60 Comments

I mean, the real question is when is the 2020 mixtape coming out? I feel like that was a critical component of Grist-era David Roberts and I'm hoping it makes a comeback!

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Ha, sadly Ben, I'm too old and out-of-touch to pull that off any more.

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if you're hoping to bring back some of the old days blogging vibe here in the ol' substack, I think we could probably crowdsource a pretty good one in the comments. after all, we are Time's 2006 People of the Year.

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Well now you've got me thinking ...

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I didn't become a platinum/palladium sponsor to not get a goshdang mixtape.

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Perhaps you can subcontract that out to the boys?

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No way to exaggerate how vigorously that offer would be rejected.

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Just learned about this via Ezra Klein's piece in the NYT today. So excited to reconnect and join this community! Came back to the PNW two years ago (after 11 years in VT), and now leading the climate program/team at the Northwest Seaport Alliance (cargo shipping partnership between ports of Seattle and Tacoma). How to decarbonize one of the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors?! Looking forward to your help!

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Great to be here! I’ve learned a ton from you over the years. I’m in the environmental security space—so more of an international focus, day to day. But totally captivated by what’s happening stateside on the decarbonization front.

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That geothermal piece was my favorite in a long time. I really like this move and am excited to see what comes

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I hope you write about the intersection between climate and housing policy! The california legislature will probably take up some exciting bills in the coming months.

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It's a longtime interest of mine!

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Very excited for this newsletter! I work in transit, and would be incredibly interested to hear your thoughts on how transit (and its shift to clean energy) will factor into the future of clean energy in the United States.

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Come over to threads already! :-)

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You sound vaccinated

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I am thrilled to find a platform for clean electricity. Well visit www.fuellesspowergenerator.com for a breakthrough generator that uses no fuel, just principles of physics to generate electricity in the amounts of 1KW - megawatts. It can fit in the trunk of EVs and recharge the batteries as it drives to its destination. New York- LA nonstop is now possible if you have enough energy drinks with you. If you excited about the idea of free electricity just like with solar, but can sell back to the grid Day & Night and reach your ROI in half the time and costing for equivalent wattage output of 1/3 the price. Visit the web page above and consider donating to make it happen, or if your interested in partnering with me financially ask for the NDA before joining me. Thanks for your time !

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Hi David,

Long time reader, new subscriber. Enjoyed your Climb interview which prompted subscribing.

I wanted to say your attitude of finding joy in the face of an impossible battle reminds me of Seven Samurai (which i recently rewatched), particularly the Kikuchiyo or Heihachi characters. And can our situation be worse than theirs?

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Love, love, love this show and I listen all the time. I’m a civic activist in the DC suburbs with a spouse involved in energy sector and CCS. Question: why am I having trouble finding a button that says “donate”?

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Why is it so hard to find a button that says donate?

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Diana, it's on every Volts page, top center! FYI: https://www.volts.wtf/p/donate-to-volts

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In the late 70s there was a building trend in Minnesota for earth sheltered homes. A 1981 NYT article touting a “bright future” on this featured twelve row houses that were built in south central Minneapolis (latlong 44.9639, -93.2372). They were partly sheltered, but only on the north side (we know why). I got “hooked” on geothermal of all kinds - particularly technology or materials that could both heat a house in winter and cool it in the summer. Adobe is cool too. It’s great to read that the broader field of geothermal is continuing to pick up more attention.

Long ago Meteor Blades recommended your writing to me and I read many of your Vox articles. The one about storing energy in railroad cars filled with rocks is a big hit at parties! Unfortunately the Ares PR pages seem to have gone quiet in 2020.

I did not know about Volts until this week and It’s great to see the work continuing here. I have learned so much from your writing and I will be a frequent visitor. Thank you.

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AMAZING TECH WEBSITE SUPER SHOWS YA 😃🙂 EASY 🙂🙂 MAKE ⚡ ELECTRICITY OUT OF THE WAVES FROM THE NORTH POLE 🤠 TO SOUTH POLE LIKE NICOLA TESLA & LESTER HENDERSHOT SAID = AMAZING TECH SHOWS YA GET LIKE 2 ROUND MAGNETS & PUT COIL OF COPPER WIRE BETWEEN THEM BE 🚨 CAREFULL IT SAYS IT MAKES 🐸🌸🦩🕊️🦄🏵️🤩💐 220 VOLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤩🏵️🦄🕊️🦩🦩🤩💐 GET 💡⚡ ELECTRICITY 🔌 EXPERTS TO HELP YA COZ READ ABOUT LESTER HENDERSHOT IT SAID HE DISCOVERED THIS TRYING TO MAKE COMPASS 🧭 FOR FAMOUS CHARLES LINDBERG & MADE CAPACITORS TO HELP STORE 💡⚡ ELECTRICITY EXCEPT HE GOT KILLED ELECTROCUTED ALSO YA GOTTA STUDY NICOLA TESLA HE GOT MONEY 🤑💰 FROM CARNAGIE TO MAKE A SUPER LYTNING TOWER TO STOP HITLERS INVADING LUFTWAFFE AIRPLANES BUT DIDNT LET HIM IN COZ HE COULD A GOT ELECTROCUTED THEN CARNAGIE DIDNT FUND IT COZ HE WASNT LET IN TO SEE IT COZ OF HI VOLTAGE LYTNING & A GUY MAYBE A HITLER GUY KILLED NICOLA IN A NYC APT IF YA CAN WATCH A TV SERIES NAMED = TESLA A MURDER DECLASSIFIED I THINK IT GOT DECLASSIFIED BY I THINK A HONORABLE FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY WHO GREAT 🦅 🐣 PRESIDENT DONALD HOLLERED AT & FIRED FOR SOMETHING ELSE MAYBE 🤔 HILLARY CLINTON STUFF THAT WAS LEGAL COZ SHE DIDNT GET IN TROUBLE I SPECULATE = I SAW IT ON SATELLITE 🛰️📡 TV MAYBE SCIENCE CHANNEL GUYS DID HIS STUFF ALSO YA SAW FAMOUS BORIS KARLOFF FRANKENSTIEN MOVIE WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE BOOK COZ MOVIE 🍿 WAS ALSO MOSTLY ABOUT FOR REAL ON A HUGE HILL COLORADO SPRINGS NICOLA MADE A GIGANTIC METAL TOWER ⚡ LIGHTNING 🌩️ TOWER 🗼 HE GROUNDED IT WITH ⭐ STAR SHAPE PIPES UNDERGROUND IN A WELL & NICOLA GOT A HUGE BILL 💸💵 FROM EL PASO 💡⚡ ELECTRIC COMPANY THEN LIKE REGULAR PEOPLE NEVER HAD 💡⚡ ELECTRICITY THEN & SAW ALL THIS LYTNING COMING ON TOP THE HILL & IGNORANT PREACHERS 😧🤣 CROWD THOUGHT 🤔 TESLA WAS A DEVIL 😈 WITCHCRAFT WIZARD GOT SCARED 😨😳 MOB WENT UP WRECKED TESLAS LAB 🧪 WHICH INSPIRED THE BORIS KARLOFF FRANKENSTIEN MOVIE 🍿 ALSO BEFORE IN CIVIL WAR DOCTORS FOUND THEY COULD SHOCK DEAD GUYS MOVE SOME 💪 MUSCLES SO LIKE 1975 I WAS LUCKY 🤣😻🤪🌈🌌🌠💐 TO SEE FAMOUS ROCK BAND 💋 KISS LAKELAND FLORIDA URIAH HEEP OPENED THEN 💋 😘 KISS 1ST SONG = DETROIT ROCK CITY THEN 4TH MEASURE ACE GRABBED THE RAIL ON STAIRWAY I WAS FRONT IN FRONT OF HIM KID NEXT TO ME TOOK PICTURE WITH 📸 FLASHCUBE YOU CA SEE IN BOOK KISSTORY = ACE EYES 👀 LOOK LIKE PINGPONG BALLS HIS BACK STIFF STRAIGHT FELL BACK LIKE A BOARD I THOUGHT HES CLOWNING AROUND GENE & STANLY SO PROFESSIONAL WLK DOWN THE STAIRS PLAY SONG PERFECT GROOVIESTJOLLIESTYAY LOOK AROUND WHERES ACE? 🌠👀💋📸 THEN RUN BACK HALF HOUR A KID THOUGHT WOAH ACE ⚡ ELECTROCUTED FALSE RUMOR THEY THINK ROADY KILL HIM LATER YAY ACE ⚡ COME SHAKEY WOW 😳 PLAY WHOLE SHOW PERFECT EVEN EXPLODED HIS GUITAR STAGESHOWGREAT THREW IT IN AUDIENCE WAY LATER WE FOUND DOCTOR BROUGHT FIBULATOR ON HEART 💜❤️🥰🦅🐣 SAVED ACE ⚡ NOW WE SEE THAT COMMONLY YA CAN EVEN BUY 🐠🦋🤩😁😍🤩😁 ONE FOR 😻🤣 HELPING YOUR BACK MUSCLES IN A SHOPPING MALL ANYWAY THE FRANKENSTIEN MOVIE 🍿 EXPLORED THIS SCIENCE *😻😁🤩🤣IF YA CAN WATCH A TV SERIES NAMED = TESLA A MURDER DECLASSIFIED I SAW IT ON SATELLITE 🛰️📡 TV MAYBE SCIENCE CHANNEL GUYS DID HIS STUFF ALSO YA GOTTA STUDY THIS SUPER COZ THE AMAZING TECH WEBSITE IS GOING TO BE A SUPER THING 😹🐕 ON THAT SERIES UYS FOUND WHERE TESLA MADE HIS LAB LYTNING TOWER 🗼 COLORADO SPRINGS HILLL HOUSES NOW THE SURPRISED 🙀😯 RESIDENT DIDNT KNOW THAT SHOWED THEM THERE IS A WELL IN HIS BACKYARD WOW 😂😳 ALSO ON ANOTHER SHOW CALLED MYSTERIES OF THE ABANDONDED SHOWS BIG CUBIC HUGE TESLA TOWERS BY KIEV THEY TRIED TO MAKE LYTNING TO BLOW UP ANY USA SCARY ATOMIC BOMB ROCKETS THAT NEVER CAME NEVER WILL & THEY USED UP ALL ⚡💡 ELECTRICITY IN KIEV MANY TIMES SO IT GOT ABANDONED ANYWAY I 💬🤔 THONK IT GOTTA BE WISER YKNOW TO MAKE A LIL COIL MAGNETS ALSO SOMETIMES THEY PUT SPARK PLUGS TO THAT SO YA CA HAVE SOMETIMG SAFE TO PUT IN A SAFE BOX 🎁 LIKE ON A TABLE WHATEVER FIREPROOF EASY 🙂🙂🙂 TO MAKE 🔌 ⚡💡 ELECTRICITY ALSO LIKE A PORTABLE BOX SUITCASE EASY 🙂🙂 SAFE TRAVELS 🥾🧳 I BOUGHT AA SIZE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES ON EBAY FROM CHINA JUST MAKE SURE ABOUT YER NIMBERS=JACK BE NIMBLE COZ I GOT AA SIZE BUT 4.5⚡VOLTS EACH PUT 3 IN MY LIL PORTABLE COLOR LYT STRING 🧵 WOAH 😨😳 IT GOT ON FIRE IN A SECOND!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO IF YA GET AA SIZE BATTERYS GET 1.5 VOLT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALSO GET GOOD 😸😊😁😺🐥👍 SAFE RECHARGER EVERYTHING MY DAD KNOW TONS 💡⚡ ELECTRONICS DID 30 YRS NASA HUGE DISH 📡 📶 ANTENNA HERE MILA MERRIT ISLAND LAUNCH ASSISTANCE APOLLOS SPACE SHUTTLES SATTELITES GOT AWARDS SUPER GREAT WE HAD GREATEST FUN EVER MET BUZZ ALL THEM SUPER FUN WE A BUNCH SOLAR CELLS ON ROOF SPENT HUGEST MONKEY 🐒🐵 🤑💰 MONEY 💸 20 YEARS & IT AINT DOING WHAT WE IMAGINED LIKE IT ONLYLYTS UP ONE BULB 💡⚡ OR FANS IS BETTER ALSO WE GOTGOLFCART BATTERYS TO STORE ELECTRICITY & THEY AINT GOID COZ THEY GET HOT SHOOT ACID DANGEROUSLY BURNING ALLOVER I ASK A GOLF CART BATTERY SALES GUY HE SAID A NEW BATTERY CALLED BEACH SAND BATTERY IS WAY BETTER DONT LEAK ACID THEY GOT INVENTED AT MALIBU CALIFORNY BY SURFERS KINDA LIKE DYLITHIUM CRYSTALS ON STAR TREK BEACH SAND BATTERYS ARE USED IN JETSKIS COZ THEY ARE TOUGHER STUDY ALL THIS ♾️ INFINITLY HOPE THIS HELPS YALL YAY HAVE FUN SAFELY LIKE SIR JETRO YEEHAAAW !!!!!!!!!!,

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I JUST SAW YA 😹🐕😻🤣😻🤪🌈🌌🪐😹 O PBS ITS VITAL TELL EVERYONE GOVTS CHURCHES COMPANYS PERSONS TAXDEDUCTABLE CHARITY NETWORKFORANIMALS.ORG & NOVAUKRAINE.ORG & KAGYU.ORG TIBET MONKS SAY MAKE GOOD KARMA EVERY SECOND YAY 😆 LOVE JOY HAPPINESSS YALL ALSO VITAL IS KNOW WE GOTTA GROW ZILLIONS LEAVES POSSIBLE MAKES JUNGLE ANIMALS FLOWERS 💐🤩🌹 OXYGEN YAY 🥳🎉 ALSO VITAL SCIENTISTS SAY THINK 🤔 OF ALL THE GAS MOWERS STUPID DUST YARD SIDEWALK BLOWERS MAKE POLUTION WHAT HELP A LOT IS IF EVEYONE WHEN POSSIBLE USE A REEL LAWNMOWER ITS LIKE LEAVE IT TO BEAVER USES YKNOW IT TURNS THE THING WITH NO MOTOR NO POLLUTION & ITS WAY SAFER A REEL LAWNMOWER DONT SHOOT OUT ROCKS LIKE THE 🚁 HELICOPTER TYPE ROTARY LAWNMOWER SO ITS WAY SAFER I KNOW GIRL LOST HER EYE 👁️ MANY PEOPLELoST FINGERS TOES WITH ROTARY LAWNMOWERS ITS GOOD KARMA TELL EVERYONE GOVTS CHURCHES COMPANYS PERSONS ALL THIS HAVE FUN 😊 THANXSZILLION MARVELOUSLY MAGNIFICENTLY SUPER BEAUTIFUL GLIORIOUSLY 🎠🦜🦏🐎 RINGO GOT A PET RHINO 🦏 KIETH MOON 🌝 GAVE HIM SHE LIKES RHINOS SEE RINGO & PAUL MCCARTNEY YOUNGLADDYSFROMLOVERPOOL YAY 😆😁 TARZAN JOHNNY WEISSMULLER LUVED HERE TITUSVILLE FLORIDA 🚀🪐🌟 1970S HAD LOTSA ANIMALS SEARCH = TROPICAL WONDERLAND ON FACEBOOK HE WAS GREATEST FUN EVER DID TARZAN YELL EVERYWHERE SUPER BEAUTIFUL GLIORIOUSLY TARZAN SAID WE ALL GOTTA ALLWAYS SAVE ALL JUNGLE OZ WE ALL CAME FROM JUNGLE ECOLOGY ANIMALS FLOWERS 💐🌹🥳🌟🦜🐦🦦🐿️🦅🐣🦩🦚🦋🐠🐅😁🤩🌹🥳 TARZAN PARTY WITH ALL. ASTRONAUTS EVERYBODY SUPEREST FUN EVER YAY 😆😁🤩💐🌹🥳🌟🦜🐦🦦😁 HE GET ON TOPHIS ROOF DOING TARZAN YELL EVERYWHERE WITH MAYOR EVERYBODY GREATEST FUN WE PET HIS 🐆 BLACK LEOPARD WIT SPOTS YA SEE IN THE SUN ALL MOSTHIS ZOO T

ARZA WAS LIKE ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI EVERY ANIMALS LIVE HIM LAST DAY TARZAN HERE HE SAY MANAGER WASNT TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS SO VE.RY GALLENTLY HE SAID 🌟🦜🐦🦦😁🐆🌟🦜= TARZAN SAY ALL ANIMALS NEED BE FREE LIKE HUMANS TARZAN FREE ALL ANIMALS!!!!!!! 🐦🦦😁🐆🌟🦜SO HE DID GREATEST TARZAN YELL JOLLY SUPER GROOVIESTJOLLIESTYAY OPENED ALL CAGES THEY HAPPY 🦦🐿️ JOLLYESLY YAY SUPER AAAAAAAH EEEEAAAAH AAAAEEEAAAAEEEEAAAAAAHHHH JUMP ALL OVER BIG CATS. STAY FOR

DINDIN & PETTING YAY 😆😁🤩💐 THANXAZILLION SUPER BEAUTIFUL GLIORIOUSLY YALL 🦜🌟🦜🦏🐎🐅🐠🦋🦚🦩🕊️🦄🐸🦎😊👍 GROOVIESTJOLLIESTYAY 😊🕊️🦎🐸🦄🐸😊🦎🐸🕊️

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