Developing polio vaccination seems like a poor analogy on every level. Because of Salk's altruism,

Posted on August 5, 2026 at 10:22:02 PM by brick

everyone benefitted from the Polio Vaccine, including people living in nations who "lost the race." It wasn't used to dominate, "lower headcount" or meet obnoxious quarterly goals: it was a genuine improvement in the human condition. The research was mostly publicly funded by the March of Dimes and state universities. 1939 brick's electricity bill didn't double to pay for it.

Meanwhile, all of the host of horribles assumes that AI is actually useful. What if we let China "win the AI race" and it's a gargantuan misuse of resources that does not improve the PLA's ability to project power, but does start to destabilize the CCP's hold on power? Or what if it just continues to be the nothingburger it's been so far?

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Dozens of gas-burning power plants are being built across the country, solely to power data centers. These plants could emit as much planet-warming pollution as half of all passenger vehicles in the entire country in a single YEAR. We need a data center moratorium — now.* - By withnail August 5, 2026 at 06:56:52 PM
- Matthew Smith on invest like the best predicts a LNG shortage by 2030* - By hambone August 5, 2026 at 07:30:39 PM
- Yep. New poll out yesterday shows that 66% of Oregon residents support a long-term data center moratorium - By brick August 5, 2026 at 07:13:34 PM
  - Intel has a huge presence in OR. Columbia River cheap hydro power made the gorge an early location for massive data centers. Makes it tough for a politician to stick to their principles.* - By Asquared August 5, 2026 at 07:27:55 PM
- NO we need a green energy plan and regulation of power. China is lapping us on energy and AI. Trump is spending $300b on a boat that will be a target for drones. +*** - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:01:11 PM
  - How has china lapped us in AI without nvidia?* - By hambone August 5, 2026 at 07:32:09 PM
    - To paraphrase the genie in Aladdin, can your American AI friends do this?.... - By jhamm August 5, 2026 at 09:17:45 PM
  - Need to stop even calling it green IMO and stop this nonsense in the US that solar is some exotic Al Gore lib thing. It's simply a cheap scalable source of electrons.* - By LewisBullox August 5, 2026 at 07:19:00 PM
    - Yup, opposing solar is now purely ideological. A toddler-brained psycho is driving our energy strategy.* - By Bluebuck August 5, 2026 at 07:25:19 PM
      - Literally forcing Consumers Energy to keep an old coal power plant open increasing rates to own the libs while the right champions small govt* - By LewisBullox August 5, 2026 at 07:29:12 PM
    - Correct* - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:20:59 PM
  - What is the tangible effect on our lives if China does “lap us” in AI development? - By brick August 5, 2026 at 07:16:09 PM
    - Because Chinese AI will be controlled by the CCP - By Alpo August 5, 2026 at 07:39:25 PM
      - So what? Tangible effect on my life in 2040....? - By brick August 5, 2026 at 09:04:23 PM
        
        Lole I said, maybe we’d all be better off. Trade some freedom for some more effective governance.* - By Alpo August 5, 2026 at 11:07:57 PM
        
        Do you believe the CCP would use an advantage in AI to invade the US, depose our government and govern us as a territory? - By brick August 5, 2026 at 11:29:39 PM
    - I would say there are real implications for cyberattacks. There are also a lot of implications for scientific discovery and the development of advanced weapons.* - By Bluebuck August 5, 2026 at 07:31:27 PM
      - China’s been hacking our systems and getting access to classified government info and valuable commercial info for over a decade - By brick August 5, 2026 at 07:48:16 PM
        
        All things can exist in degrees. We have some ability to protect ourselves now. Why develop a polio vaccine if people will still get sick from other things?* - By Bluebuck August 5, 2026 at 08:37:56 PM
        
        Developing polio vaccination seems like a poor analogy on every level. Because of Salk's altruism, - By brick August 5, 2026 at 10:22:02 PM
        
        Yet somehow our tech ecosystem is still much better than theirs - By Alpo August 5, 2026 at 08:25:13 PM
    - free energy and free intelligence as we build $500B navy ships. IDK they will be the global leader while we shit on every single ally * - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:20:17 PM
  - Energy is a bigger problem than AI* - By Lodz August 5, 2026 at 07:09:59 PM
    - Wealth disparity/concentration is a bigger problem than both and driving the issue on both. * - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:15:11 PM
  - agree with you. This country has terrible energy policy going back to 1973 when the OPEC oil embargo should have been a wakeup call for clean energy independence... - By ajs August 5, 2026 at 07:06:55 PM
    - Trump admin has spent billions to proactively crush green energy even when it does not make sense. ** - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:17:53 PM
  - Minnesota GOP Senate candidate Michele Tafoya attacked clean energy and solar panels at Farmfest for being "ugly" and not working at night, asking: "What happens when they're not good anymore?" - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:04:40 PM
    - The sideline sports reporter Michele Tafoya?* - By ajs August 5, 2026 at 07:07:43 PM
      - Yes new thought leadership in GOP* - By Cincywolve August 5, 2026 at 07:26:19 PM

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Developing polio vaccination seems like a poor analogy on every level. Because of Salk's altruism,