Testimony at the D.E.P. hearing this evening

 First, an explanation (and apology).

 Ever since I heard that the first thing some of my readers do in the morning before they eat breakfast is to read my posts, I feel really bad when I miss an evening.  Last night I came home from a political meeting feeling really lousy.  I took my temperature; it was 102 degrees.  I felt completely exhausted and went straight to bed and slept until noon today.  I still have a fever, but it is only around 100 degrees.  Tomorrow I go in at 9:00 to find out what I have.  I'm thinking Lyme disease.  

And while I am on the topic of missing posts, I am driving to Indianapolis on Tuesday to see the Art Museum and the Indian Museum and won't be back until next Saturday if all goes well and I am not in the ICU.  I will not post from the trip.

Now, about the testimony.  A company plans to build a data center (four buildings) upstream from the town of Nesquehoning.  The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection held a question period for the developers followed by a comment period.  My comment follows.  Most of the comments were very technical; mine was more philosophical because I don't know the technical aspects.  Or, if you are cruel, you might call it B.S.

Perhaps developers use the term “artificial” intelligence to indicate that it is not authentic intelligence.

Anyone with real intelligence knows that the massive amounts of power necessary to operate data centers will accelerate global climate change and raise the cost of electricity for the rest of us.

Anyone with real intelligence will understand that data centers will impact huge tracts of land, often in areas of sensitive environmental concern.

Anyone with real intelligence realizes that in an era of increased drought (much of Eastern Pennsylvania is already in a drought watch; Lake Mead is reaching its lowest levels ever), the increased necessity for water to operate data centers is worsening a global disaster.

Anyone with real intelligence will question why an industry that promises tremendous benefits for the economy continues to advocate for tax breaks.

Anyone with real intelligence understands that the frequent touting of increased job opportunities flies in the face of layoffs and unemployment already resulting from the use of artificial intelligence.

New technological developments often bring unanticipated economic and social changes.  While these changes may be beneficial (I can drive to town without saddling my horse), they often have undesirable aspects as well (my car is powered by petroleum products).  It may take years, even decades, to determine whether a new technology does more harm than good.  (Think drones, or social media, or atomic weapons.)

This is not an argument against technological development or innovation.  I am making an argument for “deliberate speed,” for careful study, for thoughtful regulation, and for assurance that what we are doing won’t harm the natural world and will benefit our communities.  Until then we need a moratorium on data center development.

I am also fully aware that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection can’t sit around debating philosophical questions on technological development or impose a state-wide moratorium or determine tax policy.  It can, however, take steps to ensure that our streams are not polluted, our air is clean, we are not subjected to unwanted noise, our aquifers are protected, and our wetlands are not destroyed.  Those are things D.E.P. can and should do.

France can do it–why can't we?

Last week a French law prohibiting unsolicited cold calls by businesses took effect.  I probably get ten of these calls a day, often four of five from the same scam artists.  Lately I’ve been getting solicited for an auto accident I might have been in that I can get money for.  

I do have a bit of fun.  First you get a robot, always female, who then switches you over to a “claims specialist.”  If I’m not too busy I see how long I can keep the scam artist on the line.  I also tell the scam artist outlandish things, like “I did have an accident, but it wasn’t my fault because I was drunk,” or “I only killed two pedestrians.”  Click.

Nonetheless, these calls are annoying.  Why can the French legislature act when our Congress can’t even publish the Epstein files?

We own Big Bend National Park

The closest I ever got to Big Bend was Fort Stockton on I-10, but this evening when I saw the film of the earth-moving equipment and the bulldozer uprooting trees in the Park, I felt so sad.  I heard that something like one percent of the people illegally crossing into the U.S. enter at Big Bend.  There is no reason to put a wall there other than to show that you can do it.

Like the White House and the Smithsonian, Big Bend National Park is owned by all of us, not some buffoon in the White House.  We–Congress, Texas politicians the population at large– really need to stop this madness.  And that is what it is.

 

The Timing of Medicare cuts

The Great Leader and the Republicans in Congress have cut subsidies for the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces.  So far this year approximately 3 million people have lost their medical insurance.

But wait.  The Republican Congress also enacted cuts in Medicaid.  Guess when those cuts take effect.  After the November midterms.  

Those wily Republicans.  Clever little buggers.

Working the Ukrainian Festival

Each year the Democratic Party has a booth at the Ukrainian Festival in Carbon County.  We give away small Ukrainian flags and plastic bracelets, have candidate literature available, collect money for a Ukrainian charity that helps bombing victims, and display four large posters with quotations by Trump and Vance praising Putin and criticizing Zelenskyy.

It is wonderful to bask in the warmth of the support of hundreds of people.  In the entire afternoon we had two negative passersby, including a MAGA supporter who claimed the Democratic Party was filled with Communists.  Everyone else gave us thumbs up, snapped pictures of the posters, took flags, and engaged in friendly discussions.  It was a great day.

The Republican Party did not have a booth.

Dayton, Ohio

“Would you like to come over for tea with the missus and me?  It’s a real nice way to spend the day in Dayton, Ohio, on a lazy Sunday afternoon in 1903.”

That’s from a wonderful Randy Newman song which you can hear on YouTube.  Dayton must still be a nice place.  It has immigrants from over 100 countries, including India, China, Vietnam, Haiti, and Rwanda.  

The City Council decided to remove all Flock cameras.  It was afraid ICE would use the data to harass immigrants.  I’ve never been to Dayton, but it sounds like my kind of town.

Rival conceptions of nationhood in the West

In an article entitled “Continental Drift” in the Aug. 17 issue of the New Yorker, Ian Buruma writes:

Since the nineteenth century, the Western world has been divided between two rival conceptions of nationhood:  the nation as a community of blood and faith, and the nation as a democratic state of citizens of equal rights.

That is one of the best summaries of the difference between the Republicans and the Democrats of today.  Listen to any speech by Trump or Hegseth or Vance, and you will hear the former.  Listen to any speech by any Democratic Senate candidate, and you will hear the latter.  

As the old labor song said, “Which side are you on, boys, which side are you on?”