Posted On: Tuesday - September 19th 2023 7:21PM MST
In Topics: Economics US Feral Government Environmental Stupidity Geography Peak Stupidity Roadshow
I've driven all over the State of Nevada, almost always on the way to somewhere else, at 80 - 100 mph. Much of it is the "Basin & Range Country". The two-lane highway goes up a couple of thousand feet over 5 10, or 20 miles and then goes back down. Except near the crests of the ranges, one can see the glint off a cop car windshield - yes, I'm paranoid - for 5 miles. That's nicely out of radar range.
Wide open spaces are great. This is just one of the reasons Americans should work to defeat those who want a Billion Americans. However, if you're going to do mining with as little disturbance of the way of life and the views as possible, Nevada (and parts of a handful of other States) is the place to do it.
As I read a little about the Thacker Lithium mine mentioned yesterday on both the wiki page and in the Extreme Tech article I linked to yesterday, I noted the lamentations of the environmentalists and the resistance of the Indians to the project being well covered. For the latter, this was specially the case on wiki, on which every page on some piece of American geography seems to have a paragraph on who the "Indigenous Peoples" were, who used to live there, apparently forever before.
Bill H. wrote about the environmental problems with these big mines in the comments yesterday. Those enviros who are on the
Now, Chinese 1/4 ownership or not, I like to see productive work, creating wealth and requiring decent jobs, be done in America. Therefore, I am square on the side of the Moar EVs! crowd on this one, not at all due to any of their stupid ideas, of course. The battle between them and the more knowledgable enviros that can see the bigger picture here is, well, just an impetus to stock up on Orville Redenbacher's finest. (OK, that's just a meme - it'd be Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip!)
What struck me as kind of humorous about other effort of resistance to the Lithium mining projects was the claims by the Indians. As I wrote, these places are wide-open pieces of NOWHERE. Yet, the small Indian tribes that say they were first to the land. Wiki includes this quote from the Reno Sparks Indian colony - that's a couple of hundred miles away:
"Just because regional tribes have been isolated and forced onto reservations relatively far away from Thacker Pass does not mean these regional tribes do not possess cultural connections to the Pass."Sure, and I've got cultural connections to the Little Saint Bernard Pass* where I shoveled elephant shit as Hannibal crossed the Alps (in a previous life). Seriously, I've got cultural connections to the Molas Pass, where my too-rich-running muscle car could barely climb up from Durango to Silverton, Colorado, and I pulled off there to take a piss and nap in the car.** Yet, I don't deign to interfere with development of the region.
The Paiute tribe is upset because 31 of their number were massacred by US Gov't soldiers in 1865 at Thacker Pass, but evidence has some put the location outside of the mining area. Either way, it's not like the Indians marked their people's graves, so how much do they care, really? Are they worried about poltergeists rising up through the mine tailings? I don't think they'd last an hour among that sulfuric acid.
The Extreme Tech article reports:
“The Caldera holds many first foods, medicines, and hunting grounds for tribal people both past and present,” the People of Red Mountain, a committee representing all three tribes and others, wrote in a statement.First foods?? First, you need enough of ANY food. This isn't the place. The comedy routine of one Sam Kinison comes to mind...
“The global search for lithium has become a form of ‘green’ colonialism. The people most connected to the land suffer while those severed from it benefit.”Connected, hell. It's unfortunate, but they are connected more closely to the US Feral Gov't than are most of the White men. At some point, you've got to make some money yourself. And there's that "colonialism" slur that's supposed to block any progress. I'm worried about economic colonization.
... threats to sage grouse habitat, old growth sagebrush, golden eagle nests, endemic springsnails, and Endangered Species Act–listed Lahontan cutthroat trout, bighorn sheep, and pygmy rabbits.Yeah, but see, most of that fauna is Endangered. The White man tries to save it, but it's always OK for the Red Man to take it.
You've got your knowledgable enviros that care about ACTUAL pollution against the Climate Alarmists that, if you grant them their stupidity, still miss the big picture. Then, there are other splits in the Coalition of the Fringes (TM-Steve Sailer), such as:
The next day, an article describing the acrimonious split, stated that the People of Red Mountain fired Falk because Falk and Wilbert, co-founders of 'Protect Thacker Pass', are also members of Deep Green Resistance (DGR), and there were concerns over DGR's beliefs about transgenderism. Further articles followed on the rift.While I enjoy the wide open spaces for driving and plinking, I don't see how these big mining projects aren't one of the best uses one can think of for the land. The West has solved REAL pollution problems partially by outsourcing the nastiest industries to China, where they don't care about it nearly as much yet. That word "industry" is important though. Without that, you can't keep your own country. Remember, he who hath the gold, maketh the rules. Hathing 40 million metric shit-tonnes of Lithium helps too.
Oh yeah, if they could just pull out a few tons annually, if nothing else, that amount of this element would be enough to make a big dent in the mental state of the most psychopathic head cases that "run" our country. The benefits of a saner, albeit institutionalized, group of leaders would more than pay for the biggest Lithium project in the World, environmental degradation accounted for.
PS: Much of this is BLM - no, not THAT BLM, but the Feral Bureau of Land Management - land. I have no respect for the BLM as any kind of Constitutional agency and have always rooted for those Westerners who were against the US Gov't "owning" big chunks of land in their States. Nevada has by far the highest proportion of land owned by the Feral Gov't - 80%. (Utah, Alaska and Idaho come next with somewhat over 60% each. Connecticut and Iowa are tied for lowest at 0.3%)
* Historians and archaeologists are not certain that it's not one of 4 other passes that Hannibal crossed, but this was a previous life, so... and I was too busy shoveling elephant shit off the road to read the sign.
** This was on the way to Grand Junction, Colorado and points northwest, so not on one of the routes I've taken across Nevada.
Comments:
Moderator
Sunday - September 24th 2023 3:44PM MST
PS: "So if I had to take a side here, I'd be opposed to a lithium mine, just to F*** the tree huggers and all the rest of the climate change tards." Tough call, UsNThem.
usNthem
Saturday - September 23rd 2023 2:43PM MST
PS
On one hand, I loathe the F-ing tree huggers as they oppose anything that'll create jobs in the "virgin wilderness" - particularly mines - and personally I'm impressed with those massive tailings mountains - a testament to the White man's ingenuity and industriousness. On the other, I loathe the F-ing tree huggers love of EVs (and hatred of IC) and forcing the rest of us into that sort of mode of transportation. So if I had to take a side here, I'd be opposed to a lithium mine, just to F*** the tree huggers and all the rest of the climate change tards.
On one hand, I loathe the F-ing tree huggers as they oppose anything that'll create jobs in the "virgin wilderness" - particularly mines - and personally I'm impressed with those massive tailings mountains - a testament to the White man's ingenuity and industriousness. On the other, I loathe the F-ing tree huggers love of EVs (and hatred of IC) and forcing the rest of us into that sort of mode of transportation. So if I had to take a side here, I'd be opposed to a lithium mine, just to F*** the tree huggers and all the rest of the climate change tards.
Moderator
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 3:56PM MST
PS: (Harry) Callahan, thanks for the compliments and for being a reader, first of all. Where it says "Website" to the right of my name on that other site is a link to here. However, I don't think too many people get here from there, so I will put links in the comments, as I'm sure you've seen. It's not always, but most of the time the links are to posts here that really do align with what I want to say anyway - pertinent to the post/thread. I figure that in addition to getting readers, I really don't want to write it all again anyway.
With 2,722 posts, I've written about a lot of stuff - sometimes the problem is remembering that I've written about something already! Since you're new, let me tell you that I do know that this site is clunky, and stuff is very hard to search for. The revamping is something I can do - might be kind of fun - but I would need to lay off writing for a couple of weeks. That's not so much because I can't do the work in a "sandbox", as the geeks call it, not disturbing the working site, but due to time constraints.
Anyway, thanks for the comment. I agree with it all. Even fully O/T comments are not frowned upon (well, that's hard for the reader to tell) or, at least, not criticized or wiped out. That is, unless they are nearly unreadable viagra ads. Believe it or not, that little thing about putting "PS" at the beginning put the kibosh on some bot attacks like that, that were threatening the database, as in filling it up quickly.
With 2,722 posts, I've written about a lot of stuff - sometimes the problem is remembering that I've written about something already! Since you're new, let me tell you that I do know that this site is clunky, and stuff is very hard to search for. The revamping is something I can do - might be kind of fun - but I would need to lay off writing for a couple of weeks. That's not so much because I can't do the work in a "sandbox", as the geeks call it, not disturbing the working site, but due to time constraints.
Anyway, thanks for the comment. I agree with it all. Even fully O/T comments are not frowned upon (well, that's hard for the reader to tell) or, at least, not criticized or wiped out. That is, unless they are nearly unreadable viagra ads. Believe it or not, that little thing about putting "PS" at the beginning put the kibosh on some bot attacks like that, that were threatening the database, as in filling it up quickly.
Moderator
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 3:48PM MST
PS: Bill, Nevada's Humboldt County had a little over 17,000 people as counted by the CB in '20. 300 jobs and the family's that (hopefully) go with wage-earners could easily bring it up to 1,000 residents being supported by the mine. 1 in 17 of the population is significant.
SafeNow
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 11:23AM MST
PS
“ it troubles me to see the invasion of all of these people who pretty much hate us”
Correct, and good point. But there is more. I have an acquaintance who received her undergraduate degree from Yale, and her law degree from Harvard. (And that was way back in the day, when those degrees meant something.) This NON-invader person not only hates us, but told me all white people should be dead. Thus, you don’t need to be a stupid invader.
You can be native-born, very high IQ, accomplished, and yet so brainwashed that you not only hate us, but you wish we could all be dead.
“ it troubles me to see the invasion of all of these people who pretty much hate us”
Correct, and good point. But there is more. I have an acquaintance who received her undergraduate degree from Yale, and her law degree from Harvard. (And that was way back in the day, when those degrees meant something.) This NON-invader person not only hates us, but told me all white people should be dead. Thus, you don’t need to be a stupid invader.
You can be native-born, very high IQ, accomplished, and yet so brainwashed that you not only hate us, but you wish we could all be dead.
Blondie Callahan 1970
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 7:57AM MST
PS: Great read sir. I am a Colorado Native but no longer reside there. I'm in the Midwest these days and boy do I miss the west. I'm in rural Missouri and don't get me wrong, it has it's advantages, I just feel better in the desert or mountains for some reason. More content I suppose.
I too love the open spaces that seem to go on forever. I took my daughter to Yellowstone a couple of years back, we also stopped in to see Mount Rushmore on the way. We stayed the night along the way in Sheridan, Wyoming and my kid loved it. We went to downtown Sheridan and man is it nice. Clean, decent places to eat and well, you know, crime free.
Anyway your point about one billion people, it troubles me to see the invasion of all of these people who pretty much hate us. Not only do they hate us but at this point imo we have too many people as it is.
For example, I 70 that runs through my state is one big traffic jam from Kansas City to STL. It's not due to Missouri's increased population mind you, it's due to America's increased population. Our Governor here said recently that he wants I70 to be 3 lanes, I thought well it's about damn time. Although I doubt we will get any federal bucks anytime soon as our AG is constantly filing suit against the Brandon Administration.
I can remember traveling along 40 HWY from ABQ to Flagstaff just 20 years ago and you could drive for miles and not see too much traffic. Last time I drove 40 was 4 years ago and I was shocked at the amount of cars and trucks, and of course big rigs. We used to drive a lot between Denver and KCMO in the 80's and man I70 would be a ghost town until you hit the cities, Hays, Topeka etc... Now? It's a damn traffic jamb, compared to what it used to be.
Something has to give, our Nation can not sustain this forever, no way, no how.
Apologies for being OT from the point of the article, I do enjoy your comments I see on that website we both frequent. I'm not sure if I just never noticed you had a link for your site here or if I just forgot about it, either way I did enjoy this piece you wrote. Keep up the good work! You have found a regular reader.
I too love the open spaces that seem to go on forever. I took my daughter to Yellowstone a couple of years back, we also stopped in to see Mount Rushmore on the way. We stayed the night along the way in Sheridan, Wyoming and my kid loved it. We went to downtown Sheridan and man is it nice. Clean, decent places to eat and well, you know, crime free.
Anyway your point about one billion people, it troubles me to see the invasion of all of these people who pretty much hate us. Not only do they hate us but at this point imo we have too many people as it is.
For example, I 70 that runs through my state is one big traffic jam from Kansas City to STL. It's not due to Missouri's increased population mind you, it's due to America's increased population. Our Governor here said recently that he wants I70 to be 3 lanes, I thought well it's about damn time. Although I doubt we will get any federal bucks anytime soon as our AG is constantly filing suit against the Brandon Administration.
I can remember traveling along 40 HWY from ABQ to Flagstaff just 20 years ago and you could drive for miles and not see too much traffic. Last time I drove 40 was 4 years ago and I was shocked at the amount of cars and trucks, and of course big rigs. We used to drive a lot between Denver and KCMO in the 80's and man I70 would be a ghost town until you hit the cities, Hays, Topeka etc... Now? It's a damn traffic jamb, compared to what it used to be.
Something has to give, our Nation can not sustain this forever, no way, no how.
Apologies for being OT from the point of the article, I do enjoy your comments I see on that website we both frequent. I'm not sure if I just never noticed you had a link for your site here or if I just forgot about it, either way I did enjoy this piece you wrote. Keep up the good work! You have found a regular reader.
Bill H
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 7:47AM MST
PS Proponents of Thacker Pass mine say that it will also provide employment. Again, let's talk value here. How much employment? 300 people. Wait, how many? You read it right, the mine will employ 300 PEOPLE.
MBlanc46
Wednesday - September 20th 2023 7:45AM MST
PS If they can be against Big Oil, I can be against Big Lithium. Leave it in the ground!
SafeNow
Tuesday - September 19th 2023 11:35PM MST
PS
Dan Henninger (maybe the best columnist in the country) on the Wall St. Journal weekly TV “Editorial Report” last week made a funny comment. The Report had briefly mentioned that Biden canceled the drilling leases on the Arctic wildlife refuge …based in part, said the govt, upon “indigenous knowledge.” Henninger quipped he would pay money to read a Justice Gorsuch opinion on the proper role of indigenous knowledge in such matters.
Dan Henninger (maybe the best columnist in the country) on the Wall St. Journal weekly TV “Editorial Report” last week made a funny comment. The Report had briefly mentioned that Biden canceled the drilling leases on the Arctic wildlife refuge …based in part, said the govt, upon “indigenous knowledge.” Henninger quipped he would pay money to read a Justice Gorsuch opinion on the proper role of indigenous knowledge in such matters.
Adam Smith
Tuesday - September 19th 2023 9:40PM MST
PS: Good evening, Achmed,
This map says Connecticut has the lowest percentage of federal land at .28% with Iowa and New York tied for 2nd and 3rd at .34%...
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/federal-land-by-state
Not trying to correct you or anything. Hell, I don't even know if this map is correct. Just got me wondering a little about some of the other states and what their percentages are.
Kinda off topic...
https://i.ibb.co/Tmp9sjd/Vegas-Strip-1952.jpg
Las Vegas Strip, 1952, looking east over Hotel Last Frontier (already ten years old) and the Desert Inn.
In the foreground is the Frontier's Sportsdrome, a race car track used from '48–'60; Last Frontier Village, Old West family theme park; and the Silver Slipper casino. Across the highway, the Desert Inn opened in 1950, and its country club and golf course opened in 1952.
Unknown photographer, likely Las Vegas News Bureau.
Here's another...
https://i.ibb.co/4jZpM7H/Vegas-Strip-Vacant-Lot-1952.jpg
A vacant lot on what is now the fully developed Las Vegas strip. 1952 Life photographer Loomis Dean
Don't know what they sold the lot for, or how large the lot was/is(?), but hey, you can ask anything, doesn't mean you'll get what you're asking.
Anyway, it's wild to see those old photos. This is what the Vegas Strip looks like today...
https://i.ibb.co/sFP3dxD/Vegas-Strip-2023.jpg
More on topic...
I get what you're saying about producing things of value here in the states. And I generally agree. Unfortunately, EVs and lithium ion batteries in their current form are quite a bit more wasteful and a whole lot less eco-friendly than ICE technology. I know it's out in the middle of nowhere but those sulfuric acid pits and tailings ponds can/will really wreak havoc on the environment. At this point in time I would say it's not worth the pollution. ICE cars are definitely superior technology.
Happy Wednesday Morning!
☮
This map says Connecticut has the lowest percentage of federal land at .28% with Iowa and New York tied for 2nd and 3rd at .34%...
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/federal-land-by-state
Not trying to correct you or anything. Hell, I don't even know if this map is correct. Just got me wondering a little about some of the other states and what their percentages are.
Kinda off topic...
https://i.ibb.co/Tmp9sjd/Vegas-Strip-1952.jpg
Las Vegas Strip, 1952, looking east over Hotel Last Frontier (already ten years old) and the Desert Inn.
In the foreground is the Frontier's Sportsdrome, a race car track used from '48–'60; Last Frontier Village, Old West family theme park; and the Silver Slipper casino. Across the highway, the Desert Inn opened in 1950, and its country club and golf course opened in 1952.
Unknown photographer, likely Las Vegas News Bureau.
Here's another...
https://i.ibb.co/4jZpM7H/Vegas-Strip-Vacant-Lot-1952.jpg
A vacant lot on what is now the fully developed Las Vegas strip. 1952 Life photographer Loomis Dean
Don't know what they sold the lot for, or how large the lot was/is(?), but hey, you can ask anything, doesn't mean you'll get what you're asking.
Anyway, it's wild to see those old photos. This is what the Vegas Strip looks like today...
https://i.ibb.co/sFP3dxD/Vegas-Strip-2023.jpg
More on topic...
I get what you're saying about producing things of value here in the states. And I generally agree. Unfortunately, EVs and lithium ion batteries in their current form are quite a bit more wasteful and a whole lot less eco-friendly than ICE technology. I know it's out in the middle of nowhere but those sulfuric acid pits and tailings ponds can/will really wreak havoc on the environment. At this point in time I would say it's not worth the pollution. ICE cars are definitely superior technology.
Happy Wednesday Morning!
☮