Reaction from the Blogosphere:
The State of the Union Is No ‘Reset’ Button – Karl Rove
The public thinks Obama doesn’t get it; Obama thinks the public doesn’t get it. – Rich Lowry
Here he goes again with his bank penalization idea!!!!!!!! Every time he opens his yap, my mutual funds take a nosedive! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SHUT UP!!! – Nicki @ The Liberty Zone
2 Words to Describe Obama Speech . . . YOU LIE! – Anthony @ The Liberty Sphere
Little Orange Bells
When I walked out on the patio today, the little eschevaria succulent caught my camera’s attention with these colorful little bell-shaped flowers. Click on the image to enlarge.
SOTU Preview
The Administration’s hoof-in-mouth over the Republican Landslide in Massachusetts continues to haunt them:
Via The Patriot Post:
Wind Farm Wake Turbulence Inefficiency
Planet Gore posted an item today about wind turbine wake (‘propwash’) causing turbines downwind to have reduced output because of the turbulent air generated by upwind turbines.
Image: Wind Turbines In Banning Pass. One of the largest wind turbine farms in the world is here near Palm Springs, CA. Photo courtesy Damsel. Click to enlarge.
I have always been skeptical about the reliability, efficiency and cost-per-generated-kilowatt of wind turbines. We recently were on a road trip and saw two different convoys of trucks carrying the estimated fifty foot long blades either to a new installation or to maintenance. I couldn’t believe the way the immense turbine blades dwarfed the big-rig tractors hauling them.
From Popular Science.
Downstream wind turbines may lose 20 percent or even 30 percent of their power compared to their fellows in front, according to a study on wake effects at Horns Rev that MacKay highlights on his blog. The paper also emphasizes that different wind directions make it practically impossible to gauge an overall “steady state” for large wind farms, unless researchers can sample wind speeds and directions at multiple points throughout the array.
This shows that wind energy may represent a highly visible form of alternative energy, but certainly not one without its quirks and controversies. Still, better technology can squeeze more juice out of each gust, and cooperative energy-sharing efforts can help offset the fickle nature of wind power.
Big Waves at the Point
Damsel and I drove to Point Vicente on the Southwest side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula to check out the waves after our Pacific storms last week. I caught this short video of the breakers crashing onto the rocks at the point.
After we relocate, we won’t miss the taxes and politics in California, but we will miss the seashore. But – where we’re going has its unique beauties too.
California Brown Pelican
These beautiful birds were on the endangered species list, but their numbers are now plentiful along the coastline ranging from Cabo San Lucas to Eureka and beyond. This handsome specimen flew so low and close to my camera today that you can practically see the whites of its eyes. Click on the image below to see the glorious extra-large close-up.
(Cap’n Bob: “I believe this is the best photo Damsel has ever taken of a California Brown Pelican.”)