Archive of entries posted by Oppo

Straight Line of the Day: How Can We Recycle All The Sustainable Energy Waste?

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A Follow-Up on a Sour Not-So-Green Clean Up in Sweetwater
Hot Air | 07/09/2026 | Beege Welborn

By 2050, the estimated total boundary area required for 1.5 million wind turbines is expected to reach 3.1 to 4.6 million square kilometers – the combined size of India and Argentina.

The obvious question regarding this transition—with its towering turbine skeletons, virtually indestructible composite blades, and billions of solar panels—is this: Just where will all this metal, silicon and concrete be buried?

Probably throw in a few battery-powered everythings, as well. 

Welcome to IMAO! Common-Sense Site Visitor Advisories

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Visitors to IMAO should purchase insurance and examine the policy rather than assuming every emergency is covered. Useful protections may include emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation, trip interruption, weather disruption, and assistance after theft.

Visitors should still establish prices before accepting transportation, tours, merchandise, or other services.

The State Department specifically recommends that visitors to IMAO not open their doors unless they know who is outside.

Visitors should avoid counting cash publicly.

Visitors should obtain drinks directly from bartenders or servers and avoid accepting open beverages from strangers.

Anyone who begins feeling unexpectedly disoriented or physically ill should alert a trusted companion or venue employee immediately and seek medical assistance.

Americans who do not own firearms should pay particular attention to IMAO’s weapons laws.

Family members at home should receive a copy of the website visit itinerary, including log-in details, any links followed, and planned comment postings.  Visitors should carry only the cash and cards they expect to use that day.

 

Straight Line of the Day: What Can We Do With a Strange New Quantum State?

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Physicists create a strange new quantum state called a fractional fermi sea
ScienceDaily | June 29, 2026 | University of Innsbruck

Researchers have shown that ultracold atoms can be driven into a strange new quantum state called a fractional Fermi sea, where particles organize themselves in unexpected ways. The discovery points to a new phase of matter that goes beyond established quantum theories and could expand the possibilities of quantum simulation…

The newly created state displays several unusual characteristics. Mathematical correlations between particles reveal pronounced ripples, known as Friedel oscillations, along with distinctive decay behavior across all levels of repulsive interactions.

Perhaps most importantly, the state exhibits properties that differ from those expected for Tomonaga-Luttinger liquids, which have long served as the standard description of one-dimensional quantum matter.

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Friday Night Open Thread: A.I.

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A pretty good quote about A.I.:

It has no loves. It does not know courage, shame, mercy, sin, or worship. It can regurgitate “writing” about these things, but it cannot live them. It can compose a prayer without praying and a sermon without fear of God. It can say “I understand,” but, in truth, there is no “I” and no understanding.

— Chronicles | 6/26/26 | Benjamin Osborne, “What Would C.S. Lewis Have Thought of AI?”

 

Come to think of it, kind of reminiscent of a similar scene in Good Will Hunting.  Or Terminator.  So maybe A.I. is a sort of a blend of the two.  (With a little Eyes Wide Shut thrown in for good measure.)

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Straight Line of the Day: What Do You Do When Your Debt Exceeds 100% of Your Income?

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Debt Exceeds 100% of GDP
CBO.gov | Feb 2026 | CBO

The Federal Budget Deficits are large by historical standards. The deficit totals $1.9 trillion in fiscal year 2026 and grows to $3.1 trillion in 2036. Relative to the size of the economy, the deficit is 5.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026 and increases to 6.7 percent in 2036. Deficits averaged 3.8 percent of GDP over the last 50 years (see Chapter 1).

More like see Chapter 11.

Debt held by the public rises from 101 percent of GDP in 2026 to 120 percent in 2036, well above the previous record of 106 percent just after World War II.

Outlays are large by historical standards—and growing. They total 23.3 percent of GDP in 2026, exceeding their 50-year average of 21.2 percent. After being adjusted for shifts in the timing of certain payments, outlays remain at about that level through 2028 but then grow steadily, boosted by rising spending on mandatory programs and increasing net interest costs.

So, two more years to continue to party hearty.

Suggestions: no more high-speed trains.  And cut back on Mamdani-tory spending. 

Straight Line of the Day: So What Can Graham Platner Do Before Democrats Think He Has Crossed the Line?

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Just to summarize Platner’s scandals that Democrats were totally ok with:
Libs of Tik Tok | 7/6/2026

Just to summarize Platner’s scandals that Democrats were totally ok with:

– nazi tattoo

– lied repeatedly about nazi tattoo

– said he would rape people

– sexted with women while married

– bragged about drawing penises in porta potties

– praised islamic terrorists

– said he’s a communist

– joined an app known to be used by predators to contact minors

– sexual assault allegations

But now they decided it’s too much. All the above was totally fine though.

Well Blows Me Down

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This is from a Popeye cartoon. I was surprised I could capture it from YouTube (without getting the big “Pause” button showing in the middle). But I suppose you kids with your Sony Walkmans and other gizmos consider it easy.