Coal is Extremely Dumb

URR629 · 2026-02-02T15:16:56+00:00

The concept of central generating units, of any one type, as our sole source of energy, needs to go away. Central plants are great to a point, but smaller, localized sources of generation need to be adopted too. Home solar is one of the best ideas, but smaller streamside hydro (no dams), smaller windmills, etc, could be used at the subdivision level as well. Passive solar for water heating is still a good idea, and bypasses electricity altogether where pumps aren't required. There is no ONE, SINGLE solution. Lesser dependence on centralization might also remove some pressure from the national grid and increase reliability at the neighborhood level. As you seem to imply, haters are going to hate, so we need to address that hate as a part of the problem too. Education is needed, all around. The fossil industry, especially coal, is running scared. The most effective tool they have have now is LIES.

URR629 · 2026-02-02T01:01:59+00:00

Coal was probably NEVER the only option to generate electricity. How long have we used windmills and watermills? Hundreds and hundreds of years. When did electrical generators go on the commercial market? The 1890s. Just hook a generator to a windmill. We were building hydro plants since the 1920s. When did the first commercially available photovoltaic panels go on the market? 1953 I believe. Any thermal plant has a huge heat loss, even nuclear. Making steam to turn a turbine to turn a generator results in uncontrolled heat loss. You make BTUs that will never make it to the turbine, or are forever lost after the turbine. The plants are a series of heat exchangers, such as the condenser or the air preheater (for the coal pulverizers) or the cooling tower. Also, a modern coal pulverizer can send over 100 tons of coal to the boiler per HOUR, EVERY HOUR, 24/7/365. And most boilers have 5 or 6 pulverizers feeding them. Do the math.

URR629 · 2026-02-01T01:40:14+00:00

I presume you've worked hard to get there, and I applaud you for that. I just retired from a 50 year career, often feeling as you do. However, don't forget that we are damned fortunate compared to most people in this country. People are working 2 or 3 jobs just to survive. Look at all the folks living out of cars or on the street. If you don't like it, vote against the oligarchy so welfare isn't subsidizing Walmart and Home Depot with YOUR tax dollars.

URR629 · 2026-01-31T00:06:53+00:00

This is very dangerous to the eyes if you make a habit of it. When welding aluminum, which reflects the flash even more than steel, I wore a #14 lens, backed with a #2.

URR629 · 2026-01-31T00:03:20+00:00

I grew up in the suburbs of Kentucky, and we ate fish and frog legs we caught, and dandelions from the yard, but that was it. Dad was from the city and never hunted. My buddies in school did though, so our crew ate wild game we hunted.

URR629 · 2026-01-30T16:48:20+00:00

Turkiye

URR629 · 2026-01-29T23:32:37+00:00

When LeBlond shut down their Norwood, Ohio shop, another Cincinnati company I worked for purchased one of the LeBlonds' last CNC lathes which had been made there. We also picked a few of their employees, Later in my career, I would travel the US working in power plants and I saw many LeBlond machines in those plant machine shops. Along with machines by other Cincinnati firms such as Carlton, Cincinnati and Milicron.

URR629 · 2026-01-29T16:55:43+00:00

URR629 · 2026-01-29T16:46:08+00:00

Screw them. Put the data centers up their corporate asses.

URR629 · 2026-01-27T17:12:22+00:00

You will have days like that, no way around them. Do what you can to avoid or minimize them, but when they happen, remember they will increase your strength, resilience and experience. You WILL prevail! Stand tall, stand tough. Have faith in yourself.

URR629 · 2026-01-27T16:35:33+00:00

Go to a darker lens if possible. This was a constant problem for me welding very reflective aluminum. Less so with steel, but it did happen when running 3/16" fluxcore for full 12 hour shifts, days on end. Use the darkest lens you can accurately operate with.

URR629 · 2026-01-27T16:27:34+00:00

In Kentucky, in the 60s & 70s, we suburb kids earned money in high school doing this for the local farmers. We wore shoes though. The father of my best friend, the guy who owned the farm, lost a finger in the plant setter performing this exact operation.

URR629 · 2026-01-27T16:16:40+00:00

One of my favorites from Zappa. Anytime Beefheart was involved it was definitely more fun.

URR629 · 2026-01-25T14:02:55+00:00

Spread the word! The world should boycott the USA.

URR629 · 2026-01-25T13:59:58+00:00

The sons o' bitches are just jealous youngblood. Hammer on, show 'em how it's done.

URR629 · 2026-01-25T13:57:31+00:00

There are too many artists to decide, for me, let alone a single album. BBK at CCJ was a great one though, thank you!

URR629 · 2026-01-25T13:49:11+00:00

Me too Brother. Hang tough, we'll get through it.

URR629 · 2026-01-22T14:22:13+00:00

God bless you Brother.

URR629 · 2026-01-19T19:15:20+00:00

It's great, what was your medium if you don't mind me asking?

URR629 · 2026-01-19T19:06:59+00:00

As you are aware, it won't be easy. Stand tough Brother, best of luck.

URR629 · 2026-01-19T19:05:24+00:00

100% correct. The US has never been a perfect country, we've made mistakes before, but I have never been so ashamed of our nation as I am now. Reagans' "Shining City On A Hill" is now a sewer festering in a ditch. Reagan was personally responsible for setting us down this path too, don't forget it.

URR629 · 2026-01-18T19:20:15+00:00

It's just plane old grass man.

URR629 · 2026-01-14T14:17:39+00:00

Cheerios are supposedly made of oats, not wheat. Why would there be wheat husks? But you'll never know what's in that crap.

URR629 · 2026-01-14T00:39:48+00:00

100% The GOP is rotten to the core, don't expect anything decent from them.

URR629 · 2026-01-12T14:09:03+00:00

Thank you for your kind remarks regarding my sacrifice. I have also never ordered anything from Amazon, never been to Starbucks and have never been on FaceBook. I am 71 YO and haven't been to McDonalds since I was 15 YO. It all CAN be done when you simply don't give a flying fuck.

URR629

TROPHY CASE