Worth Knowing, Probably Not Quite Threadworthy 1/13

[SVPete]

California to Keep Bird Broiling Solar Plant in Operation

https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2026/01/12/california-to-keep-bird-broiling-solar-plant-in-operation-n3810764

I was in Las Vegas with my family the week before Christmas. On the drive back to California we passed a solar generation site called Ivanpah. If you haven't seen this before it's pretty striking in person. Instead of using photo-voltaic cells, the site has three towers surrounded by mirrors. The mirrors focus light and heat on the towers which use the concetrated heat to turn turbines.

The site was built with funds from several major companies including Google and a federal loan guarantee of $1.6 billion dollars. When this site opened in 2014, it was considered a step into the future of solar energy, but that quickly changed for several reasons. First, the site never produced as much power as was promised. ... And thirdly, the site had some environmental problems including interfering with local tortoises and killing as many as 6,000 birds a year.
...
For all of these reasons, both the Biden administration and the Trump administration agreed the state should shut down Ivanpah. ...
...
Only it turns out that's not going to happen after all. The California Public Utilities Commission decided Ivanpah needs to remain open because the state doesn't have enough electricity to replace it at the moment.

What kind of moron thinks that continuing to operate a terrible power generation facility that is also a disaster environmentally? Enviromoroncrats.

[SVPete]

State Department Revokes 100K Visas for Criminal Activity

https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/01/13/state-department-revokes-100k-visas-for-criminal-activity-n4948212

The U.S. State Department posted a photo on X of President Donald Trump doing his Trump dance and announced that among the revoked visas are some 8000 student visas. Anyone witnessing the pro-Hamas student protests over the last couple of years, some of which, if not many of which, foreign students who propagandized American peers launched or fueled, understand the importance of that move.

The federal agency made its announcement Monday, Jan. 12: “BREAKING: The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas for individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity. We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe.”

The first most obvious example, of course, is Mahmoud Khalil, the “Palestinian”-Algerian student who made such a name for himself at Columbia University leading rowdy riots in a support of Palestinian terrorists and against Israel in particular and Jews more generally.

[SVPete]

No (Federal) Charges Are Expected Against ICE Agent Whom Renee Good Attacked

https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2026/01/13/no-charges-are-expected-against-ice-agent-whom-renee-good-attacked-n4948214

Federal investigators have no plans to charge the ICE agent involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, and the Justice Department won't open a civil rights investigation into the incident from last week in Minneapolis.

The agent fired three shots after Good, 37, accelerated her SUV while he was in front of the car during an immigration enforcement operation that Good and other anti-ICE activists were attempting to obstruct.

The FBI took over the case from local authorities, and continues to review his conduct and physical evidence, including his service weapon. However, sources close to the investigation say the likelihood of criminal charges has decreased, though the decision isn't final.

I added the qualification, "Federal", because it's almost guaranteed that MN or the county pertinent to that part of Minneapolis will try lawfare and railroading the officer.

[DLR Pyro]

California to Keep Bird Broiling Solar Plant in Operation

https://hotair.com/john-s-2/2026/01/12/california-to-keep-bird-broiling-solar-plant-in-operation-n3810764

What kind of moron thinks that continuing to operate a terrible power generation facility that is also a disaster environmentally? Enviromoroncrats.

 The massive solar power generating facility at Ivanpah has to use natural gas fired turbine generators in the early morning hours to keep a minimal amount of power produced because (checks notes) the sun doesn't shine at night.