Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Ray]

Oh my gosh! What on earth is happening in South Korea? It's making so many mistakes. 

2012–2013 Component Scandal: Thousands of parts in Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant were found to have faked safety warranties, leading to multiple reactor shutdowns and criminal prosecutions.
2012 Kori Shutdown: A severe loss of power incident at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant was covered up by engineers, later rated as an International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) level 2 incident.
2016 Earthquakes: Following a record earthquake, several reactors were shut down for safety inspections.
2025, a fatal accident occurred at a thermal power plant in Ulsan, South Korea, where a 60-meter boiler tower collapsed during demolition, leaving at least three workers dead and others trapped.
The 2025 incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding industrial safety in decommissioning projects, rather than active reactor safety.
2026, a small uranium hexafluoride gas leak occurred at a KEPCO plant in Daejeon.

Like good old USA: Solar Targets - South Korea has set ambitious goals to expand renewable energy, aiming for significantly higher solar capacity, including reaching 77.2 GW by 2038.

Oh my gosh! The USA seems to be no better than South Korea in handling its nuclear facilities. 

Here's a summary of Nuclear Reactor Incidents in the US, from the World Nuclear Association:

"Major Accidents: The World Nuclear Association identifies only one truly significant commercial accident in the U.S.: the Three Mile Island partial meltdown in 1979.

Serious Accidents/Incidents: A 2010 survey identified at least 56 accidents at U.S. nuclear reactors, defined as events resulting in loss of life or more than $50,000 in property damage.

Safety Violations and "Near Misses": Between 2001 and 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported more than 150 incidents where plants did not perform within acceptable safety guidelines. In 2010 alone, the Union of Concerned Scientists identified 14 "near misses" at U.S. nuclear plants.

Inspection Findings: Since 2001, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recorded more than 4,000 inspection findings related to failures to comply with safety regulations and industry standards.

Recent Leaks and Issues:
Tritium Leaks: Records show that 43 out of 61 currently operating nuclear sites have had leaks or spills of tritium exceeding EPA standards at some point in their history.

Recent Events: In November 2022, the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant in Minnesota leaked over 1,500 cubic meters of radioactive water. "

I guess I'll have to accept that nuclear power is currently not as safe as it should be. Hopefully, future technological research and development will solve these problems. However, there will probably always be the problem of incompetence and corruption amongst the people in charge. 
 

[digitaldog]

Oh my gosh! The USA seems to be no better than South Korea in handling its nuclear facilities. 

Fanboys of nuclear energy can add that burden to the list of disadvantages, along with construction costs, massively long times to approve and build, expensive recycling of an awful waste product, and a terrible LCOE score.
👍Go Solar and Wind. 👍

[digitaldog]

However, there will probably always be the problem of incompetence and corruption amongst the people in charge. 

Indeed sir, indeed!

The owners want to close this Colorado coal plant. The Trump administration says no
The federal government can intervene in power plant operations under the Federal Power Act.

Before Trump returned to the White House, however, the Energy Department mainly invoked its authority during wars and extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or cold snaps, according to a recent analysis conducted by the Congressional Research Service.

In Colorado, Tri-State and Platte River contend that there's no situation to justify an emergency order. In Michigan, environmental groups have filed a court challenge on similar grounds, focused on a coal plant outside Grand Rapids kept open since May 2025.

That court decision is expected sometime next summer.

https://www.npr.org/2026/02/23/g-s1-110980/trump-coal-energy-colorado

[Robert Roaldi]

Trump took offence at the women's Olympic hockey team and he announced major cutbacks in funding to women's hockey. So management of public programs is down to pleasing his 'majesty'.

This is third-world "shit-holery".

[digitaldog]

Trump took offence at the women's Olympic hockey team and he announced major cutbacks in funding to women's hockey. So management of public programs is down to pleasing his 'majesty'.

This is third-world "shit-holery".

Now don't forget: when you're a star, you can grab them by the pu**y.

[digitaldog]

Follow the money (simple economics):

February 27, 2026
Researchers point to reason coal was surpassed as an energy source in 2025: 'Shaking up all of our assumptions'
"The fact that [they] have overtaken coal for the first time marks a historic shift." New research reveals that solar and wind energy use is on the rise and met 109% of new electricity demand globally in 2025.

Clean, renewable energy use has now exceeded coal for the first time. As Yale Climate Connections reported, Ember Energy Research conducted an analysis on the surge of solar and wind energy. The research group found that over 600 gigawatts of solar power were added worldwide last year.

Analysts attribute this impressive growth to simple economics: The cost of wind and solar generation has fallen while traditional energy costs are rising. Now, solar and wind energy are cheaper to generate than coal or natural gas.

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/solar-and-wind-energy-growth-global-2025/

[Ray]

Follow the money (simple economics):

February 27, 2026
Researchers point to reason coal was surpassed as an energy source in 2025: 'Shaking up all of our assumptions'
"The fact that [they] have overtaken coal for the first time marks a historic shift." New research reveals that solar and wind energy use is on the rise and met 109% of new electricity demand globally in 2025.

Clean, renewable energy use has now exceeded coal for the first time. As Yale Climate Connections reported, Ember Energy Research conducted an analysis on the surge of solar and wind energy. The research group found that over 600 gigawatts of solar power were added worldwide last year.

Analysts attribute this impressive growth to simple economics: The cost of wind and solar generation has fallen while traditional energy costs are rising. Now, solar and wind energy are cheaper to generate than coal or natural gas.

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/solar-and-wind-energy-growth-global-2025/

"Analysts attribute this impressive growth to simple economics: The cost of wind and solar generation has fallen"........resulting in over a hundred Wind and Solar companies becoming bankrupt during the past few years. Fixed it for you. 

Here's a list of Major Solar Bankruptcies, as of January 2026, that you can find at the following website:
https://www.solarinsure.com/the-complete-list-of-solar-bankruptcies-and-business-closures

I guess government subsidies have not been sufficient. 

[digitaldog]

I guess government subsidies have not been sufficient. 

You guess; indeed.
Coal industry bankruptcies in 2024 were driven by operational disruptions, including severe weather, equipment failures, and logistical bottlenecks like the Baltimore bridge collapse. Key filings included Coking Coal, LLC (December)Ben's Creek Operations (April), and Heritage Coal (March), often resulting in liquidation or asset.

Westinghouse Electric Company (2017): Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to billions in cost overruns on AP1000 reactors at the Vogtle (Georgia) and V.C. Summer (South Carolina) projects.
Areva (2018): The French state-owned company required a €5.3 billion ($6.2 billion) bailout following massive losses, technically going bankrupt.
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp (2024): A microreactor developer that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure, indicating challenges in the advanced reactor sector.
FirstEnergy Solutions (2018): Filed for bankruptcy reorganization, leading to the planned closure of several Ohio and Pennsylvania reactors.

Meanwhile:
Key Highlights of Solar Industry Profits
First Solar (FSLR): Achieved record 2025 results with a $2.12 billion gross profit and a backlog of 50.1 gigawatts, valued at $15 billion.
Sunrun (RUN): Reported Q4 2025 revenue of $1.16 billion, representing a 124% increase from the previous year, with a total of 1.17 million customers.
FTC Solar (FTCI): Recorded $19.9 million in Q2 2025 revenue, highlighting a stable revenue trend.
Stardust Solar (SUN): Achieved its first profitable quarter and record revenue, with a $4 million contract backlog.
Drivers of Growth
Manufacturing Expansion: Increased U.S. production capabilities, particularly in states like Louisiana.
Federal Tax Credits: Strong financial performance is supported by U.S. production tax credits.
High Demand: Continued demand for solar modules and services drives, as seen in the large backlogs.

”Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
John Adams

[Ray]

Here are some details of the current solar subsidies, which you can find on the internet.

"OECD Data: The production of solar cells and modules has been the most subsidized industrial sector globally, representing nearly 3.2% of firm revenue between 2005 and 2024.

China Dominance: Chinese producers have been the largest recipients of subsidies, leading to over-capacity and low prices that make it difficult for other countries to compete, resulting in recent increased subsidies in Western countries like Australia, the US, and Germany.

Supply Chain Support: Studies estimate that a further $6.3 billion in subsidies (on top of the $1B Solar Sunshot) is required over 10 years to create a fully competitive, end-to-end Australian solar manufacturing industry.

As of 2025, U.S. solar manufacturers receive subsidies primarily through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides an estimated $30 billion in advanced manufacturing tax credits over a ten-year period. These incentives are structured to reward actual production and domestic investment rather than just installation."

[digitaldog]

Here's a list of Major Solar Bankruptcies, as of January 2026, that you can find at the following website:

Please tell your readers which companies listed on that URL are C&I/Commercial Industrial solar projects, NOT companies selling solar to homeowners.
Or maybe you didn't really read the entire article or examine who posted it?

The first law of holes: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. 🤫

[digitaldog]

As of 2025, U.S. solar manufacturers receive subsidies primarily through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides an estimated $30 billion in advanced manufacturing tax credits over a ten-year period. These incentives are structured to reward actual production and domestic investment rather than just installation."[/i]

3 billion a year, not enough! US federal and state governments provide an estimated $20 billion to over $30 billion annually in direct subsidies and tax breaks to the oil and gas industry. With Trump, one will go up, one will go down. It's a damn shame.

[Robert Roaldi]

Here are some details of the current solar subsidies, which you can find on the internet.

"OECD Data: The production of solar cells and modules has been the most subsidized industrial sector globally, representing nearly 3.2% of firm revenue between 2005 and 2024.

China Dominance: Chinese producers have been the largest recipients of subsidies, leading to over-capacity and low prices that make it difficult for other countries to compete, resulting in recent increased subsidies in Western countries like Australia, the US, and Germany.

Supply Chain Support: Studies estimate that a further $6.3 billion in subsidies (on top of the $1B Solar Sunshot) is required over 10 years to create a fully competitive, end-to-end Australian solar manufacturing industry.

As of 2025, U.S. solar manufacturers receive subsidies primarily through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides an estimated $30 billion in advanced manufacturing tax credits over a ten-year period. These incentives are structured to reward actual production and domestic investment rather than just installation."

Pointing out what things cost, without context, is pointless. You need to address the cost of NOT doing things. More generally, there are not just costs, there are benefits too, you need to count those too. Isn't this obvious.

It costs a lot of taxpayer money to build roads and highways. What would be the cost of not doing that. You wrote a short piece earlier in this thread about off-road vehicles, so maybe you don't believe in paving roads. I've done some car rallying in my day and if you had to transport peaches and tomatoes to market along dirt roads, they'd be some bruised.

It might be difficult to find industries that are not subsidized or favoured by statute or tariffs (aka import duties).

[digitaldog]

Pointing out what things cost, without context, is pointless. You need to address the cost of NOT doing things. More generally, there are not just costs, there are benefits too, you need to count those too. Isn't this obvious.

Not doing something. Ray can/will always invent even more distractions & rabbit holes when he is unable to answer a simple question whose answer would illustrate to his readers that he should not be taken seriously.

Please tell your readers which companies listed on that URL are C&I/Commercial Industrial solar projects, NOT companies selling solar to homeowners.
Or maybe you didn't really read the entire article or examine who posted it?

The first law of holes: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. 🤫

[Ray]

Pointing out what things cost, without context, is pointless. You need to address the cost of NOT doing things. More generally, there are not just costs, there are benefits too, you need to count those too. Isn't this obvious.

It costs a lot of taxpayer money to build roads and highways. What would be the cost of not doing that. You wrote a short piece earlier in this thread about off-road vehicles, so maybe you don't believe in paving roads. I've done some car rallying in my day and if you had to transport peaches and tomatoes to market along dirt roads, they'd be some bruised.

It might be difficult to find industries that are not subsidized or favoured by statute or tariffs (aka import duties).

Okay! Here's the context. All human activity in modern civilizations is directly dependant on the supply of energy, whatever the source of that energy.

The prosperity and well-being of the citizens in any particular country is dependent on the cost of that energy supply, the reliability of that energy supply, and the ways in which that energy is used, as well as the degree of efficiency in the use of that energy.

"It costs a lot of taxpayer money to build roads and highways. What would be the cost of not doing that."

Obviously the cost of not building roads would result in more expensive transport, which would significantly reduce most economic activity and reduce the average standard of living of the residents, although the increase of the transport of goods and people through the greater use of planes, helicopters, and drones would at least partially offset the negative effects of no roads.

"It might be difficult to find industries that are not subsidized or favoured by statute or tariffs (aka import duties)."

It would only be difficult to find that in a collapsed economy. All government subsidies and all government spending come from the taxes applied to profitable industries. Applying taxes to unprofitable industries would immediately speed up their bankruptcy. The taxes applied to individual salaries represent a portion of the profits from the industries that employ those individuals. The salaries of all politicians, bureaucrats, army personnel, footballers, entertainers, and so on, originate from profitable companies that produce things efficiently, pay large amounts of taxes, such as the fossil fuel industries, and pay good salaries to their employees who often transfer a portion of their salaries to footaballers, tennis players, actors and directors in the entertainment industry, and so on.

Of course there are many costs resulting from failing to do things which are sensible and pragmatic. For example, not elevating a home which is built in a known flood plain, will likely result in the house being washed away during the next major flood.

Not removing debris from a forest floor and not doing controlled burn-offs when the weather is suitable, will likely result in a future devastating fire which destroys many homes.
Got it? 

[digitaldog]

OK, here's the context. Devoid of distractions, straw man arguments, for the avoidance of answers to questions that would prove these distractions!

Wind and solar are the fastest-growing sources of electricity in history ... Wind and solar have expanded from 0.2% of the global electricity mix in 2000 to 13.4% in 2023! Worldwide solar and wind power generation has outpaced electricity demand this year (2025*), and for the first time on record, renewable energy combined generated more power than coal, according to a new analysis. Solar power is the fastest-growing energy source globally and in the U.S. over the last decade. Driven by a 99.9% reduction in costs since 1975, solar capacity increased over eightfold in the U.S. between 2014 and 2023. It has led to the addition of new power generation capacity for multiple consecutive years.

The reasons for this adoption have been explained factually multiple times here (cost/LCOE, time to build, safety, renewability, and more, including the effects on the climate).

Pay attention to the facts as they are, not as you wish them to be.
Got any photos to show us, Ray? Help yourself out of the hole. 

*https://apnews.com/article/climate-renewable-wind-solar-coal-electricity-demand-abf7b587b038bf7580de1baee6576bbc

[Robert Roaldi]

Okay! Here's the context. All human activity in modern civilizations is directly dependant on the supply of energy, whatever the source of that energy.

The prosperity and well-being of the citizens in any particular country is dependent on the cost of that energy supply, the reliability of that energy supply, and the ways in which that energy is used, as well as the degree of efficiency in the use of that energy.

"It costs a lot of taxpayer money to build roads and highways. What would be the cost of not doing that."

Obviously the cost of not building roads would result in more expensive transport, which would significantly reduce most economic activity and reduce the average standard of living of the residents, although the increase of the transport of goods and people through the greater use of planes, helicopters, and drones would at least partially offset the negative effects of no roads.

"It might be difficult to find industries that are not subsidized or favoured by statute or tariffs (aka import duties)."

It would only be difficult to find that in a collapsed economy. All government subsidies and all government spending come from the taxes applied to profitable industries. Applying taxes to unprofitable industries would immediately speed up their bankruptcy. The taxes applied to individual salaries represent a portion of the profits from the industries that employ those individuals. The salaries of all politicians, bureaucrats, army personnel, footballers, entertainers, and so on, originate from profitable companies that produce things efficiently, pay large amounts of taxes, such as the fossil fuel industries, and pay good salaries to their employees who often transfer a portion of their salaries to footaballers, tennis players, actors and directors in the entertainment industry, and so on.

Of course there are many costs resulting from failing to do things which are sensible and pragmatic. For example, not elevating a home which is built in a known flood plain, will likely result in the house being washed away during the next major flood.

Not removing debris from a forest floor and not doing controlled burn-offs when the weather is suitable, will likely result in a future devastating fire which destroys many homes.
Got it? 

You seem to be making my point for me.

[Robert Roaldi]

The USA is at war again despite that general warning that they were unprepared. Maybe Trump read somewhere that war Presidents never lose elections.

And there is that large national debt looming that no one seems to talk about, which is surprising given that they've bored us about debts for the last 5 decades.  Don’t debts matter after all?

One of the things I've heard recently is the huge debt is not an issue because the productivity gains in the economy due to AI will wipe out all debt some time soon. Yet, at the same time, some are predicting that within 2 years most white collar jobs will disappear because AI will take over all that work. It’s hard to see how the economy can rise up like a phoenix with everyone unemployed. What am I missing?

[digitaldog]

The USA is at war again despite that general warning that they were unprepared.

Can't be: Under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress holds the exclusive power to formally declare war.
Oh, wait; sorry.

Lawmakers ramp up push for war powers resolution after US strikes Iran
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5760287-lawmakers-call-war-powers-vote/

[digitaldog]

If you have Apple News or subscribe to The Atlantic, this is a great read:
https://apple.news/AvMN9bI58TWCXzSPY_Yyjsw
“THE PARADOX OF TRUMP’S IRAN ATTACK
When his fantasies unravel, Trump has a habit of abusing power to force his will upon an uncooperative world.”

Excerpt From
“The Paradox of Trump’s Iran Attack”
David Frum
The Atlantic
https://apple.news/AvMN9bI58TWCXzSPY_Yyjsw
This material may be protected by copyright.

[Robert Roaldi]

Hegseth is worried about "wicked ideologies" infecting his troops, https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5759402-pentagon-cancels-attendance-ivy-league/?tbref=hp. He doesn't want to dampen the lethality of his soldiers, I guess. First, he lectures them about weight and fitness, now he's telling them which schools to attend. He had that pastor come preach the other day. Hegseth is operating from a weird agenda.