Law

well, I admit to recommending the diary simply because it's so
difficult to get any eco diaries on the rec list these days. I
figured, if nothing else, it at least gets people talking about these
issues, and any concerns about the speculative nature could be
addressed in the comments. I didn't have time to participate in the
discussion, but figured others would and my rec would contribute to
keeping the discussion alive for a bit longer.

In a perfect blogging world, all the most nutritious and well-
researched posts would make it to the recommend list, but as we all
know that is not always the case. So acknowledging the reality that
posts with catchy exaggerated titles and bold provocative assertions
tend to get more attention, it seems that having a hearty discussion
in a mediocre or fact-challenged diary can be just as effective than
crickets in a masterpiece.

I guess the recommend button means different things to different
people. I'm fairly generous with it, but everyone has their own
reasons for reccing a diary.

On another note, I'm not sure how many folks are still actively
subscribing to this group, so discussions like these might get more
traction in the diary's comments.

I hope this answers some of your questions, Adam.

Sven

I'm not sure how many folks are still subscribers on this list, Adam,

On Dec 28, 7:19 am, Adam Siegel <sieg...@gmail.com> wrote:
> This troubles me ...
>
> Too often, it seems to me, diaries about highly speculative (often based on
> university press releases about laboratory activity) items re energy
> advances end up spending serious time on the recommended list.
>
> In my perhaps faulty conception, huge enthusiasm for such 'press release'
> discussions where there is (too often) downplaying (if not simply failure
> to note) the speculative nature of the announcement (in terms of it ever
> having an impact in the real world) help contribute to 'technology will
> save us' and 'wait for the breakthrough' mentality which is one of the (too
> many) serious challenges we face in fostering a shift toward a smarter
> energy system.
>
> The wind power diary (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/27/1049178/-Wind-Power-Breakthr...)
> that has over 300 recommendations is an example of such a discussion. Look
> at the title:  "Wind Power Breakthrough".  Look at the first sentence:
>
> Electrical engineers all over the country must be slapping themselves in
> the forehead in a "Why didn't I think of that?" moment after the
> announcement of an elegant high-tech fix for a persistent wind energy
> efficiency problem that has plagued the electric wind turbine industry and
> retarded the growth of wind farms.
>
> It wasn't until the diary had made the recommended list that this was
> added:
>
> The story is a little old and the design shows no sign yet of a market
> breakthrough
>
> The story is from 2008 and, as far as I (and others who looked) can tell at
> the moment, the claimed 'next steps' don't seem to have occurred.
>
> Is this an interesting concept that might have promise?  Yes.  Is it an
> incredibly hard thing to accomplish?  From what I can tell, yes.  Is this
> anything like a near-term 'solution' that will have impact on our energy /
> environmental / economic challenges and opportunities?  No.
>
> Yet, this is the type of energy story that gets boosted up to the attention
> of 100s/1000s that do not seem to pay attention, in detail, to energy
> issues and discussions.
>
> Note that my handle is not on the 'recommended' ...
>
> But many in this list group are ...
>
> Thus, perspective?  Reaction?  Concepts for how to foster more robust
> discussions of energy while helping place speculative (even as often
> exciting) announcements in context?  ???

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