deicer

Follow the facts and not the fossil fuel company narrative. https://www.iea.org/news/massive-expansion-of-renewable-power-opens-door-to-achieving-global-tripling-goal-set-at-cop28 Massive expansion of renewable power opens door to achieving global tripling goal set at COP28 World added 50% more renewable capacity in 2023 than in 2022 and next 5 years will see fastest growth yet, but lack of financing for emerging and developing economies is key issue The world’s capacity to generate renewable electricity is expanding faster than at any time in the last three decades, giving it a real chance of achieving the goal of tripling global capacity by 2030 that governments set at the COP28 climate change conference last month, the IEA says in a new report. The amount of renewable energy capacity added to energy systems around the world grew by 50% in 2023, reaching almost 510 gigawatts (GW), with solar PV accounting for three-quarters of additions worldwide, according to Renewables 2023, the latest edition of the IEA’s annual market report on the sector. The largest growth took place in China, which commissioned as much solar PV in 2023 as the entire world did in 2022, while China’s wind power additions rose by 66% year-on-year. The increases in renewable energy capacity in Europe, the United States and Brazil also hit all-time highs. The latest analysis is the first comprehensive assessment of global renewable energy deployment trends since the conclusion of the COP28 conference in Dubai in December. The report shows that under existing policies and market conditions, global renewable power capacity is now expected to grow to 7 300 GW over the 2023-28 period covered by the forecast. Solar PV and wind account for 95% of the expansion, with renewables overtaking coal to become the largest source of global electricity generation by early 2025. But despite the unprecedented growth over the past 12 months, the world needs to go further to triple capacity by 2030, which countries agreed to do at COP28. Solar PV and onshore wind deployment through 2028 is expected to more than double in the United States, the European Union, India and Brazil, compared with the last five years. Prices for solar PV modules in 2023 declined by almost 50% year-on-year, with cost reductions and fast deployment set to continue. This is because global manufacturing capacity is forecast to reach 1 100 GW by the end of 2024, significantly exceeding demand. By contrast, the wind industry (outside of China) is facing a more challenging environment due to a combination of ongoing supply chain disruption, higher costs and long permitting timelines, which require stronger policy attention.

Do you think they are taking the time to arrange alternate transport for the two astronauts meaning they would have the Starliner capsule return empty?

In keeping with the D-Day anniversary, here is an archive photo of the valve-timing gears from the Bristol Hercules radial engine. This was a 14-cylinder two-row radial sleeve aero engine produced by the Bristol Engine Company starting in 1939. It powered the Bristol Beaufighter heavy fighter, and was commonly used on British bombers at the time. This engine was designed on drawing boards, using manual drawing instruments and 2D orthogonal projections. No 3D solids, no CAD simulations to check for geometric interference.

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/03/15/analysis/high-gas-prices-some-canadians-are-filling-under-35-cents-litre High gas prices? Some Canadians are filling up for under 35 cents a ‘litre’ Gasoline prices are surging. That's forcing owners of gasoline-burning cars to pay a lot more to drive around. In some areas of Canada, gasoline now costs more than $2 a litre. Canadians who own electric-powered vehicles (EVs), however, are filling up for less than 35 cents per "litre equivalent." The reason EVs are so much cheaper to fuel is because they only require a quarter as much energy to drive them around. A rough rule of thumb for comparing fuel prices is that two kilowatt-hours (kWh) in an EV provides the same driving energy as one litre of gasoline does in a gasoline-burner. (See the endnotes for all the geeky details.) My chart below lets you compare the current costs of filling up with gasoline versus electricity in major cities across Canada. Those tall red coin stacks show the average price for gasoline in each city right now. The short gold coin stacks show the local price for the litre equivalent of two kWh of electricity for an EV. For example, the bars on the far left show that in Vancouver, it currently costs nine times more to drive with gasoline than with electricity. And since all of B.C.'s gasoline is imported, a lot of the money spent at the pump leaves the province. In contrast, filling EVs with made-in-B.C. electricity keeps those energy dollars and energy jobs in the province. In many other cities — like Calgary, Toronto, Moncton and St. John's — gasoline currently costs seven times more to drive on than local electricity. The biggest winners in Canada right now are EV drivers in Quebec. As the chart shows, charging an EV at home in Montreal costs around 13 cents per litre equivalent. Oh, and as a very nice bonus, Quebec's electricity is also 700 times less climate-polluting to drive on than burning gasoline. (Yes, 700 times cleaner … see endnotes for details.) Despite electricity being many times cheaper and cleaner for Canadian drivers, only three per cent of the new passenger vehicles bought in Canada last year were all-electric EVs. That's five times fewer than the number Europeans bought. It's also fewer than Americans bought. It's even below the global average. The reason our peers in many other nations are choosing electric over gasoline far more often is because their governments introduced policies that make EVs the better choice for them. These policies are helping their citizens lock in a future of lower fuel costs, less deadly air pollution and declining climate emissions. If Canada's federal and provincial governments want to provide the same benefits to Canadians, they know how to do it. For example, Canada could adopt the policy package that has worked so spectacularly well in Norway — where 80 per cent of the new cars Norwegians buy now are all-electric EVs. If that northern oil-exporting nation can do it, surely ours can, too. ********* Endnotes 2 kWh for an EV = 1 litre gasoline. This is the rough rule of thumb I used in this article to compare fuel costs. Here's the data and math: One litre of gasoline — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says a litre of gasoline contains 8.9 kWh of heat energy, but that just 20 per cent of that energy ends up turning the wheels. The rest is lost in friction and waste heat. That means each litre of gasoline supplies 1.8 kWh of driving energy (math: 8.9 kWh x 20% = 1.8 kWh). A litre equivalent in electricity — EVs are far more energy-efficient. The EPA says that 88 per cent of the electricity put into an EV makes it to the wheels. So, to deliver a "litre equivalent" of 1.8 kWh in driving energy to the wheels requires fuelling an EV with two kWh from the grid (math: 2 kWh x 88% = 1.8 kWh). CO2 from filling up in Quebec — Burning a litre of gasoline emits 2,350 grams of carbon dioxide (gCO2). Quebec's electricity emits 3.4 gCO2 to generate the litre equivalent of two kWh for an EV (see Canada's National Inventory Report, Part 3). That makes gasoline 700 times more climate-polluting to drive on than Quebec's electricity. Gas prices — The gas prices in my chart are per-litre averages for each city on March 10, according to the popular GasBuddy.com. Electricity prices — The electricity prices in my chart are the average cost in each city for two kWh (a litre equivalent), according to Hydro Quebec's "2021 Comparison of Electricity Prices in Major North American Cities" report. Fuel costs for average Canadian passenger vehicle — The average new car in Canada will burn 28,000 litres (21 tonnes of gasoline) over a 200,000-mile lifespan. At $1.50 per litre, the gasoline bill would add up to $42,000. At $0.14 per kWh, the electricity to drive an equivalent EV would cost $8,000.

f you needed an idea of the amount of flak the Germans put up against the paratroopers and gliders on D-Day, here’s Captain Thomas Francis Mantell Jr DFC C-47. `Vulture’s Delight' was a C-47 Glider tug assigned to the 96th Troop Carrier Squadron, despite the heavy damage and only having one engine, Mantell completed his mission and returned safely.

How to operate a Blackburn Buccaneer, low level strike aircraft: "Open throttle, reach take off speed, raise undercarriage, go to full throttle, descend to operating altitude."

Worth repeating...

It will be interesting to see if the capsule comes back next week manned, or unmanned.

Yup! The crack cocaine of snaks! Beware though, it only comes in the 1.5kilo size

Hmmm, looks like I have to plan a trip.....

Yippee! Are the pretzels as addictive as the Kirkland Peanut Butter filled ones? Those are my current equivalent of a crack snack!

Will it be a full can that they give you or a 4 ounce cup like they've been doing with soft drinks up to now?

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/05/american-airlines-flight-attendants-raises-contract-talks.html Flight attendant union rejects American Airlines’ proposed 17% pay raise KEY POINTS American Airlines offered flight attendants a 17% immediate pay hike as contract talks drag on with no deal. “There’s still a good deal of work to be done” despite the wage increase offer, CEO Robert Isom said. American faces a flight attendant strike if the two sides don’t reach a deal with federal mediators. The labor union that represents American Airlines flight attendants on Wednesday rejected a company proposal to immediately raise pay by 17%. CEO Robert Isom offered flight attendants immediate 17% wage increases earlier Wednesday as contract talks continue without a deal, bringing the prospect of a strike closer. The airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have struggled to reach a new contract agreement, differing on major issues, such as pay. Flight attendants haven’t received contract raises since before the pandemic. “We have made progress in a number of key areas, but there is still a good deal of work to be done,” Isom said in a video message to flight attendants. The union said the two sides are scheduled to meet with federal mediators next week for a “last-ditch” effort to get a deal done, adding that flight attendants were told to prepare for a strike. Strikes are extremely rare among airline employees. The last took place in 2010 among Spirit Airlines pilots. If the two parties can’t reach a deal, a release by federal mediators would be triggered, a process that would take several weeks. “So, to get you more money now, we presented APFA with a proposal that offers immediate wage increases of 17% and a new formula that would increase your profit sharing,” Isom said Wednesday. “This means we’ve offered increased pay for all flight attendants and are not asking your union for anything in return. This is unusual, but these are unusual times.” Julie Hedrick, the union’s national president, said that the airline’s focus should be on preparing a longer-term deal with the flight attendants. “This is not that,” she said. Also on Wednesday, the union said it opened a “strike command center” with dedicated phone lines and other resources to answer cabin crew questions. U.S. airline pilots largely locked in new labor deals last year, while flight attendants at American, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are still negotiating. Last month, a bipartisan group of more than 160 House representatives wrote to the National Mediation Board, urging it to help complete deals with airlines and flight attendants.

While the initial cost is $225 million, they aren't accounting for how much will be paid to the Beer Store to keep outlets open to accept empties. Also, the cost in corner stores for the product will be higher also. Just not good business sense when they could have done it next year with no cost because of the contract expiring. It's the same justification they used when they paid Staples $10 million to retrofit stores for Service Ontario outlets, and then touted that it would save taxpayers $1 million over three years At the same time, it isn't the government, however, the Ontario conservative party has paid over $600,000 in lawyers fees for the developers that were involved in the greenbelt scandal. Dougy just wants you drunk and stoned for when he calls the early election next spring! (Because even he's afraid it will hurt his re-election chances IF Polievre gets in!)

https://www.thebeaverton.com/2024/06/westjet-announces-superultrabasic-fare-where-customers-just-stay-home-and-give-them-money/ WestJet announces SuperUltraBasic fare where customers just stay home and give them money CALGARY – Days after announcing an UltraBasic fare that includes no carry-on bags or seat selection, WestJet has announced a SuperUltraBasic ticket that skips the plane ride entirely. “Here at WestJet, we realise that Canadians hate flying with WestJet,” said a WestJet representative. “So why not avoid all the stress and exhaustion of dealing with us by sending us 100 bucks and then enjoying a nice, quiet evening at home?” For an extra $60, WestJet will text a SuperUltraBasic ticket holder a picture of the arrival concourse at the Canadian airport of their choice. And, for an extra $85, a WestJet representative will come to your house, remove a beloved article of clothing, and ensure you never see it again. WestJet also announced that this has somehow made all of their other services more expensive. “This new ticket is so convenient,” said frequent flyer Greg Cardinal. “Dealing with WestJet is like haggling with a more impersonal Satan, and the SuperUltraBasic ticket minimizes my interactions with the company. Sure, I won’t get to my destination, but I can serve myself all the little bags of pretzels I want.” WestJet is advertising its new ticket with slogans like “Our pilots are overworked and if you think about it that’s really your fault,” “Do you really want to visit Edmonton?” and “Statistically, Mom will likely cling to life in her nursing home for another year” placed over an image of a Boeing plane shedding parts during an emergency landing. “As Canadians grapple with the rising cost of living, we’ve found a way to make travel cheaper than ever,” WestJet’s spokesman said. “Just don’t do it and pretend you did. Is anyone really going to call you out if you lie about visiting Montreal over a long weekend? You’d probably just eat a bunch of poutine and get drunk anyway. Frankly, you assholes should be grateful we ever let you on our planes to begin with.” At press time, WestJet revealed a MegaSuperUltraBasic ticket where the company just reaches into your bank account and withdraws 50 bucks whenever it needs a little extra spending money.

You are correct in my opinion. The Liberals will allow them to go on strike, for a while. Then they will declare that it is damaging the economy before sending them back to work. That way they can state that they didn't take away the pilots constitutional rights. Unlike the Harper government that put up back to work legislation against the IAM before they even went on strike. That is why rampies had no love for Lisa the Ratt and slow clapped her. Which led to a walkout.

Thank you for acknowledging a symptom in the sickness.

So two wrongs make a right? Back in 2013 the demand for electricity and the increase in electrical vehicles wasn't what it is like today. Back then, there was actually a decrease in demand for electricity because of the efficiency gains in new technology. https://www.ieso.ca/en/Power-Data/Demand-Overview/Historical-Demand https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/3250/ontario-to-make-buildings-more-energy-efficient Ontario has one of the most aggressive targets in North America to reduce peak electricity demand - Between 2004 and 2007, Ontario reduced its peak electricity demand by five per cent, or 1,350 megawatts. Ford's conservative government knew that they would be needing vastly more amounts of electricity yet they have done nothing over the last 6 years to improve the system. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003253/province-launches-plan-to-power-ontarios-growth#quickfacts Powering Ontario’s Growth is the government’s official response to the Independent Electricity System Operator’s Pathways to Decarbonization report published in December 2022, which forecasted future energy demands as a result of electrification and economic growth. The IESO Pathways to Decarbonization report forecasts in one scenario that electricity demand could double by 2050, increasing from 42,000 MW today to 88,000 MW. https://www.ieso.ca/en/Powering-Tomorrow/2021/The-Future-of-Electricity-Demand-in-Ontario With the pandemic recovery well underway, IESO forecasts show a steady average growth in electricity demand of about 1.7 per cent a year. This trend toward increasing demand is driven by a number of factors – all reflecting positive progress in economic growth and decarbonization. For example, continuing and robust growth in the greenhouse sector is driving jobs and economic opportunities – particularly in Southwestern Ontario. Innovation in the mining and steel industries is also contributing to a rise in industrial electricity demand, while population growth coupled with more people working from home will lead to an uptick in residential energy use around the province. First and foremost, energy efficiency is proven to have an immediate and lasting impact by lowering electricity demand. The IESO’s Save on Energy programs provide a range of incentives to businesses and residents to help manage energy use and reduce bills. Since 2006, Save on Energy has reduced energy use equivalent to taking 1.7 million homes off the grid for a year. The impact of electric vehicles on the grid is expected to be felt particularly strongly from 2030 onward as the effects of federal electrification policies kick in. Decarbonization is also being seen in other sectors – such as steel – where energy-intensive blast furnaces are switching from coal to electricity. New government policy, changing consumer preferences and large-scale industrial projects, could drive these projections even higher. So with that knowledge, Ford has now put Ontario in a position where taxpayers are going to have to pay multiples more for electricity because his policy has put the province behind the proverbial eight ball. Maybe if he skips putting beer in corner stores, that billion dollars can go towards new electrical generation? Hospitals? Education?

Just speaking for Ontario, if the conservative government didn't cancel all the renewable projects (at great cost) we wouldn't be having this issue. Instead, they are years behind and struggling to add capacity (at even greater cost)! It's great being a taxpayer under a conservative government