I’m thinking about moving off grid.
Exciting news for Louisville, assuming you’re moving to the Yukon and spending what remains of your days beyond the reach of decent society. But, then, I’m also familiar with your propensity to butcher the English language. So, do you mean you’re becoming a survivalist?
Nope, thinking about a few solar panels up on the garage roof.
Aaaaaand there we go. Off *the* grid, not off grid. Big difference, you plonker. Give me a moment to compose myself and let it sink in that you’re not going anywhere. OK. So presumably you’re doing this because the state Senate is about to put the kibosh on the entire residential solar market?
Yup. So, literally on the same day that California introduces a bill aiming for 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, some slack-jawed yokel introduces a bill aiming to return Kentucky to 1845. We’ll be getting coal delivered by horse and cart, just like my Gran still does in Scotland, and killing jobs and businesses into the bargain. Mind-boggling stupidity. Within a generation, we could create enough renewable electricity to supply the global population several times over and end reliance on fossil fuel. But no, Kentucky wants coal.
I’ll stick my little fly in your ointment. Not going to happen in our lifetimes, this whole solar, wind, and whatever-else-it-is energy utopia. So get over it. The utilities and their bought-and-paid-for representatives even have a reasonable point in this case — they’re the ones who built the grid and who’re obliged to maintain it. It makes no sense for them to buy back electricity from Highlands hippies with solar panels at the market rate. It has to be at a discount.
That’s not what this bill does, though. It’s trying to kill off solar, and that’s a bollocks idea. There may be a case for a small discount to take grid maintenance into consideration, but we either create incentives to convert to renewable energy, or we remain stuck in the dark ages. I mean, we want to compete when it comes to attracting high-tech business, theoretically. Every politician in the state at least pays lip service to that idea. And yet here we are. Coal-fired electric, as if that’s an attractive alternative to Silicon Valley.
All right, I’ll give you that. Killing off solar, undoubtedly the idea behind it, is counterproductive, shortsighted, and, yes, total bollocks. But at least we’ll soon be rid of those nonces studying the arts. Once competitive funding is introduced, the only options for kids in this state who fancy a bit of college will be engineering. The irony, tho.
I won’t say the last thing we need is more engineers, but Bevin’s a fool if he thinks that’s going to make any difference to our economy. For starters, thanks to our total reliance on coal, they’ll all bugger off elsewhere to find a job as soon as they graduate.
I’ve met my share of entrepreneurs, not many of them were engineers. The arts are about stimulating ideas and creativity, and the sciences are about finding answers; they’re actually inclusive of each other. So why teach someone to be an electrical engineer and not also teach them to appreciate French literature? Where’s the downside of an enlightened citizen — beyond, you know, having someone who’s going to be too educated to vote for a right-wing theocratic agenda?
True ‘dat. Did you get involved with any of the anti-McConnell protests?
No, mate, I was busy using my Bellarmine fine arts degree to run a successful business.
Touché.
Anyway, to your question, as much as I would love to abuse McConnell to his face, it seems as though the more shit he gets in Louisville, the stronger he gets in Kentucky. He’s like some turtle-hydra, and now he’s more powerful than ever.
He’ll be 81 the next time he has to run for office, so progressives are kidding themselves if they think he’ll listen to a word they say. I wonder how he feels about the ‘war on Louisville’? Probably much the same as he feels all wars: tingly all over.
Yeah. Like Bevin, he’s never met a money-making opportunity he didn’t love. Speaking of Bevin, his little gits in the state House and Senate, even on the Metro Council, can deny it all they like, but they’re targeting Louisville. They have been from the minute he got into office. Payback time.
Do you think Yates, James and Hollander were right to agree to a compromise? I think it was suicidal, and I’d imagine Fischer was livid with them for doing it. These people are never satisfied. Compromise once, and you’re going to keep on compromising until they get what they want. Same with Democrats everywhere. The rules of the game changed a long time ago, and they still haven’t realised it.
I’m going to have to agree, reluctantly. And I’m trying to imagine the tizzy-fit the rest of the state would have if Louisville started interfering with their fuck-knuckle little fiefdoms. Nope, can’t imagine it. Although of course they’re all happy to take the dosh this city contributes to the state’s coffers.
Maybe Bevin can put the kibosh on that, and I can sell them some solar electricity instead.
Or maybe you just go off the grid figuratively and do us all a lemon.
